The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin & Rosana Faria

This is a great book for teaching children about the senses.  The Black Book of Colors, written by Menena Cottin and Rosana Faria, includes words in English and in Braille.  The illustrations are also raised like Braille, allowing the child to truly visualize the beauty of the earth around us.  Originally written in Spanish and called, El libro negro de los colores, was originally published in 2006.  This wonderful story book has won many awards including the New Horizon's prize at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in 2007, Best Children's Illustrated Book Award,

About the Authors:  Menena Cottin is from Caracas, Venezuela.  Before studying creative writing in New York she studied graphic design in Venezuela.  Rosana Faria also lives in Caracas, Venezuela.  She has illustrated many children's books.  Faria studied graphic design at Neumann Design Institute.  Elisa Amado was born in Guatemala and is now a translator and living in Toronto.

Playdate Purpose:  Besides having fun and being with friends and family, this playdate teaches and explores with the sense of touch.   Ideas for this playdate can be used all together or a few may be selected.  Please choose activities that are age appropriate for the children involved.  Enjoy!

Theme of Playdate:   My Fingers Can See!

Invitation:  Trace your child's hand, or your own.  Cut out enough of the traced hands for each child invited and an extra if you scrapbook!  Let your child color eyes on each finger, or use the template provided.  Note: If you use the template copy and paste the empty hand into Microsoft word and insert a text box.

Games/Activities: Use all or a few of these activities.  Again, please choose age appropriate games and activities.

- Mess free painting:
Materials needed - paper and zip-lock gallon bags for each child, paint, blindfolds for each child.
To Do: Place a piece of paper inside a gallon size zip-lock bag.  Add a squirt/drops of paint and close the bag tightly.  Place a blindfold on each child to cover their eyes.  Let them move the paint around with their fingers to make a picture!  When the child is done take off the blindfold and let them see their work of art!
- Teaching Braille:
Materials needed - Flash cards (you can make your own or click the following link and print mine).
To Do: Use the image below to help you learn the alphabet in Braille and make flash cards. (These will soon be available on this blog.)  The flash cards can be used to memorize the location of the dots used in Braille.
- Creating Braille:
Materials needed - paper, push pins, pen, Braille images below.
To Do: Using the image below as a guide, help the children make the raised dots on a piece of paper.  To do this, draw the braille letters on a piece of paper and let the child use a pin to poke holes through the dots.  Turn the paper over and let them feel the new raised Braille alphabet.  Note: Remember when drawing the letters, or their name in Braille, draw the dots so that when poked their name is not backwards.  Click here for step by step instructions http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B36AO6ATJI4rNzhhYTBiMTctODE4NS00ZjliLTkzZGQtNjhkYWI5OGY2Mjky&hl=en.

NOTE: The boxes used in this image are only a visual reference.  Braille does not use boxes, only the raised dots.  For more information on Braille visit my article on squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/braille-for-children.

- Matching Game:
Materials needed: matching game below, cardstock, printer
To Do: Cut out the game below.  Mount the pieces on cardstock, cut again and laminate the matching game.  Lay the pieces out on a flat surface, alphabet side down, and take turns finding matches!

Click the following link to print off the matching game! http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B36AO6ATJI4rMDA2MTNlOGYtNDdiYi00MjM0LWFhMjAtYjE2M2M2NDU4MjYw&hl=en

- Obstacle Course:
Materials needed - chairs, rope, pillows, empty boxes, other items that are safe for an obstacle course, blindfold
To Do - Place the items in a line creating an obstacle course for the children.  Make sure it is safe and an adult is there to supervise and help out.  Place a blindfold over one child and let them use their hands to make it through the obstacle course.

- Who is it Spoon game:
Materials needed - blindfold, two wooden or plastic spoons
To Do - Blindfold a child and hand them two wooden spoons.  Pick a child to stand in front of the blindfolded child.  The child with the blindfold uses the spoons to feel the other child and guess who they are by feeling their height, hair, clothing, etc. with the spoons.  When the child has guessed remove the blindfold to let them see if they were right.

Snacks:
-Finger foods such as carrots, apple slices, celery, etc.
-Olives - let the children place olives on their fingers and have fun eating them off their fingers.
-Carrot Fingers and Dip - Click on the following link to get the recipe from Family Fun.  http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/carrot-finger-food-683529/
-Cheese Fingers - Click on the following link to get the recipe from Family Fun. http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/cheese-finger-food-685121/