American Action Fund for Blind Children and Adults
Future Reflections Convention 2020 EXTRAS
From the Editor: Family Game Night has become a popular event at the NFB National Convention. Usually families gather in an ample meeting room lined with tables to play familiar games such as Scrabble, Monopoly, and Uno, and to discover new games recently adapted to be fully accessible. COVID-19 did not defeat Family Game Night this year. Although gamers couldn't sit at tables together, rolling dice or shuffling cards, they found ways to play an assortment of exciting games virtually.
In addition to playing games, parents and kids were invited to enter a chat room where they shared ideas for creating accessible games. This article is based on the ideas that were recorded during this chat session.
Many classic board games are available in accessible versions from sources such as American Printing House for the Blind (APH) and the NFB Independence Market. Here is a partial list:
Scrabble
Monopoly
Chess
Connect 4
Checkers
Backgammon
With a bit of time and ingenuity, it's fairly straightforward to make most store-bought games fully accessible. Add Braille to game cards with a Perkins Brailler or a slate and stylus. Wikki Stix, puff paint, clear Dymo tape, or found objects such as bottle caps, paper clips, and buttons can transform a flat playing board into a world of three dimensions. The investment of an hour or two of effort can lead to years of enjoyment for the whole family.
It's a good idea to keep a supply of tools and materials on hand for those times when an inaccessible board game crosses your threshold. Here is a list of supplies that will help you adapt games at home:
Matte Graphic Tape
Sticky-Backed Velcro
Puff Paint (it takes from 24 to 48 hours to dry)
Wikki Stix
Clear Label Paper, available from American Thermoform
Clear Dymo Label Tape
Feel and Peel Stickers, available from American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
If you want to go more high tech, explore the Thingiverse 3D Printing and Laser-Cut Game Expansions.
The numbers on ordinary dice are easy to feel, so many dice games need little or no adaptation to be accessible. For those who have trouble reading the indented dots on standard dice, dice with raised dots can be purchased from sources such as the NFB Independence Market. Here is a short list of dice games that you and your children can play together:
Farkle
Yahtzee
Cootie (rolling dice to build a plastic bug)
The number of games you and your children can play with an ordinary deck of cards is almost infinite. You can buy Braille cards from sources such as the NFB Independence Market, or you can simply make your own by adding Braille at the corners of each card in a standard print deck. Here is a short list of card games you may enjoy:
UNO
Crazy Eights
Go Fish!
In a Pickle
War
Most of us are familiar with the Bop It, a mainstream toy that has been available for many years. Bop It provides verbal instructions and sound cues that allow blind players to challenge themselves, gaining speed and dexterity as they reach more advanced levels. Bop It is just one of the many electronic games that blind children can enjoy off the shelf. Here are a few more:
Simon Air
Turbo Twist Math, or Leap Frog
Gas Out
64 Oz. Games
http://64ozgames.com/
Blog: http://64ozgames.com/blog/
Kits for making commercially available games fully accessible.
American Printing House for the Blind
www.aph.org
Contact: 800-223-1839
A variety of puzzles, building kits, audible balls, and more. Most products from APH can be purchased by school districts through Quota Funds.
American Thermoform
www.americanthermoform.com
Contact: 800-331-3676
[email protected]
Sells clear adhesive tape for labeling.
Audio Games
audiogames.net
An archive of audio games and reviews, articles on blind-accessible games, a forum to support the audiogaming community, a submit-a-game functionality that allows users to submit new games, and links to resources in the field.
Easy Roller Dice Company
https://easyrollerdice.com
Contact: 888-669-8219
[email protected]
Sells a variety of dice and accessories for narrative games such as Dungeons and Dragons.
Fat Brain Toys
https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toys/toy_categories/
Evaluates commercially available games for accessibility and appeal to children with a variety of disabilities and learning differences.
Future Aids: The Braille Superstore
www.braillebookstore.com
Contact: 800-987-1231
A wide selection of accessible games including Parcheesi, Chinese Checkers, Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly, and Scrabble.
Hape Toys
https://www.hape.com
Contact: 800-661-4142
[email protected]
Games and toys that encourage creative play, including dollhouses, train sets, magnetic mazes, and musical toys.
NFB Independence Market
https://nfb.org/independence-market
Contact: [email protected]
410-659-9314, Extension 2216
Braille playing cards and games including chess, checkers, backgammon, dominoes, Sodoku, Nine Men's Morris, and Fox and Geese, as well as tape and buttons for labeling. Braille and print catalogs available on request.