The following movement and gross motor activities are suggested for use by a pair, one under simulation and one monitoring the other for safety:
 

• Walk in a hallway to locate specific room numbers or areas.
• In an unfamiliar setting, locate a doorway leading to the outside (e.g., fire door).
• Locate the first step to a flight of stairs (up or down).
• Go outdoors and locate a specific car in the parking lot.
• Walk in well lit and dimly lit areas, note differences.
• Use a vending machine.
• Use a water fountain.
• Find a requested item in a crowded drawer, closet or refrigerator.
• Try to open a locked door with a key.
• Play Simon Says from 10 ft.
• Shake hands with someone.
• Play catch with a playground ball and a beach ball.
• Get a wet paper towel and clean the table top.

 

The following seated and fine motor activities are suggested for use:

• Prepare an easy snack like crackers and cheese or peanut butter on celery sticks
• Watch television from 2 ft,, 5 ft, 10 ft and 15 ft.
• Make a list using a felt tip marker and a pencil of all the items that you can see in the room. Which writing instrument is better?
• Draw, paint or color with a variety of colors on a variety of colored paper. Pay attention to color and contrast.
• Use the simulator while reading under dim light and under bright light. Note the differences.
• Using the plastic wrap around the acuity lenses, try locating a specific page number and paragraph.
• Read from a paperback book for a sustained period of time,
• Using a web browser, look up any website on a personal computer, tablet computer or smartphone.
• Read text in a variety of fonts between 8 pt to 30 pt.
• Find a particular item in a supermarket circular.
• Read a handwritten recipe.
• Look at a "Where's Waldo"  or "I Spy" book.

 

Caution: Simulation activities should be conducted with the utmost care. The point of doing these activities is not for the particpants to think that visual impairment is devastating and hopeless, rather it is for them to think, "Oh, that is why they do that." "This is how they compensate," or "In the future I will modify materials in regards to color and contrast, lighting or size."  Empathy not symapthy.

Please email us with your ideas for activities and we will add them, and with your permission, your name to this list.  Thank you.

lowvisionsimulationkit@yahoo.com