Readasaurus Kit
Family Guide
Wordstosee, touch and hear
Generously sponsored by:
Gettingstarted
Asthe parent, guardian or teacher ofa child with vision loss, you may wonder:
•How will my child get around safely?
•How will they make (and keep) friends?
•How can Ihelp them become independent?
Being able toread is key tohelping your child with these and many other life goals you may have forthem.
Not sure youhave time toshare thiskitwith yourchildyourself?
•Review this information with people working with your child.
•Send theActivityBook toyour child’s preschool, daycare
or school.
•Share this information with family and friends who want tips forplaying with your child.
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Usingthisguide
This guide includes tips thatyou can use toplay and read with your child. Why should you trythem?
•To give your child practice (and confidence!) learning in different ways
•To understand which methods work best for your child (Every child is different!)
The skills your child learns through reading and playing will have many useful and
practical applications – for school and beyond!
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Readingevolves
Reading today is done on computers, phones and other devices. Whatdoes this mean forkids with vision loss?
•Audio/voice output
•Magnified/large-print text
•Braille
As your child grows up, they’ll read: stories, signs, recipes, textbooks, instructions, manuals and more.They’ll need to write too: filling out job applications, making grocery lists, and communicating with friends and family.
Yourchild may not grow up toread regular print. For writing they may primarily use a computer keyboard. Butthey’ll still need tolearn basic literacy skills, like spelling, grammar,sentence structure and comprehension.And the foundation ofliteracy is the same foreveryone:
•Communication
•Experience
•Understanding
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Readingwithachildwhoisblind
orhaslowvision
Howisreadingtoa childwithvisionlossdifferent?
Picture books
•Pictures may tell the storyor give important information about characters. (For instance, Curious George is a monkey,but not all kids can see that.)
•When a child can’t see the pictures (or can’t see them well), they’ll miss out unless you also describe
the pictures!
•Through your description, your child
develops their vocabulary and learns important communication skills.
•Kids with low vision see parts ofthe image before they can see the whole thing. (Itmay take longer forthem tosee or understand the “big picture”.)
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Concept books
•Books can be used toteach important concepts, like big and small, over and under.
•Remember,forkids with vision loss, learning may
be best done hands-on; that’s how they observe.
•Use real objects with your stories to demonstrate
the words and actions in the book.
Theworldofa child
•Kids learn a lot by watching and imitating,
but if your child can’t watch the world around them
then they need to experience it!
•Abook setin a grocery store won’t mean much toyour child if they’ve never participated in the shopping routine.
•Consider this:if you always open the door foryour child, how will they ever learn how doors work?
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Gettingreadyforstorytime
Choosingbooks
•Pick books with bright colours and simple, uncluttered pictures.
•Photographs may be easier foryour child tosee and understand than illustrations.
•Pick books with high-contrast, large words and letters, or textures, depending on what your child can see.
•Find books with rhymes and interesting words to keep your child’s attention (which is especially important if they can’t see the pictures).
•Don’t avoid books with lots ofpictures, but think about how you’ll need totell the storydifferently. Youdon’t have todescribe everything, but remember: who? what? where? when? why?
•Let your child pick the book they want tohear forstorytime.
•Label the books in your child’s library so they
can recognize their favourites. (For example, this
kit includes tactile heart and starstickers thatyou
can use – but you can also glue texture strips like
Ask a librarian
Remember, librarians are there toassist you.Ask them forhelp with finding books to interest your child.
fine sandpaper or velvet to the book spine so your child can find them.)
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Choosinga time andplace for reading
•Find the best times toread. Reading before bed is popular,but your child may have more energy tofocus in the morning.
•Create a comfortable and quiet reading nook away from toys,TV,noise and other distractions.
•Once you find a space and a time of day that works for you and your child,
make reading part ofyour daily routine.
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Readingwithyourchild
Make readinginteractive
•Let your child hold the book and help turn the pages.
•Askyour child totrackthe print or braille with
their finger as you read to them.
•While reading, ask your child questions tomake sure they understand the story.
•Describe any illustrations your child can’t see. (Even if the details don’t seem important, knowing the colour ofThomas theTankEngine (Train)is a must for most kids!)
•Help your child find textures or tactile images by running their hand over the page.
•Help your child trace the outline and details ofany tactile pictures and compare them to actual objects. When possible, put a real object next to the tactile illustration so they can feel how they are the same.
