Is it not amazing that humans can learn to read with their hands? January 4th is World Braille Day and the perfect time to explore these resources for teaching your kids about braille.
World Braille Day is on Louis Braille’s birthday, the inventor of the braille form of communication.
Humans are pretty amazing. Should the Lord see fit for any one of our senses to be taken from us (for He gives and takes away, yet blessed be his name), our other senses are heightened in some sort.
They even can find new ways of communicating.
Those without sight are more in tune with their hearing, they pay attention to it – also to what they can feel and touch.
Louis Braille (born in 1809 in France) became blind after a car accident in his childhood. When he was only 15 years of age, he created his very own code based on another writing system.
Braille was based on Charles Barbier’s night writing intended for night-time battlefield communications. Evolving over time, the braille system has become easier to read and is now used in many countries all over the world.
Braille is a six-dot finger-tip reading system with sixty-four possible combinations that represent alphabetic and numerical symbols using those six dots. The dots even can represent musical, mathematical, and scientific symbols.
Did I mention that, although braille is not a specific language, it is a code that can be translated into many different languages (including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Arabic, Italian, and Hebrew)? It is pretty amazing.
On January 4th we can celebrate the importance and impact of communication through Braille. It also is a time when we celebrate the accessibility, rights, and independence of people who are visually impaired or blind.
Explore these random resources to read about braille, you will find them interesting.
Sharing the Braille Code with Sighted Children | National Federation of the Blind
Reading and Writing Braille (A Brief Overview) | BrailleWorks
How Braille Is Taught and How You Can Help | Family Connect
What is braille? | Sight Scotland
Braille facts for kids | Kids.Kiddle
Teaching Children About Blindness | The Chaos and the Clutter
From Printed Material to Brailled Material | Paths to Literacy
Is Braille Relevant? | Perkins School for the Blind eLearning
Teaching Braille to Young Children | Paths to Literacy
Sources of FREE Braille Books | Paths to Literacy
Grab some of these resources for teaching your kids about braille.
Practice worksheets and printables about braille:
Braille Learning Pack FREE | Simple Living Creative Learning
Braille Designs: Creatures | Paths to Literacy
Beginning Braille Tracking Worksheets to Emboss | Paths to Literacy
Braille Designs: Ships! | Paths to Literacy
All About Braille Printables: Bingo, Spelling Practice, Braille Alphabet Cards | Just Lottie
Back to School Braille Printable Activity | Emily Bosl
Braille Design of Nemo | Paths to Literacy
Numbers Braille worksheets 0 – 100 | Patchimals
Braille Alphabet Worksheets | Patchimals
Kindergarten Sight Word Reading Books (FREE) | Paths to Literacy
FREE UEB Braille Flashcards for Contracted Braille Practice | Sensory Sun
Hands-on activities to help kids learn about braille:
Braille Activities for Children | Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness
Helen Keller Craft and Braille Activity | Little Owl’s Teacher Treats
Well That Just Cracks Me Up! Egg Activity | Paths to Literacy
Spin and Move! | Paths to Literacy
Developing Strong Hands Make Good Readers | Paths to Literacy
Braille Alphabet Poster & Activity | Joyful Learning – Megan Joy
Distance Learning – Braille Activities | Katie Stokes
DIY Braille Feely Blocks – Sensory Fun | MontessoriSoul
Braille Rap Song | Paths to Literacy
Fun Braille Flashcards Activity | Teacher Created Resources
Braille Cell with a Muffin Pan Activity | Vision Flora
Touch & Feel Counting Cards Activity | Teach Me Mommy
DIY Braille ABC Cards | A Different Kind of Vision
LEGO® Braille | Behance
Braille Sundae | A Different Kind of Vision
LEGO Braille Alphabet – Three Blind Mice STEM Activity | JDaniel4’s Mom
Make Your Own Braille Alphabet Tubs | WonderBaby
Braille games, apps, sites:
Fast Braille online Braille translator
10 Best Braille Games for Kids | Everyday Sight
A Braille Basics App for Kids! | APH.org
Five Websites That Teach Kids About Vision Impairments | Veroniiiica
Contraction Go Fish! | Paths to Literacy
Challenge Card Game: Practice Braille Reading Skills While Having Fun! | Paths to Literacy
Roll and Read | Paths to Literacy
FREE online Grade 2 Braille Translator | BrailleTranslator.org
Pre -Braille Games | Out of Sight Teaching
BrailleBlox: An Electronic Emerging Braille Game | Perkins School for the Blind eLearning
Tactile Bingo | Paths to Literacy
Apple A Shortform Braille File Folder Game | Paths to Literacy
Braille Bee Spelling App | WonderBaby.org
That’s My Name! A Name Game for Braille Readers | Sensory Sun
Braille Matching Game: Supporting Braille Objectives | Paths to Literacy
Videos all about braille:
Learning braille with Jessica and Isabella | RNIB
Invention of BRAILLE – Language of The Blind – The Dr. Binocs Show | Peekaboo Kidz
What is the Braille System? | Don’t Memorise
Invention of Braille | The OpenBook
Braille Song Videos | Paths to Literacy
Teaching Braille Reading & Writing Videos | Perkins School for the Blind eLearning
A wonderful famous character to study alongside your lessons about braille is Helen Keller. Here are some free resources to help:
Helen Keller Unit Study and FREE Printables
Helen Keller Lesson Plans | Sight and Sound
I Am Helen Keller Mini Unit Study | As They Grow Up
Helen Keller Notebooking Page | Homeschool Helper Online
I am sure that those who are blind would have found their way through life and flourished as they are now. Yet, what blessing braille is.
As we know it, Braille has become an essential form of communication, education, mode of expression, ability to convey an opinion, and social interaction with those all around the blind community.
So, help your kids celebrate this system of communication that helps so many people in our world today.
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Jeannette is a wife, mother and homeschooling mom. She has been mightily, saved by grace and is grateful for God’s sovereignty throughout her life’s journey. She has a Bachelor in English Education and her MBA. Jeannette is bi-lingual and currently lives in the Tongan Islands of the South Pacific. She posts daily freebies for homeschoolers!
