Linked below are some of our favorite tactile books and toys for young children who are blind or low vision. When shopping at Amazon, be sure to visit AmazonSmile and name Blind Early Services TN as your designated charity. BEST earns from qualifying purchases. We appreciate your support!

Also, scroll to the bottom of this page to find a list of recommended books for parents/caregivers of children with visual impairments!

Toys

Battat Shape Sorter

Battat Shape Sorter

This is a great first shape sorter toy that encourages cause and effect learning. When the child puts the correct shape in the correct spot, the toy makes a funny sound as the shape descends to the bottom. Once the child has put the shapes in the correct chutes, she can practice turning the toy over to get the shapes out.

Braille ABC Wooden Blocks

Braille ABC Wooden Blocks

This 28 block set is made with Braille and embossed letters along with traditional letter forms on the block. These blocks are not only fun to stack and play with, but they also make an excellent learning tool.

Bright Starts Cupcakes

Bright Starts Cupcakes

These cupcakes take a new perspective on shape sorting. Each cupcake pulls apart to reveal a shape, and each cup in the tin has a raised shape in the bottom so that the child can use tactile input to match the shapes! (3M+)

Bright Starts Press and Glow Spinner

Bright Starts Press and Glow Spinner

Provides visual, auditory and tactile stimulations while developing fine motor skills.

Brio Magnetic Blocks

Brio Magnetic Blocks

The Magnetic Blocks include 6 blocks and 2 balls with built-in magnets that combine height and length-wise. Magnets make it easy to stack the blocks and build tall towers.

Bubble Sensory Fidget Toy

Bubble Sensory Fidget Toy

Bubble pop sensory toys are great for all children, but especially for those who are blind or low vision! They support fine motor development, pre-Braille tactile skills and can help reduce stress or fidgeting. The slight popping sound they make can be fun for the child. They are easy to clean and transportable — we love using them in restaurants, car rides or on airplanes to keep the child engaged! For older children they can easily be turned into a game as well. Great for all ages!

Educational Insights Shapes Beanbags

Educational Insights Shapes Beanbags

Kids will love learning to identify shapes with these embroidered beanbags.
Each set includes a square, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, circle, rectangle, oval, and star beanbag. Also included is an activity guide packed with fun activities and a handy drawstring bag.

Educational Insights Touchable Textures

Educational Insights Touchable Textures

Scratchy, slippery, silky, or soft? Young learners build tactile awareness and vocabulary skills as they interact with these 20 texture squares (10 different pairs) in a variety of “hands-on” activities. Textures include bumpy, furry, fuzzy, nubby, and more.

Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Duo

Fat Brain Toys Dimpl Duo

Silicone buttons, textured shapes, and words written in Braille. Encourages sensory exploration, tactile learning, shape learning, color learning, reading skills
On one side, buttons embossed with shapes, labeled with shape names in English and Braille. On the other side colors labeled in English and Braille.

Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain Stacking Toy

Fat Brain Toys SpinAgain Stacking Toy

Set of 6 vibrant, graduated discs that spin down a corkscrew pole and stack up any way you want; discs alternate between flower and star-burst shapes, feature 2 colors each. Pull the pole from the base to watch all the discs tumble to the ground; keep on spinning and stacking again and again; flip the base to choose either wobbly or sturdy; practice sorting discs by color, shape, and size. Promotes hand-eye coordination, cause and effect, motor dexterity and visual tracking.

Flyerstoy 3-in-1 Swing

Flyerstoy 3-in-1 Swing

The three-in-one swing begins with a full back and front bar for security and safety. Then the front bar can be removed to promote independence of entering and exiting the swing with less assistance. Lastly, the back can be removed to resemble a typical playground swing.

Glo Pals Light Up Water Toys

Glo Pals Light Up Water Toys

These light-up sensory toys glow a single color when placed in water. They use non-replaceable, but recyclable, batteries. GloPals were created by the mom of a child with autism to help him overcome his fear of water. Created as a classroom project
at Mississippi State University, a portion of every purchase is donated to Children’s Hospital of Mississippi.

Go Fish: Braille

Go Fish: Braille

This braille version of the classic Go Fish game allows for independent participation in game play for kids who are blind or low vision.

Infantino Press and Stay Sensory Blocks

Infantino Press and Stay Sensory Blocks

Set of blocks that are easy to put together and pull apart, eliminating frustration and encouraging imaginations. High contrast colors and engaging textures.

