[Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around

Henrietta Brewer gary.brewer at comcast.net
Sat Aug 28 22:35:39 UTC 2010 

Hi Dick,
Do you really think that sighted six year olds use the right amount 
of glue? lol  That wouldn't be a lot of fun.

One way to do glue as a blind person, wait, I did this with sighted 
children. Actually, adults do this too.  Place some glue that you 
squeeze out of the bottle on a jar lid or even a piece of paper and 
use your finger to apply.  A small paint brush will also work to 
apply.  But to much glue is a part of learning.

You are right, walks are a good choice.  Feeling free to stop and 
touch the roses is good too.  People are very willing to have blind 
people touch their plants and decor. Can you imagine how great 
someone would feel if a little boy who is blind came by and looked at 
their fountain or sun flower? You would make their day.

Be sure that your Nephew takes his cane on walks.  Good practice for 
the times he will need it at school or on his own and a good way to 
let the community know that this little guy needs them.

Can you imagine taking him to a hardware store? I love checking 
things out at a hardware store.  Even checking out the different 
types of materials on buildings downtown.  Does he know what the 
outside of Walmart looks like? I just realized that I don't know.  I 
guess I will have to investagate that. lol

What about checking tread on tires? We had a totally blind friend who 
could fix any car.  He totally rebuilt his Dad's Studabaker.  Yes, I 
mean the engine too.

Has he ever sat on a curb or does he know what a man hole cover is 
like?  Oh, this world has so much to explore.

