[blindkid] Guided running techniques for blind grade-school kids

[Patricia]

On 4/10/14, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm on a message board where a mom of a blind 6-year-old described how
> her daughter hates PE and running. She wanted to decrease her
> daughter's gym time. I asked her how her daughter runs in PE class,
> and she said that her daughter runs with another child and she folds
> her cane in half, holds one side and has the other child hold the
> other to guide her. That method doesn't sound great to me, but I'm not
> very athletic and don't know what the best alternative is to suggest.
> What do you think would be the best way for a young blind student to
> participate in running along with her peers? The mom also asked
> whether volleyball can be adapted for the blind and I didn't know the
> answer to that either. So any advice from you more athletic folks
> would be great!
>
> Arielle
>
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindkid:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/bcsarah.fan%40gmail.com
>
Arielle:

Not that I'm much of a runner either, but has the team thought of
having the child run with someone who is of comparable speed or just a
little faster? I think that's typically how it works...and the child
could either a. run beside the other child almost shoulder to shoulder
so they can maintain contact, b. run with a light sighted guide
technique or c. if independent running was an option, having the child
run along a rope. I've done a bit of running since joining my local
goalball team and am starting to pick up on the echos of the footsteps
of others around me, so that could be another alternative but I'd test
the others first.

I'm trying to increase my own physical activity, so these are just my
two cents worth, not much to go off of I know.

Patricia