[Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around

[Theresa Taylor]

I also applaud your willingness to help your nephew explore crafts. I just 
wanted to mention that I was tactilely defensive as a child and it still 
comes out a bit as I am getting older. This is not unusual with blind 
people, but it certainly isn't a good excuse not to get our hands dirty. I 
still do many crafts and as a child I did need more coaxing to get dirty. It 
was amazing...I would climb a tree or go swimming in a river with lots of 
critters, but ask me to touch paste and I would gag. My parents were patient 
and pushed enough to get me through it. I used to keep diaper wipes or some 
other type of hand soap handy to wash my hands when I felt sensory overload. 
I also just realized through trial and error that this stimulation bothered 
me less and less as I worked with it.
I hope this helps and if you want more ideas for how I became less and less 
tactilely defensive....let me know.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dixie" <blueherons at sbcglobal.net>
To: "'List for blind crafters and artists'" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 7:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around


> Hi Nick,
>
> Welcome!
>
> As a former Girl Scout leader, I can emphatically state that you are doing
> the right things for your nephew.
>
> Watch for the Wednesday posts from Henrietta, she has some fabulous ideas
> for children.  Also, as for getting his hands into things, some playing 
> with
> food might be a fun idea.  For example making Rice Krispie treats and
> letting him mold them into shapes.
>  At our local harvest fair we have projects made by children.  The 
> projects
> are displayed and awarded ribbons, but, no money.    Believe me the fair
> committee tries to find a way to give many ribbons out in that department.
> One event I can think of that might be fun is the vegetable critter.  The
> kids use vegetables to create animals or objects.  For example a cucumber
> could be the body of a car, the slices of oranges for the tires, a carrot
> slice for the steering wheel.  You get the idea.
>
>
> Another department is the decorated shoe.  The kids use an old sneaker and
> decorate it.  For example making it into a new style with the decorations,
> or making it into an object like a vase for flowers.
>
> Check your local fair book for what different kinds of projects they have
> for kids to submit.
>
>
> Have fun, and we would love to hear about the ideas you share with your
> nephew, ones you get from us, and ones you find elsewhere.
>
>
> Dixie
>
> ~ @-> ~ <-@ ~
>
> I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths 
> I
> will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make
> the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not 
> forsake
> them.
> Isaiah 42:16
>
> ~ @-> ~ <-@ ~
>
> ~ @-> ~ <-@ ~
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Dick Carlson
> Sent: Saturday, August 28, 2010 2:29 AM
> To: nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking around
>
> 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
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