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Activity and strategy

Pegboard Books for Our Earliest Readers

Pegboard books provide a way for young children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities, to explore books and tactile materials.

Pegboard books provide a way for young children who are blind or visually impaired, including those with multiple disabilities, to begin to explore books.  Based on the work of Dr. Lilli Nielsen and her Active Learning approach, this format uses real objects attached to pieces of pegboard.  The common household materials that are selected have varied and interesting tactile properties, which encourage exploration. Ronda Dalley of the New Mexico School for the Blind shared this example of a pegboard book.

Materials

  • pegboard
  • shelving unit or frame to hold the book together
  • string, velcro, cable ties, or other way to secure the items to the book
  • interesting tactile materials, such as mirrors, brushes, socks, and other textured items

Procedure

Once the book has been constructed, encourage children to explore each page, while providing support, as necessary.

Page of Pegboard book
Curved shapes and tubes with ridges invite exploration.
Page of pegboard book
Combs and a hand mirror
Page of pegboard book
Mitten and sock
Page of pegboard book
Socks and toothbrushes
Page of pegboard book
Various kinds of brushes
Page of pegboard book
Scratchy cloths and washcloth
Page of pegboard book
All of the pages of the pegboard book

Procedure

  • Items can be changed, as needed, or removed to be cleaned.
  • Books can be made following a theme or a routine, such as bathtime.
  • For more examples of pegboard books, see also the Active Learning Space website.
Collage of pegboard book for children with visual impairments and multiple disabilities
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