Parent’s Perspective: Free Time Activities for Children Who Are Blind and Have Additional Disabilities
Free time for our kids is what we make it. Our son Matthew is eight and was born totally blind and left with mild to moderate developmental delays. We’ve spent a lot of time and will continue to spend a lot of time defining his “free time.” There is very little he can learn and do on his own, but the time we put in allows Matt more rewarding free time and allows us more of our own free time.
First and foremost, find help, google it, it’s out there. We’ve gotten resources through the Commission for the Blind, our school Perkins School for the Blind, NAPVI, Lions Club, the ARC, health care assistance, state disabilities programs, autism programs, etc. Most importantly, talk to and train, if necessary, family and friends.
What works for us is our choices bin and board. In our choices bin, you can find cards with both an object and the meaning (in braille and written). Every time we find a new activity, we create a new card and add it to the bināask others to be creative. This allows Matthew to “see” his choices and remember all the things he can do. We like to pull out a collection of choices and Velcro them to his choice board, and you’ll see why we have to do that based on the list. Here is the list of activities we have cards for currently:
Free Time Activities
| Alone | With someone |
|---|---|
| Book (read) | Color /crafts |
| Books on tape (some are home-created social stories) | Bake |
| Digital reader (Braille & Talking Book Library) | Ride bike (tandem or big wheel) |
| Bouncy house (small for indoors or outdoors) | Braille (homework) |
| Braille (write a letter/thank you/story) | Playdate |
| Drums | Playground |
| Piano | Swingset |
| Keyboard | Football (yes he catches it and runs) |
| Phone call | Go for walk |
| Get a snack | Cards (Go Fish/Uno) |
| Playdough (practice cuttingāplastic knife or scissors) | Trouble (Star Wars version with R2-D2 audio) |
| Rest | Go shopping or to a restaurant |
| Spinny swing/hanging ropes (IKEA) | Swimming |
| Toys (placed in one clear area to find favs) | Go to the health club |
| Tub (paints/ shaving cream) | Treadmill |
| iPod (limitedāused for rewards) | Ticklebug (a favorite with Dad) |
| CD player (limitedāused for rewards) | Freeze dance |
| Stickers (limitedāused for rewards) | Pretend (talk about pretend people/ places) |
| Karaoke |
Most of our free time is together. We enjoy all activities and have not found any that we don’t make Matthew at least try. The more experiences the better. He’s experienced roller skating, rock-climbing, horseback riding, Kung Fu, bowling, gymnastics, musicals, concerts, amusement parks, skiing, sledding, hiking, alpine slide, team sports, fishing, boating, jet skiing, tubing, and the list goes on. Life is shortāmake the most of every moment.
āAnita Sullivan, Mother of an eight-year-old boy who is blind and has mild to moderate developmental delays