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Make readingfun!
•Use funny voices and sound effects.Ifyour child can’t see the silly pictures,
they need you to make the book fun!
•Use songs totell stories.Toddlersnot interested in sitting and reading may be excited to hear a story-song. For example, singing and acting out “The Wheels on the Bus” teaches them thatbuses have wheels, thatthe wheels go
round and round, the wipers move side toside, etc.
•Have them actout parts ofthe storyor tell the storyback toyou in their own words.
•If the book has textures or tactile illustrations, make a game of finding and exploring them. (E.g., “Find the fluffy
bunny tail on this page”, “How many wheels can you feel on the truck?”,“Whatdoes the
monster’s nose feel like?”, etc.)
Visit
AltLit.caformore reading tips and tools for your family!
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Adaptingandmakingbooks
Inaddition tobuying and borrowing books, why not trymaking your own? Or modifying books you already own tomeet the needs ofyour child? Itdoesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming. Involve crafty family members and friends, and the process can be a lot offun.
Bringingstories tolife
Add simple textures and tactile elements to your books. For example, if you own “TheThree Little Pigs”,
glue a curly pig tail (like a pink pipe cleaner) on every picture
ofa pig in the book. When modifying a book fora small child, make sure objects or textures are securely attached so they don’t become a choking hazard. (Don’t let children use modified books without
adult supervision.)
You can also make a texture book out ofdifferent types offabric. Sew shapes tothe page using contrasting fabric, like a corduroy triangle on a “page” ofsilk.
TeachtheABCs and123s!
Visit pinterest.com/CNIBINCAaltlit tocheck out our “Literacy for kids with vision loss” board and get inspired!
Tactilealphabet or number books can be made out offoam number or letter shapes available atdollar or craftstores.Add illustrations meaningful foryour child, like:
•Gluing down three pieces of uncooked macaroni next to the number 3.
•Gluing down a plastic flower next to the letter F.
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Introducingbraille
Use a handheld braille labeller and adhesive dymo tape to add braille to your existing children’s books. (Braille writers are available atshopcnib.ca.)This kit includes a sheet of ready-to-go word stickers to get you started.
Make a kit
Make a book bag or story box to go along with your child’s favourite book. Include some ofthe main objects from the story.Then, while you’re reading the story,ask your child toreach in and pull out the objects as they are mentioned. For example, a bag/box for the book “IfYou Give a Mouse a Cookie” might include:
•Aplush mouse toy
•Acup
•Astraw
•Anapkin
Didyouknow?
Librarians can suggest good books to build story boxes around, and some public libraries even
offer ready-to-go story boxes that your family can borrow.
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Bringyourchildintothe story!
“Experience books” give kids important practice in telling their own stories! Make a book with your child totell the storyofsomething they love todo or about a special day they had. For example, slip objects into an inexpensive photo album from the dollar store totell the storyofa trip tothe beach. Include things like:
•The bus transfer thatthey used toget there
•Asealed ziplock baggie ofsand
•Aseashell they found
•The stick from a popsicle they ate
Now your child has a book that they can flip through to help them remember all the different parts of their “Beach Day” story!
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Practicemakesperfect
Kids who read regular print have the chance to “practice” reading every time they open their eyes. From street signs to store flyers, fast food menu boards and more, we are surrounded by print!
How can you provide opportunities foryour child topractice reading, writing and other important lliteracy skills?
At home
•Make a tactile or braille calendar/daily schedule
(include snack time,bath time,bed time,etc.).
•Learn the braille alphabet together.Practice braille
letters by using a six-cup
muffin tin with six tennis balls, or an empty egg carton (half-dozen) with six balls of cotton.
•Give your child something new to read every day. Put a braille/large-print note about an upcoming birthday party on the refrigerator or include a reminder about a playdate in the snack box that they take to daycare. (Even if they don’t read it on their own, they learn thatreading is important.)
•Even before they can write themselves, give them peel-and-stick name labels
(large-print or braille) that they can use to mark their artwork or belongings.
Outandabout
•Let your child help make a grocery list (and do the shopping!).
•Encourage them to find and push the braille or tactile elevator button.
•Listen toan audio storyas a family during a car ride. Don’t forget totalk
about it afterwards!
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CNIBonlineresource:AltLit.ca
AltLit.ca is CNIB’s website about alternative literacy forkids and teens with vision loss.
