by Terri Bohling
This year I had a blind student in kindergarten. One of the table jobs the class did each week was cut out pictures of objects beginning with the letter of the week and paste it on a page for an alphabet book. I developed a list of real objects, small and flat enough to be pasted in a book, for my student to use.
Each week he would cut out his real object and paste it onto a piece of braille paper. At the end of the year, I put the pages in a large-ring binder. It was a wonderful book for him.
As an outgrowth of that list, I expanded to a listing of real objects that would fit in a manipulative tub. From there, I added body parts, actions, animals, concepts of position, foods and things (too big for a book or tub).
Editor’s note: What follows is a list of real objects (whenever possible, avoid using plastic replicas) that can be substituted for pictures as the author describes during language and literacy development activities. It is adapted from more comprehensive lists created by the author, which also include additional categories such as body parts, actions, animals, and food.
Download the list in chart format (RTF).
Alphabet List
A
Object Book
aluminum foil, antenna, arrow
Manipulative Tub
abacus, acorn, alarm clock, album, anchor, antler, apple, avocado
B
Object Book
bag, balloon, bandaid, barrette, beads, beans, book, bottle, button
Manipulative Tub
ball, banana, basket, battery, beanbag, bell, belt, block, boa, bone, bow, bowl, box, brick, brush
C
Object Book
candle (b-day), candy, cardboard, circle, comb, cotton ball, crayon
Manipulative Tub
camera, can, can opener, candle, cane, cap, cell phone, clay, colander, cookie cutter, crown, cup
D
Object Book
diamond (shape), dollar, domino
Manipulative Tub
diaper, dice, doll, door knob, dress, drill, drum
E
Object Book
earring, eggshells, envelope
Manipulative Tub
ear muffs, easel, egg, electric tootbrush
F
Object Book
fan, feather, filter (coffee), fork, fur
Manipulative Tub
file, film, flag, flashlight, flower, folder, football, frame
G
Object Book
glasses, glove, gum
Manipulative Tub
gift, globe, glue, grapefruit
H
Object Book
hair, hair tie, handkerchief, heart (shape), headband, hole
Manipulative Tub
hammer, handle, hanger, harmonica, hat, helmet, hook, horn, hose
I
Object Book
inch, incense, ivy
Manipulative Tub
ice cream (carton), ice cube tray, iron
J
Object Book
jellybeans, juice box (crushed)
Manipulative Tub
jacket, jacks, jar, jeans, juicer, jump rope
K
Object Book
key
Manipulative Tub
kazoo, ketchup, kettle, keyboard, kite, kiwi
L
Object Book
lace, leaf, leather, lollipop
Manipulative Tub
ladle, lamp, leash, lemon, letter, lid, life jacket, lipstick, light bulb, lock, lunch box
M
Object Book
macaroni, marshmallow, match, mitten
Manipulative Tub
magazine, magnet, mail, marble, marker, mask, mat, measuring cup, microphone, milk (carton), mouse (computer), mug, mustard
N
Object Book
nail, name tag, napkin, necklace, needle, noodle
Manipulative Tub
necktie, net, newspaper, nozzle, nut, nutcracker
O
Object Book
oatmeal (packet), ointment, oval, oven mitt
Manipulative Tub
oil, onion, orange, ornament, overalls
P
Object Book
paintbrush, paper, paperclip, peanut, pebbles, peg, pen, pencil, penny, pin
Manipulative Tub
pajamas, pan, pants, pecan, pedal, pepper, pillow, pipe, pitcher, pizza box, plate, plug, pocket, popcorn, pot, potato, powder, pudding, puppet, purse, puzzle, pumpkin
Q
Object Book
quarter, quill
Manipulative Tub
quilt
R
Object Book
ribbon, rice, ring, rope, rock, ruler, rubber band
Manipulative Tub
radio, raincoat, rattle, remote, rug
S
Object Book
shell, slate, soap, spaghetti, spoon, square, star, stick, straw, string
Manipulative Tub
salt, sand, saucer, saw, scarf, scissors, screwdriver, shirt, shoe, shower cap, slinky, sock, stockings, stylus, sweater, switch
T
Object Book
tape, tea bag, thread, tile, tissue, triangle
Manipulative Tub
telephone, thermometer, tie, timer, toaster, tongs, toothbrush, towel, trumpet, tweezers
U
Object Book
underwear
Manipulative Tub
ukulele, umbrella
V
Object Book
valentine, velcro, velvet
Manipulative Tub
vacuum cleaner, vanilla, vase, veil, vest, videotape, vine, vinegar, violin, visor
W
Object Book
washcloth, washer, wax, web, wire, wishbone, wool
Manipulative Tub
wallet, walnut, watch, water, watermelon, wheel, whistle, wood
X
Object Book
x-ray, xerox copy
Manipulative Tub
xylophone
Y
Object Book
yarn
Manipulative Tub
yardstick, yogurt, yo-yo
Z
Object Book
ziplock bag, zipper, zigzag
Manipulative Tub
zucchini
This article was originally published by Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI) and is reprinted here with permission.