Intock Magnetic Blocks

Intock Magnetic Blocks

These magnetic cubes are wonderful for developing stacking skills. They are great to use for high contrast activities and
beginning pattern activities too. These blocks offer fun activities to develop imitation of play and building. They are also excellent fidget stress relief toys for children with sensory issues.

Jellies Suction Toys

Jellies Suction Toys

These bathtime toys stick to each other and the tub and promote the development of a spherical grasp! (12M+)

Kid O Free Play Magnatab

Kid O Free Play Magnatab

Children can use their imaginations to draw pictures, shapes, letters and numbers!
Sensory-based drawing and learning! The stylus is the “pen” and the tablet is the “paper”–the magnetic stylus pulls beads to the surface to “draw”–easily “erases” with the press of a finger or side swipe of the stylus! Glow in the dark version available as well.

Laugh and Learn Magic Color Mixing Bowl

Laugh and Learn Magic Color Mixing Bowl

Easily activated lights and playful songs about letters, numbers and colors. Also encourages pretend play

Learning Resources Fine Motor Hedgehog

Learning Resources Fine Motor Hedgehog

Build fine motor skills with the chunky, peg-shaped pieces that fit to the back of this friendly hedgehog. Also use Spike as for occupational therapy exercises. Colorful quills help kids build color recognition, sorting, and counting skills through fine motor skill games.

Learning Resources Ruff's House Tactile Set

Learning Resources Ruff’s House Tactile Set

Gives children the opportunity for hands-on learning in a way that enhances cognitive, language, and physical skills. Stimulates the sense of touch, and reinforces colors, matching, and fine motor skills with 10 textures and colors of Ruff’s bones. Ruff’s House Teaching Tactile Set includes Ruff, the dog, 20 bones (10 textures, 2 of each texture), doghouse, and activity guide.

LEGO Braille Bricks

LEGO Braille Bricks

This 287 piece lego set is a great way to include braille in play time! Braille bricks are fully compatible with other LEGO sets. The LEGO website also has multiple online braille activities that correspond to the Braille Bricks set. (3+)

Light Up Magna-Tiles

Light Up Magna-Tiles

For kiddos with light perception, this version of magna-tiles can allow them to see their creations!

Light Up Sea Animals

Light Up Sea Animals

These light-up water toys can make bathtime much more fun! Their glow feature is great for kiddos with light perception as it can help them locate and identify the toys in their environment. (3+)

Little Tikes First Slide

Little Tikes First Slide

This indoor/outdoor plastic children’s slide is great for gross motor play with adult present for safety.

Little Tikes Trampoline

Little Tikes Trampoline

A trampoline (under adult supervision) is a great gross motor activity for kiddos of all abilities. Jumping stimulates the vestibular and proprioceptive systems and is a great outlet for stored up energy.

Lovevery Play Gym

Lovevery Play Gym

This play gym features a variety of sounds, textures, and high contrast elements to stimulate your child’s sensory system! Great for tummy time, grows with your baby, and is super easy to assemble and disassemble.

Melissa and Doug Braille Shapes Puzzle

Melissa and Doug Braille Shapes Puzzle

Children can learn their shapes by playing with these chunky puzzle pieces and by reading the names of the shapes that are printed on the board in print and in braille. The uncontracted braille is laser-cut into the wood! Ages 2 & up

Melissa and Doug Shopping Cart

Melissa and Doug Shopping Cart

Constructive Play- Encourage your child’s imagination and role-playing with this super realistic shopping cart, they won’t want to stop playing! For cane users — a great pre-cane tool!

Mr. Blue Dancing and Singing Bird

Mr. Blue Dancing and Singing Bird

This adorable dancing baby musical toy bird will come to life in response to the noises your baby makes. When the dancing stops, Mr. Blue makes a brightly colored and soft snuggle buddy for your little one to cuddle and roll around with. (6M+)

Musical Piano Mat

Musical Piano Mat

This music-making mat allows children to make music using their bodies. This allows them to create a cause and effect relationship in their minds and get auditory input! (6M+)

Oball Wobble Bobble Ball

Oball Wobble Bobble Ball

A ball with bright colors to attract the visual attention of children with low vision, different textures to touch and explore, vibration to provide increased sensory input, music and sounds to motivate children to play and move.

