Accessible Toys

Creating accessible fun toys As a blind mom of a 10 month little boy, being creative has become one of my most used qualities. I think I would do a lot of the same things whether I was sighted or not, but when it comes to toys, being creative is key. This past week, I thought it’d be fun to make a couple of toys that are both fun for the little guy but also make noise so that I can enjoy them, or most importantly, know where he is. He is not mobile yet but he cruises the entire house in his stand/sit walker and sometimes it’s like he’s playing hide and seek right in front of me. Having noisy toys on the little tray of his walker or in his hand helps with figuring out where the little roadrunner has went.

Rice water bottle: put rice in an empty water bottle and super glue the top on. Nobody wants a zillion pieces of rice blasted around the floor. Our son loves this and crinkles or shakes it constantly.

Balloons with bells in them: Noah loves balloons, until one pops in his face. Put a small bell in the balloon that way you can usually figure out where it is traveling or have a general area where it went once it lands and no longer makes noise.

Cereal in paper plates: Take some cereal or small candies and put them onto a paper plate. Take another paper plate and put it upside down. Staple around the edges to make sure none of the contents fall out if shaken. Use masking tape or some other type of tape to wrap the exterior and cover up the staples.

These are just a few silly sensory objects that I created off the top of my head but I am sure that there are many more. Feel free to comment on what has worked for you and your kiddos.