Skip to content
Blog

Adding Braille to Our Accessible Playground

Adding braille to a playground makes it accessible to children who are blind, deafblind or low vision.

I am the mother of two young busy boys.  My oldest Liam just turned 7 and is deafblind.  My youngest Finn just turned 4 and has typical vision and hearing.  A few years back I wrote about an accessible playground we made for the boys. I just “upgraded” the boys’ play set to a “big-boy” play set and added some fun new features to make the playground accessible and “braille-centered” for Liam. Liam is now older and his interests have changed.  I left some of the things the same. The area is still fenced in and the ground is filled with “rubber chips”.  There are still some of the wooden plaques attached to the fence (I removed some that had been damaged due to weather) that have fun tactile designs for both boys to enjoy.  

Backyard playground
Playground in the backyard

There is still a PVC pipe activity both boys enjoy putting the rubber chips into and watching the catch in the bowl/pot below.  

PVC pipe ball drop
PVC pipe ball drop
Reading braille label on playground
Reading braille label on playground
Signing while reading braille
Signing while reading braille

There are a few more “older boy” things added now that support Liam’s love for braille!

Braille labels:

I found a really neat website called Just Braille Signs that worked well with me to create labels in braille on durable plastic labels.  I wanted something that would hold up well outside.  I labeled things such as: slide, Liam and Finn’s spot on the picnic bench, play house, etc.  Liam absolutely loved finding the braille labels and reading them.  

Braille label of slide
Braille label on slide
Liam and Finn's Playhouse
Liam and Finn’s Playhouse

Orientation:

I added newly painted wooden plaques that have labels North, South, East and West written on them in braille.  I attached them onto the fence on the 4 cardinal directions.  

Reading direction label on playground
Reading direction label on playground
North label on playground
North label on playground

Braille Bucket:

I added a braille toy bucket so that Liam can play with his braille toys while outside (braille is his favorite choice of “activity”).  I was also thinking about getting a tub with a good cover to keep a few books outside as well!  

A boy plays with braille toys at a table.
Playing with the braille toy bucket

Just for Fun:

A boy sits at the top of a slide.
Ready to slide down!
A boy climbs the ladder of a play structure
Climbing up
A boy hangs from a bar on a playset
Swinging from the bar on the playset

It makes me smile to have a place, in our very own backyard, that BOTH my boys can enjoy together.  I love that a play set can also be a way to encourage a love for literacy and support a child’s love of braille!  

Pinterest collage of playground
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Blog

Ideas for Teaching Tracking and other Tactile Skills

Two hands reaching towards each other
Tips and guides

Some Things to Learn from Learning Through Touch

Art drawing of an assortment of Spring flowers
Lessons and materials

Spring Ideas 2024