Orientation & Mobility for Infants & Small Children

These sites offer advice for developing and encouraging independence, confidence, and orientation and mobility skills in infants and small children who are blind or visually impaired.

Parents: Blind Children's First Mobility Teachers, National Federation of the Blind
This article from Future Reflections, a magazine for family and instructors of children who are blind, emphasizes the importance of parents as teachers of mobility; based on a presentation by Joe Cutter to the Parents of Blind Children Seminar.

Families, Babies, and O & M: Early Conversations, Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Visual Impairments
This article from CEC's DVI Quarterly offers ideas on how to build play/exploration environments, how to highlight landmarks, and how to design mini-travel routes in a child's day.

Orientation and Mobility:  The Early Years of Infancy through Preschool, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
A "formula of purposeful movement" is offered, based on the developmental needs of infants and very young children.

Orientation and Mobility: Infants and Beyond, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Suggestions are offered here for determining whether or not an O&M referral should be made. Activities addressing critical skill areas are included; in English and Spanish

Independent Movement and Travel, Blind Children's Resource Center
Joe Cutter, Early Childhood O&M specialist with the NJ Commission for the Blind, shares his thoughts on teaching Orientation and Mobility to young children.  He addresses the topics of independence, visual development, and other issues in early childhood.

Orientation and Mobility Preschool Style, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
The importance of O&M in a preschool program is described; includes numerous games for teaching orientation and mobility to very young children.

Mobility Devices for Young Children, American Foundation for the Blind
There are several kinds of mobility devices that young children who are blind or severely visually impaired can learn to use. These devices, which probe the area ahead of the child, include kiddie canes and adapted canes, also known as pre-canes or alternative mobility devices. This site describes these devices; how parents and teachers can use them with young children; what children will learn; and where these devices can be purchased. Available in Spanish.