PlanToys Braille Alphabet

PlanToys Braille Alphabet

Each piece has a braille symbol that represents each letter in the alphabet.

PlanToys Rhythm Box

PlanToys Rhythm Box

Wooden hand drum inspired by Cajon hand drumming boxes. Children can sit on the drum to create their unique rhythms and tempos.

Playskool Busy Ball Popper

Playskool Busy Ball Popper

The busy ball popper is a fun way to get your baby or toddler to work on grasping, placing items in and pulling out of containers, and cause and effect. The toy plays fun music and sound effects to keep kids engaged.

Polk BOOM Swimmer Jr Waterproof Speaker

Polk BOOM Swimmer Jr Waterproof Speaker

The Swimmer can be immersed in up to 3 feet of water for 30 minutes. Take it to the pool, ocean, and even the shower. Loop your Swimmer around virtually any object.

Raised Line Coloring Pages

Raised Line Coloring Pages

These alphabet coloring pages with raised lines are great for working on pencil grip, learning the alphabet, and having fun!

Plush Rockers

Plush Rockers

Each rocker has its very own unique style and personality. These rockers feature unique animal sounds and provide vestibular input for your child!

Sensory Balls

Sensory Balls

These sensory toys have different textures for tactile exploration and sensory development.

Silicone Pull Toy

Silicone Pull Toy

This toy for serves so many purposes for babies! The variety of textures gives tactile input, the stretch of the ropes can help strengthen the upper body, the flat tabs facilitate a pincer grasp, and the silicone textured material is great for teething. (6M+)

SmartNoggin NogginStik Rattle

SmartNoggin NogginStik Rattle

The NogginStik Developmental Light-up Rattle was designed by early childhood experts to help parents, caregivers and early intervention therapists begin encouraging critical early milestones in infants. It lights up a soft red, blue and green to promote visual stimulation and encourage visual tracking skills. The base of the NogginStik makes a soft rattle sound to please the ears. It has an easy to hold handle for mastering grasping and fun textures to delight the sense of touch.

Squigz

Squigz

There variably shaped suction toys are great for developing grasp and strengthening! They stick to each other, making it easy to create fun shapes and are great for shoulder development when stuck to vertical surfaces (fridge, dry erase board, etc.). (3+)

Starfish Suction Bath Toys

Starfish Suction Bath Toys

Starfish toys stretch and stick to the tub surface or stand on their own.

TickiT Sensory Blocks

TickiT Sensory Blocks

Help your child learn shapes and/or colors using these blocks that incorporate different sounds through the use of beads, water and sand-filled shapes. Also another great option for use with lightboxes.

TickiT Silicone Blocks

TickiT Silicone Blocks

Translucent, silicone blocks that are easy to grasp and attached. They come in bright, primary colors and can be used with a lightbox for children with low vision.

Tonie Box + Tonies

Tonie Box + Tonies

This audio player is an amazing alternative to television. Whichever character you place on top of the box tells their story. You can buy individual Tonies depending on your child’s favorite characters and stories!

TwiddleNathan Fidget Toy

TwiddleNathan Fidget Toy

Sensory toys designed for anxiety relief and to increase brain activity. Fidgets include a satisfying silicone chewie, a sealed textured crackle pouch, an attractive braided tassel, a cheery duck patch, and a hook and loop closure pull tab which can be used for attachment to a backpack, belt, walker, or wheelchair.

Uno: Braille

Uno: Braille

This braille version of the classic Uno game allows for independent participation in game play for kids who are blind or low vision.

What’s Inside Soft Feely Box

What’s Inside Soft Feely Box

This fun toy helps kids develop a skill called stereognosis (using touch to identify objects instead of sight) which is vital for blind or low vision kiddos! The sensory experiences great for babies and can grow into toddler-hood with them. (3M+)

Wooden Baby Gym

Wooden Baby Gym

This play gym omes with wooden beaded toys and 3 soft toys with sound that are easy to change out or remove. This Montessori toy encourages early motor skills while giving infants something to hold and manipulate.

Wooden Balance Board

Wooden Balance Board

It can be a slide, seesaw, tunnel, boat, rocker, table, stepping stone, lounge chair, fitness equipment, soccer goals, teeter popper or bridge -endless possibilities of free and creative play. It stimulates the vestibular system, supports the muscles responsible for the correct posture, develops the sense of balance, supports the development of the sense of proprioception (deep feeling).

