If you take a walk down memory lane to recollect your most treasured Easter celebration as a child, what comes to mind? I think about visiting my grandparent’s home in Tampa, Florida, wearing a new-to-me fancy dress that could twirl just so, searching diligently through the grass for plastic (coin-filled) and previously hand painted hard-boiled eggs, eating grandma’s homecooked ham, and swapping giggles and treats with my siblings and cousins. No doubt the day began and ended with my dad reading the resurrection story. Thirty-some years later and I vividly remember the details.
So, how does a family who has a child who is blind or visually impaired adjust these or similar traditions in order to create an accessible, meaningful Easter holiday—one which will be fondly remembered 30 plus years down the road? Here you’ll find a few good resources and suggestions.
First, read "Including Your Child Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired in Easter Traditions" in order to
- peruse suggested activities such as accessible crafting and tactile egg decorating;
- consider home decor to enhance the senses;
- gather appropriate, accessible toys and basket fillers;
- think about concepts which can be taught during the Easter season;
- learn how to involve your child with food preparation; and
- contemplate how to tell the resurrection story using real artifacts.
Additionally, you can create a fully accessible Easter egg hunt for your child who is blind or visually impaired and any sighted siblings or family members. Utilize the following resources to learn how "beeping Easter egg hunts" came to be, and how to create one for your family:
- Instructions for a Beeping Easter Egg Hunt for Visually Impaired Children and gather supplies.
- If You’re Child Enjoys Beeping Easter Egg Hunts, You May Have This Man to Thank
- Have You Ever Been to an Easter Egg Hunt for Children Who Are Blind?
Lastly, no matter how simple or extravagant your Easter celebrations, remember to slow down and enjoy the traditions with your loved ones. Take it from Emily Coleman: Happy Easter and a Holy Event for My Child Who Is Blind!