As we’ve mentioned before, color is hugely important for kids with CVI. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that because black and white is good for the early visual development of typically-developing kids, it must also be good for kids with CVI. While some kids with CVI are able to respond to black and white, it is rarely as easy for them to see as objects with highly saturated color. The reason for this may be that the part of the brain that perceives color is usually not injured because it is located deep within the brain on both sides.
Many kids with CVI actually have one color that they prefer over others; one color that is easier for them to see and to which they will respond more readily. For kids in the early phases of CVI (to read more about the phases, click here), it is especially important to pay attention to which color is preferred and ensure that objects are only one or two colors. Unfortunately, many children’s toys are very busy, full of many colors and too visually complex for kids with CVI. For that reason, and with the holidays just around the corner, we wanted to suggest a few visually simple and highly colorful objects that might work as a holiday gift for a child with CVI!
As you probably know, like many children with CVI, Lukas’ first preferred color was red. To this day he still loves his Elmo! These stuffed Elmo and Clifford dolls, both on Amazon.com, are great for kids who prefer red. They are both a very bright shade of red and a decent size for keeping with your child on the go.
For kids who prefer yellow, Big Bird (click here to see it on Amazon.com) is an obvious choice and another of Lukas’ favorites. This Big Bird Hand Puppet on Amazon.com could be a great way to add movement to the object!
Though red and yellow are the most common preferred colors, some parents have found that their children prefer other colors early on, like orange, pink, blue or green. This orange aardvark on Amazon.com is not only adorable, but could be a great option for a child who prefers orange!
Pink can be tricky as many pink toys are a very pale shade of pink and, remember, saturation or brightness of color is important for kids with CVI. This bright pink cat on Amazon.com, however is perfect for kids who like pink!
When searching for toys in new colors for Little Bear, we often go to Amazon and search the Stuffed Animals and Plush section of their Toys and Games department for a specific color and then just scroll until we find something that is bright and single-colored. Give it a try and let us know if you find any other great toys for kids with CVI!
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