THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH SATURDAY, OCTOBER
Freat Dane is a startling experience to tot used to Ufficult for her to realize the "monster" is a dog.
BUND CAMPERS romp across a field at a nearby farmyard, dis- through it. Guided by sighted counsellors, their summer activi- covering it is not necessary to see grass to enjoy running ties are similar to those of sighted 3-to-f-year-olds at camp.
VACATION IN THE DARK
"UMMER CAMP is a treat for any
youngster. To a blind child, it gives the additional thrill of discovering through his fingers a new world ́of ani- mals, trees and flowers. At a vacation playground designed for their special needs near Cornwall-on – the - Hudson, New York, 3-to-6-year-old sightless tots enjoy many activiiles similar to those of sighted campers. They wado, climb frees, learn handicrafts, use a sandpile, scerw and slide, and have their own
rhythm band.
Most fun of all are the visits to a near by farm, where the youngsters are en- couraged to touch and hold the animals. Through their hands they discover for first time what cows, dogs and chickens "look" like. On nature walks with their teachers, they learn to recognize flowers by their shapes and smells, and birds by their songs.
The children'go to camp in two groups of nine, each group spending a month in
a roomy cottage. Four counsellors super- viso their activities. From September through June the children attend the Lighthouse Nursery School in New York, where a scale model of the coltage teaches them the layout of their summer home even before the wonderful four- week holiday.
These are children who can hear, feel and smell the outdoors. The Lighthouse makes sure they enjoy their country vacation.
FLOWERS are identified by shape and smell on walks in woods which surround the Lighthouse,
RHYTHM BAND teaches music appreciation by letting children accompany record-
ed tunes on simple instruments. More complicated sounds would confuse them.
[row so that children are never more than a few steps from edge."
HANDS model an animal the sensitiva fingers have fieen" at the farm," Flay work
Is a small animal with
1 each land gives youngster, under shower a feeling of support. ¦¦ is favourite art medium for blind children. Scale models are their "plate |-books,” totach planté andh mhiniale, dámbéry dri
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