Do you have any hobby or activity suggestions for children with vision impairment?
Pottery, sculpting and 3D art, where a shape can be felt and moulded, are all great activities. Remember, some children don’t like messy play and may not enjoy the feeling of clay on their fingers, so start with something less messy, like playdough or plasticine. You can also try putting their hands on top of your hands as you mould something so they get a feel for it first.
Dance is another great activity. Try ballroom dancing, where you can be led by a partner or ballet, where you begin by holding onto a barre. Street dance and modern dance are also good to try; a safe area can be marked out and you can feel the moves or have them described or you can just go wild with some modern dance and move with the beat.
Horse riding is another rewarding activity. The horse can be led when you first start and you don’t need to be aware of the space around you as you are sat in one position. You can also learn to look after the horse, groom, feed, etc.
Gardening is a sensory joy. All the smells (hopefully nice ones!), tactile differences and sounds that are about when you are in the garden make it a good choice. You can find ideas for creating a sensory garden on the VICTA website.
These are just some examples, but anything is possible if the people or person your child is learning from are willing to make an effort to make adaptions. They should think about being descriptive in all instructions, giving pre warnings and discussing what will happen.
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