[blindkid] Sensory Trail State Park

[Richard Holloway]

Are you talking about a nature trail of some sort, or more of a playground-equipment-like trail? One thing we have done here is to set up a "sensory garden" with a number of plants with interesting smells and/or textures. This offers a number of sensory opportunities in a single location which are interesting as well as safe to touch.

I wonder if one or more areas along the trail might be setup with interesting plants that are safe to touch and explore with some signage about them. Native plants would be ideal. They might object to non-native plants being brought in especially being in a state park, but hopefully there are some native plants which might work? 

I think marking them as safe to explore would be helpful, because some plants should not be touched and that sometimes keeps people who can't tell what is safe for certain from exploring interesting things along a trail by touch. We have lots of poison ivy and poison oak in our area and I know I often am concerned when Kendra wants to go walking around and especially exploring with her hands in areas where it is present hat she may discover some by accident.

It might also be appropriate if they could try and actively remove concerning plants of that sort from areas intended for tactile exploration. The scouts might be able to help, but it depends on age and skill level as certainly you wouldn't want young kids trying to remove poison ivy...

A local county extension service or perhaps a botanical garden (if you have one nearby) might be able to collaborate as well with plant suggestions or even to supply some.

Richard Holloway, Vice President
Georgia Organization of Parents of Blind Children
www.gopbc.org




On Nov 4, 2011, at 4:35 PM, Trudy Pickrel wrote:

> 
> Hi Everyone I am very excited that our local state Park has contacted me about a sensory trail that is being constructed at our state park just 10 minutes from us.  They have asked me to come and walk thru where it is going to be and give coments from a parents point of view.  I am wondering if any of you have done a Out side sensory trail. and things you liked or did not like.  I am to go on Tuesday to walk it then there is a boy scout troop coming next weekend to help finsh creating it.   Thank you
> 
> Trudy L. Pickrel
> President MD Parents of Blind Children
> http://mdparentsofblindchildren.org/
> 		 	   		  
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