Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket – Paths to Literacy

Description:

This activity is a nice way to motivate beginning readers in a play setting, using word cards in braille or print to label the items in the picnic basket.

Picnic set with word cards — Note that there are braille word cards next to sample items from the picnic set.

Materials:

This game is available from LeapFrog toys and can be purchased online or at a large number of big retail stores.
Word cards in print or braille for each of the items in the picnic basket

Procedure:

Have the student(s) set up the items from the picnic basket by placing them in the correct shape form. The picnic basket is electronic and says “Open” and “Close”.
Ask the student to pick a word card, read the card, and find the corresponding item.
Place the item in the picnic basket and press the button for an auditory reinforcement.

Photo of cup with braille word card — Plastic cup with braille word card saying “cup”

Variations:

This activity can be done individually or with a small group.
Adaptation for Dual Media: write print on back of cards and have the student read braille on the front of the card.

Collage of sharing a picnic basket to develop literacy skills with students who are blind