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Activity and strategy

Setting Up Task Boxes to Encourage Independence

Activities can be set up in individual plastic bins for children to do independently.

It can be a challenge for students with visual impairments to do activities independently, as they may not have easy access to materials or be fully aware of what the options are.  Teachers and families often ask what our students can do, and I have set up a number of “task boxes” with materials in individual plastic bins with activities that children can do by themselves.  These are a few examples, and you can use your creativity to think of ways that a child can practice skills during independent time at home or school.

Water Task Box

The water task box was created for a 4-year-old girl with low vision to take advantage of her love of water to encourage reaching and grasping, as well as searching within her work area for items.  This can be done as a more structured activity, such as “Can you find all of the yellow ones?” or asking the child to find all that match, or just allowing them to play and explore independently.

Water Task Box with small plastic frogs, ducks, fish, and crabs in a clear plastic bin
Water Task Box with small plastic frogs, ducks, fish, and crabs in a clear plastic bin

Spring Boxes

The two spring task boxes below were designed for a 2nd grader to encourage exploration of her work environment. She loves different types of textures, and enjoyed a bug search within the flowers or the black beans.  There are endless variations possible!

Task box with plastic flowers, butterflies, and other bugs
Task box with plastic flowers, butterflies, and other plastic bugs
Plastic bin with dry black beans and plastic insects
Plastic bin with dry black beans and plastic insects
Collage of setting up task boxes to encourage independence
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