Our students get to make tactile Valentines for their friends in class, but they don’t always receive Valentines that are accessible. This idea was generated by the need for a student to receive plenty of fun braille Valentines (and might as well throw in a few concepts while we are at it). Basically, I wanted to make a class set of braille Valentines that peers in class can choose, sign and give to their classmate who is blind.
- Various tactile shapes and stickers familiar to child who is blind (who will be the recipient of these valentines)
- APH Carousel of Textures
- APH Feel and Peel stickers – smiley faces
- APH Picture Maker Wheatley Tactile Diagramming Kit accent pieces (gems)
- APH Braillable Labels and Sheets
- Sticker foam sheets
- Wikki Stix
- Brailler
Make a class set of various Valentines for students to give to their classmate who is blind. I thought about the tactile shapes and symbols that my student was familiar with. Here are some ideas – have fun coming up with other puns or sayings!
- Love goes around (small heart foam stickers arranged in a circle)
- I can count on you (bump dots with braille numbers)
- You are a special gem (gem sticker)
- We get along great (cut a strip of braille paper long ways and add tactile line)
- You got the beat (varied circles for drum set)
- Hugs and kisses (X and O symbol stickers)
- Donut forget to be my valentine (paper cut in donut shape – thanks to Sensory Sun on Paths to Literacy for that idea!)
- Let’s stick together (use velcro to make a removable smiley face)
- You are nice like a fuzzy blanket (cut rectangle from adhesive-backed fuzzy paper from Carousel of Textures, fold it so it sticks to itself leaving an adhesive strip at top to stick to Valentine, you can feel both sides of the blanket)
- You are a super star (foam star)
- Me + you = heart (smile stickers and foam heart)
- Catch a wave be my valentine (craft store wave foam sticker)
- I’m knot gonna lie you are great! (WikiStix knot)
- You make my heart jump up-and down! (hearts high & low)
- You fill my bucket (heart that slides in slot/bucket)
- You make my heart spin (tactile spiral on top of heart)
- You have stolen a pizza my heart (wedge w/circles)
Help classmates use brailler to braille their name on label paper and after a sheet is filled up with names, an adult can cut out the braille names. Students can pick a pre-made valentine and stick on their brailled name and possibly decorate Valentine further.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