Reading is important and everyone can enjoy it, whether they use e-books, audio
books, braille, large print or another format.
Youngreaders willenjoythe:
•cool contests
•fun reading programs
•accessible computer games
Adultswill:
•learn why braille is important
•find books about education and vision loss
•discover where tobuy accessible toysand books
•sign up forfree courses, watch videos, read articles and reviews
•get more info on everything from adaptive technology toadapted sports
•connect with other parents and professionals
•download more copies ofthis ‘Family Guide’ Visitand bookmark AltLit.catoday!
Use Pinterest?
So do we! Be sure to followAltLit’s “Literacy for kids with vision loss”
board on Pinterest.
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Learning(andreading)isallfun
andgames!
The ReadasaurusActivityBook provided in this kit is
full of great ideas for you to explore with your child
as you help them develop:
Listeningskills
Teachyour child how tolisten.Yourchild’s ability to learn (and even their safety!) may depend on effectivelistening skills. Remember,not everyone can concentrate when listening to an audio book; they even make some people sleepy!
Touchandmovement skills
Teachyour child how togather information about
the world through touch and movement. Even if your child won’t become a braille reader,they maydepend on tactile diagrams illustrating concepts thatcan’t be described in words (such as maps). Learning to identify objects, textures and even images by touch is a useful skill forall kids.
Comprehensionskills
Teachyour child strategies tocollect, organize and understand information. Recognizing patterns, developing a good memory – these skills will help your child in all areas of their life, not just reading and education.
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Howlibrarieshelp
CNIB believes thatkids with vision loss belong in public libraries with their families and friends.
Takeyour child tothe public library,get them their own library card and introduce them tothe Children’s Librarian and other library staff.
Books
Your public library may have board books with textures and tactile elements, picture books with braille added, large print, audio and e-books.
Butremember,the books on your public library’s shelves are only the beginning. Askyour library about signing up forCELA, a free service offeredby many public libraries. CELAis the Centre forEquitable LibraryAccess and is CNIB’s partner in accessible literacy.
WithCELAyourchildcan:
•Borrow from Canada’s largest collectionofaccessible audio,e-text, braille,printbraille,tactile books,adaptedboardbooks,described movies andmore! CELA’s collection includes the Dolly Parton Imagination Library collection ofrecorded books foryoung children. Many titles from CELA’s collection can be downloaded totablets and smartphones, and there is also
a Direct-to-Player option!
•Geta free membership toBookshare (,a US-based accessible online library forpeople with print disabilities – you can download books in DAISYText, DAISYAudio (synthetic voice), MP3 (synthetic voice), or Braille Ready Format
QuestionsaboutCELA?
Please visit
(click on Registration)
Orcallthe CELAHelpline:1-855-655-2273
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PartnersinAccessibleLiteracy
Programsandresourcesyour
publiclibrarymayoffer
Mostpublic libraries offeraccessible services forkids ofall abilities. Ifthe programs your local library is running don’t meet your family’s needs, let them know! Offer suggestions forwhat might work instead.
•Recordings ofstories available by phone or online
•Baby,toddler or family storytimes
•Special needs storytimes
•Crafttimes,special events and other activities with inclusive components
•Summer reading clubs
•Reading programs: “ForestofReading” (Ontario) and “Hackmatack” (Atlantic provinces)
•BookFlix (Scholastic Canada)
•TumbleBookLibrary
•AudioBookCloud
•eReading Room forKids (Overdrive)
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Furtherresources
Accessible andtactile products
ShopCNIBshopcnib.ca FutureAids
braillebookstore.com TactileVision tactilevisiongraphics.com
Learningopportunities
Hadley Schoolfor the Blind
Free and inexpensive online courses for parents and caregivers
hadley.edu
WonderBaby
Articles, Q&As,product and toyreviews and more resources forparents ofchildren who are blind, partially sighted or have multiple disabilities
wonderbaby.org
Future Reflections
National Federation ofthe Blind’s magazine forparents and teachers ofchildren who are blind
nfb.org/future-reflections
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Braille information
CNIB
cnib.ca/braille
Braille Literacy Canada brailleliteracycanada.ca NationalBraille Press
Click the “ReadBooks!” link under the “Kids Programs” tab to learn how you can receive a free ReadBooks! braille book bag.
npb.org
Socialmedia
@cnib/cnib
@cnib/CNIBINCAaltlit
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Notes
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