HenriettaAt 05:58 PM 8/28/2010, you wrote:
>Well, I think it's time for some play!  This sounds cool!
>
>I would imagine that if we did a project like this, I'd probably 
>need to handle the glue application, as if we used one of those 
>bottles, he wouldn't know whether or not he got too much or too 
>little and could easily squirt that stuff more than necessary.
>I don't know.  Remember, I'm new at this stuff too and want to see 
>how much I should do and how much he should do too.  Hmmm, how would 
>totally blind six-year-olds deal with making sure they apply only 
>the necessary amount?
>
>I like that collage idea, too.
>
>Something elswe I'd like to begin doing is just going for walks and 
>enjoying outdoors.  He doesn't do much with his cane yet.
>DC
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Terrence van Ettinger" 
><terrencevane at gmail.com>
>To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:24 PM
>Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around
>
>
>>Hey there, Dick,
>>Gluing can be done; most kiddos his age are starting to do projects 
>>with glue, and I think I was.  You might try something like that 
>>tactile book idea; gluing the different shapes onto the pages 
>>etc.  Or just do a texture collage and see what you come up 
>>with.  You could use glue sticks to make for more precise glue 
>>application, and/or just use one of those Elmer's bottles with the 
>>pointy top.  Also, on a non-gluing front, if he's already learning 
>>Braille, maybe some Braille drawing to re-inforce his Brailling 
>>skills as well as getting him drawing.
>>
>>Just some thoughts,
>>Terrence, the likely spacy for the next few days as I seem to be 
>>catching the cold that's running around Anchorage these days.
>>
>>Terrence
>>
>>Twitter: www.twitter.com/terrencevane
>>Kingdoms Live Code: bgc5a6
>>
>>On Aug 28, 2010, at 11:16 AM, "Dick Carlson" 
>><dick.carlson0428 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>>>Hmmm, what do you mean by doing something that takes a little 
>>>gluing and alike?
>>>
>>>Honestly, something like that might be a little tricky, wouldn't it?
>>>
>>>DC
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Terrence van Ettinger" 
>>><terrencevane at gmail.com>
>>>To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 7:40 AM
>>>Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around
>>>
>>>
>>>>Welcome, Dick!  This is Terrence from Anchorage.  You're on the 
>>>>right track with the little guy; I think it's important for blind 
>>>>kids to have all the same opportunity as their sighted 
>>>>counterparts, and that includes crafts.  I myself grew up in a 
>>>>crafty household; my mother was into cross-stitch, dad built me a 
>>>>bed frame, plus my mom's whole side of the family did all kinds 
>>>>of creative pursuits.  So I was exposed to a whole bunch of 
>>>>things.  Plus I had teachers who made sure I was included in the 
>>>>same crafts that the other kids were doing.
>>>>Over the years, I've done everything from leatherwork to pottery 
>>>>to plastic canvas (briefly, though am thinking of taking it up 
>>>>again), weaving, and whatever else came my way, inclu
>>>>ding Braille drawing.  '-)  One of my favorites currently that 
>>>>seems to be a hit with kids is kumihimo, a Japanese cord-making 
>>>>technique for which I have posted instructions a few weeks 
>>>>back.  I've taught it to kiddos and they loved it.  In fact that 
>>>>might be a good place to start introducing crafts where he won't 
>>>>yet need to worry about getting messy, then maybe move into 
>>>>something that takes a little gluing or the like. Another good 
>>>>thing to try with him might be leather stamping; this only 
>>>>requires that he deal with a little water to moisten the leather, 
>>>>and is probably one of the first crafts my aunt introduced me 
>>>>to.  How old is the little guy?  I don't think there's too many 
>>>>crafts that can't be adapted in some way to make them work for a blind person.
>>>>Drifting off the subject of crafts for a moment (pardon if this 
>>>>is a little OT, folks), I would encourage Mom to be a bit less 
>>>>protective, no more so than she would be of a sighted kiddo.  A 
>>>>good rule of thumb would be, "Would you let a sighted kiddo do 
>>>>this?" If the answer is yes, then the blind kid should be allowed 
>>>>to do the same things.  It's important for blind kids to be 
>>>>treated just like any other kids; just adapt things if needed.  I 
>>>>feel that one of the best things my parents did for me was to 
>>>>raise me just like any other kid.  I climbed jungle gyms, got my 
>>>>hands dirty with clay, went to camp, finger-painted, played on 
>>>>the swings...all the normal childhood things that every other kid 
>>>>was doing.  Sure I did activities geared to blind kids 
>>>>specifically as well, but I mainly just lived a normal kid's 
>>>>life.  My blindness was never hidden, but it didn't govern my 
>>>>life either.  I hope that your nephew is able to have that experience as well.
>>>>
>>>>Terrence, guy crafter and uncle to 16+
>>>>Twitter: www.twitter.com/terrencevane
>>>>Kingdoms Live Code: bgc5a6
>>>>
>>>>On Aug 27, 2010, at 10:28 PM, "Dick Carlson" 
>>>><dick.carlson0428 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Hello everyone,
>>>>>
>>>>>I'm Dick and found out about this list through a teacher who 
>>>>>works with blind kids.  I hope this list is for everyone, 
>>>>>including sighted folks.
>>>>>
>>>>>I am helping to raise my little nephew, and he's a totally blind 
>>>>>kid who is perhaps a tad socially delayed for his age.  I mainly 
>>>>>try to spend a lot of time with him and wanted to see how much 
>>>>>he and I could do together to stimulate him a bit.  He has been 
>>>>>very over-protected by his mom, who means very well but 
>>>>>sometimes doesn't know whether or not to let him do things on his own.
>>>>>I realize most guys don't really get into crafts, but I think 
>>>>>working with your hands can be fun and I have no problem with it.
>>>>>I hope there are other guys on this list to share with as well.
>>>>>
>>>>>One of the things my little nephew is not used to doing or maybe 
>>>>>doesn't like doing is to do a lot of exploring with his 
>>>>>hands.  He's not been encouraged.  In addition, he doesn't 
>>>>>really like getting his hands dirty or into things, because he's 
>>>>>always been taught to sit still and stay clean and all that 
>>>>>stuff that most children don't do!
>>>>>I'd love to expose him to this sort of thing and perhaps get 
>>>>>into things where it will be inevitable for us to put our hands 
>>>>>in things and get a little messy.
>>>>>
>>>>>Is this out of the ordinary for blind kids, and am I doing the 
>>>>>right thing by wanting to work with him and play doing things 
>>>>>with him?  Is this a good list for good crafts and such?
>>>>>
>>>>>I'd love feedback and ideas.
>>>>>
>>>>>Dick Carlson
>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
>>>>>Nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
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>>>>
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>>>
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>>
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>
>
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Henrietta
~I wish you enough~

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