Have you ever wanted to get a gift for someone who’s blind or visually impaired but weren’t quite sure what to give them?
Today, I’ll be sharing 20 gift ideas for children who are visually impaired or blind.
I’ve also created a list of gift ideas for adults who are visually impaired, and you can check it out at this link.
I understand that it can be challenging to choose a gift that is meaningful and significant, especially when it’s hard to relate to or fully understand the recipient’s circumstances.
As I share these gift ideas, it’s important to remember that every person sees differently. Understanding, even a little, how the person you’re buying for perceives the world—whether they are blind or visually impaired—can make a big difference in selecting the right gift.
It’s also worth noting that it’s perfectly okay if a gift involves using some vision, as long as it doesn’t rely solely on sight. This will vary depending on the child, as some visually impaired children may have partial vision. They might be able to see colors, shapes, or even read with the help of a magnifier or other assistive tools.
On the other hand, children who are completely blind will have different needs and abilities than those who are visually impaired.
Additionally, keep in mind that children who are blind or visually impaired sometimes face challenges with hand-eye coordination, as these skills can take longer to develop. Look for gifts that can help them build these skills or be mindful that certain items might be difficult or embarrassing if they’re not yet able to use them.
Magnetic Building Blocks
My first gift idea for you is these magnetic building tiles. I think any type of building block is a great idea because they can be used by touch alone—you don’t necessarily need to be able to see them to enjoy them.
I specifically chose these magnetic tiles because their design helps them stay together, even if they’re accidentally bumped. The magnetic feature provides a little extra support, making them easier to use.
2. Legos
My second gift idea for you is Legos. I specifically chose larger ones because the smaller, more detailed pieces can be harder to see.
The larger Legos still allow for creating all sorts of different things without straining the eyes.
Legos are fantastic because of their versatility, and they can also double as an educational tool. If your child is learning Braille then you could get these Braille bricks to help them get started.
3. Skyjo Game
Idea number three is the game Skyjo. The cards in this game are very simple, each displaying one large number.
It’s also a slow-paced game where each player has their own cards in front of them, and they don’t need to see other players’ cards. This makes it easier for someone who is visually impaired to take their time or use a magnifier—or whatever tools they need—to view their own cards.
In addition to being a fun game, it’s a great way to teach children simple addition and subtraction, and it’s something the whole family can enjoy together.
If you’d like to see a full list of games I recommend for someone who is visually impaired, check out this post here.
4. Baby Doll
Idea four is a baby doll or even a Barbie. Any type of doll would work. I picked this one specifically because this doll talks to you. And you can also hear its heartbeat.
Dolls are great because it’s a tactile activity that doesn’t require being able to see you can easily change or comb their hair or interact with a doll without using your eyes.
My next idea is superhero figurines. Now I picked these figurines out for those who might not be interested in baby dolls.
These are great because they’re tactile, they use a lot of imagination and you can play so many different things with just some figurines.
My next idea is a Mr. Potato Head. This can be fun, because you can interchangeably use the different parts of his body and make it unique and custom to what that child wants it to be. And you can change it as many times as you want.
It doesn’t really require being able to see it, you can feel it and be able to interact with Mr. Potato Head that way.
7. Play Doh
My next idea is this Play Dough set. Now play doh is tactile, where you touch it and you move it around and create whatever shape or thing you want out of Play Doh. It also comes with a bunch of cookie cutters and different tools to help you make something that’s a little more detailed.
8. Kinect Sand
My next idea is kinetic sand. Now this set comes in 10 different colors. But I think it’s a cool gift because it’s something that you’re touching with your hands and on top of being able to build or create things out of the sand. Just touching it and feeling it can really help your senses be satisfied.
My next idea is this jewelry making kit. Now I specifically picked one that has larger pieces, and where the string is thicker so it’s easier to see or even just feel it in order to put the pieces on to the string. This can be a good way to help your child feel included in the activity and making jewelry without it being frustrating that they can’t see the fine detail of typical jewelry.
Now the next idea is a mermaid blanket tail, I thought this was an interesting idea. Because it’s nice to be all snuggled up in a blanket, the filling of the fuzziness of the blanket is really nice. This could also be used in playing dress up or just whatever game they come up with their own imaginations.
11. Sunglasses
Now my next idea is a little more practical. It’s a pair of sunglasses. And this one I found specifically has a lanyard on it that makes it so it can hang on your neck, so it’ll be more difficult for them to get lost or dropped or anything like that.
I think with a lot of people who have visual impairment, your eyes can be more sensitive to like so making sure to find a way to make sunglasses more fun and exciting for your child will make it that much easier for them to wear their glasses on a regular basis.
12. Headphones
Now my next idea is getting a pair of headphones, it can really go a long way for someone who’s visually impaired or blind having a good set of headphones. Because it might be more difficult for them to enjoy video, it can be a good idea to get them some good headphones to help with listening to music or listening to audio books.
13. Xylophone
My next gift idea is for younger babies. Now this is a xylophone that you can play with. And it has some balls where if you hit them, it will hit the xylophone and go down I thought the use of touch and sound in this gift was a good combination to help them enjoy some of their senses other than visuals.
The next gift idea is a music box. Now I picked out this one because who doesn’t want a Harry Potter music box. I think that anything that creates sound, like I said, is a good gift for someone who’s visually impaired.
15. Bop it!
The next gift is a game Bop It! It’s nice because it doesn’t require you to look at anything. It’s all based on listening to commands that are said by the machine. So you either hit it, you twist it or you pull it, which could be a good option for people who are visually impaired for a group game.
16. Night Light
Now the next gift that I picked is a nightlight alarm clock. Now I think this is awesome because it not only works as a nightlight and a clock, but it can also play music and can be used in multiple ways. And this gift is definitely accessible to someone who’s visually impaired. And so it can be a fun way to interact and stimulate your senses.
Now the next gift idea is this puzzle board game that’s made out of wood. It helps the child learn their numbers and their colors and shapes. It can work really well because not only visually can see what the numbers/shapes, you can fill those things and be able to still use the puzzle and learn these things
that could be a little bit more difficult to learn.
18. 3D wooden puzzle
My next gift idea is these wood 3d puzzles. Now instead of doing a typical puzzle where it’s based on a picture, these are 3d wood pieces that go together and little slots and make it easy for you to do a 3d puzzle that is tactile versus visual. Someone could enjoy these puzzles just as much with their hands as with their eyes.
19. Toy House
My next idea is getting a play kitchen. These can be fun because children like to do real life things on their own. So pretending like they’re cooking in a kitchen is very tactile. It doesn’t really require having to be able to see this play kitchen also makes sounds for the stove and it’s The microwave beeps and stuff like that. So involves other senses.
20. Play Food
The last idea is paired with this play kitchen, it’s getting some play food that they can use. Now you don’t have to have the play kitchen in order to use the food, but it would pair well with it. And it could be a way to teach them about nutrition if you wanted it to be.
I hope this was helpful to get you started on getting the perfect gift for the child you know who’s visually impaired or blind.