Braille can be included in kitchen fun! My six-year-old Liam who is deafblind got to make rice crispy bars “by himself” today with a little help from mom. I wanted a “kitchen” experience for Liam that included as much braille as possible in a meaningful way and also encouraged independence.
Materials
- Tub of butter (labeled in braille)
- Bag of marshmallows (labeled in braille)
- Microwave buttons (labeled in braille)
- Rice Crispies (labeled in braille)
- Bowl
- Spatula
- Homemade recipe book that includes real-life objects and of course – braille!
*optional-ingredient list
**I added simple labels in braille. For example the tub of butter I only put the word “Butter” on it. You can add more information on the label depending on your child’s needs/level.
Procedure
- I had Liam help me gather all of the ingredients/materials we needed to make the treats. He felt the braille labels on all of the food items as we brought them to the table. (He really enjoyed that!)
- First he had to put butter in the bowl. (He was not a fan of how sticky the butter was.)
- Then he poured the marshmallows in the bowl.
- Next, he carried the bowl to the microwave and started the microwave (our microwave buttons are labeled in braille).
- Then, I helped him carry the now melted marshmallows to the table since they were warm. I showed him how he could use the washcloth to put on the bowl so the warm bowl wouldn’t hurt his hand. We talked about how the marshmallows had melted. He then stirred the melted marshmallows.
- Next, he added the cereal and stirred.
- Now the best part: Tasting the treat!
Creating a Recipe Book
After we made the treats together I showed Liam the recipe book and we read it together and discussed all the steps we went through to make rice crispy bars. He read and reread the book several times that night and wanted to bring it to school the next day to share.
