Lunchtimes:

What might be difficult?

·  Preparing for lunch e.g. going to the toilet and washing hands,

·  Lining up

·  Getting to the dining room along a busy, noisy corridor

·  Joining the dinner queue

·  Reading menus

·  Finding different foods on plate and using cutlery

·  Dealing with packed lunch e.g. inserting a straw into a drink box, opening a yoghurt

·  Finding coat/sunglasses/hat and getting to playground after lunch

·  Long playtime: possible isolation

How to help

·  Make sure the child is familiar with the washroom layout by visiting the area at quiet times

·  Find opportunities to practise the route to the dining room and from there to the playground, with an adult and another child

·  Adult support may be needed to help with queuing for lunch and carrying food to the table

·  Menus should be available in an accessible format (eg, large print, Braille)

·  Good liaison with parents and preschool will help to establish strategies for locating foods, colour contrast of food with plate and use of cutlery

·  Encourage the child to be as independent as possible, whilst giving discreet help where necessary

·  Make sure that anything needed for playtime is easily accessible to the child

·  It might be helpful to go out to play with a friend

·  Lunch time supervisors will be easily located if they wear fluorescent jackets

·  Supervisors should be aware if a particular child is likely to become isolated or lose sight of their friends in the playground and give help where needed

·  If necessary, alternative activities could be provided indoors at lunch time

Playtimes:

What might be difficult?

·  Finding and putting on his/her coat

·  Finding his/her way to the playground along a busy corridor

·  Unfamiliarity with the playground layout

·  Coping with noise levels

·  Bright sunlight/dim lighting

·  Changes in surface e.g. asphalt to grass

·  Finding friends/adult help

·  ‘Keeping up’ with games e.g. running, chasing

·  Joining in with games and understanding the ‘rules’

·  Lining up procedure at the end of playtime

How to help

·  Allow plenty of time for the child to find their coat. This may mean leaving the classroom a little early when the cloakroom is quieter

·  Find times to practise the route to the playground

·  Give the child opportunities to explore the playground at a quiet time with you and a friend

·  Point out landmarks e.g. a particular tree, a bench, a bin

·  If noise is a problem, help the child to find a quiet area or consider the possibility of an alternative activity indoors for a while

·  Sunglasses and a cap may need to be worn on bright days and a shady area in which to play

·  It may help to pair up with a friend before going out to play

·  The child with a visual impairment may need help to find his/her friends during playtime

·  Adult support may be needed to help the child join in with games successfully or to suggest an alternative

·  Procedures for lining up need to be explained and practised

·  Adults will be easily identified if they wear fluorescent jackets

·  All children, including those with a visual impairment, enjoy doing jobs and taking messages