Wooden Shape Puzzles

Wooden Shape Puzzles

This multi-shape toy puzzle is an excellent learning activity for babies and toddlers.

Wrist Rattles and Foot Finders

Wrist Rattles and Foot Finders

These rattles that attach to a baby’s wrists and ankles help them develop a sense of body awareness using sound instead of sight. The fun animals attached also provide tactile input!

Yoto Player

Yoto Player

Insert content cards from Yoto’s curated library of over 200+ titles into the speaker box for hours of entertainment and learning. Large dials make it easy to change volume and skip forward/back, and it’s portable with a rechargeable battery and even supports Bluetooth. Even record personalized audio cards.

Books

BrightBaby Touch and Feel box set

BrightBaby Touch and Feel box set

The touch and feel elements inside these books are ideal for babies and toddlers. With fun, rhyming text to delight little readers, and bright animal illustrations to stimulate your child’s senses and encourage their imagination, these books are perfect for the bright young minds in your life.

DK Braille: Animals

DK Braille: Animals

Designed especially for the young braille reader, this tactile book features a fascinating selection of creatures, from bears and big cats to birds and bugs.
DK Braille: Animals has everything written in both large print and braille for kids. The facts are accompanied by embossed and tactile images.

DK Braille: Farm

DK Braille: Farm

Produced in consultation with braille experts, this LEGO DUPLO board book explores LEGO DUPLO farm animals such as pigs and cows, and vehicles, such as tractors. It combines high-contrast colors with embossed images of the models for children to feel. Large-size text is printed alongside the braille.

DK Braille: On the Move

DK Braille: On the Move

A 30-page tactile reference book, DK Braille: On the Move features entries on a fascinating selection of vehicles, from cranes and cars to helicopters and even monster trucks! Entries are written in both Braille and large print to allow readers the opportunity to learn all there is to know about common vehicles, including their makes and their functions.

DK Braille: Shapes

DK Braille: Shapes

DK Braille: Shapes helps children learn, find, and remember their shapes through die-cut shapes, embossed images, and braille or large format text in this special book designed specifically for blind or visually impaired readers.

Melissa and Doug Poke-a-Dot Books

Melissa and Doug Poke-a-Dot Books

These books (there are many to choose from!) help develop a child’s fine motor, visual scanning, and
cause and effect skills.

Never Touch a Spider! Board Book

Never Touch a Spider! Board Book

This fun and tactile board book incorporates silicone textures for added interest.

SENSEational Alphabet Book

SENSEational Alphabet Book

This fun and engaging book lets children feel the different textures of the horse and lizard, smell the distinct aromas of apples and roses, move the hands of the watch, pull the zipper and much, much more. Learn the entire alphabet and many beginning words in Sign Language and Braille. Touch the corresponding key pad and recite the letters and words along with the book.

Sense of Play

Sense of Play

This children’s book documents the sibling relationship between a blind boy and seeing girl with the over all message that there are many avenues to “see” the world and play together.

TouchThinkLearn: Numbers Board Book

TouchThinkLearn: Numbers Board Book

Combining scooped-out die-cuts with raised, shaped elements, each book is designed to offer the youngest learners an irresistible opportunity to explore their universe in a hands-on, multisensory way. The image, tracing its shape, saying its name: these modes of perception combine in a dynamic way to stimulate understanding of essential concepts.

TouchThinkLearn: Opposites Board Book

TouchThinkLearn: Opposites Board Book

Combining scooped-out die-cuts with raised, shaped elements, each book is designed to offer the youngest learners an irresistible opportunity to explore their universe in a hands-on, multisensory way. The image, tracing its shape, saying its name: these modes of perception combine in a dynamic way to stimulate understanding of essential concepts.

TouchThinkLearn: Shapes Board Book

TouchThinkLearn: Shapes Board Book

Combining scooped-out die-cuts with raised, shaped elements, each book is designed to offer the youngest learners an irresistible opportunity to explore their universe in a hands-on, multisensory way. The image, tracing its shape, saying its name: these modes of perception combine in a dynamic way to stimulate understanding of essential concepts.

You can also visit our toy gift registry here for other ideas!

Books for Parents/Caregivers