Tactile stickers: new themes
The response to my first set of children’s tactile stickers with braille has been so positive and encouraging that I have recently designed three new themes: rewards, sports and emotions. The stickers are both educational and fun to use in schools, clubs or at home as motivational rewards for an achievement or simply to mark or decorate something.
Inclusive tactile design for children’s stickers
From an early age, sighted children are surrounded by visual input which helps them understand the world. The new themes have been designed with the same belief that braille should be just as ‘normal’ and important as printed text. One of the ways to achieve this is to make inclusive designs. These unique stickers unite braille, large type and tactile pictures. Children with a visual disability, along with their sighted friends, can become familiar with the concept of conveying a message through words and pictures.
Stylized pictures: stimulate fantasy
In order to keep the designs as compact as possible I have stylized the pictures. As such they do not aim to explain what something looks like (in the way that a tactile diagram would) but rather depict the essence of something, making tangible associations. I’ve raised the edges of the stickers to help navigation. Through guidance from an adult or interaction amongst children the stickers will hopefully encourage tactile exploration, help develop literacy skills and stimulate children’s fantasy.
Tactile stickers for curious fingers
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‘Happy’ in large print and braille, along with an embossed drawing of a balloon with a smiley face.
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Reward a child with one of these motivational stickers.
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‘Sweet’ in large print and braille; embossed strawberry.
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The fun sports theme can help stimulate interest in exercise and sports.
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Once the stickers are removed from the backing sheet, the relief will remain.
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Challenging textures for children to feel and colourful tactile drawings to stimulate the imagination.
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It’s fun for kids learning braille to read the motivational phrases on the stickers.
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‘Soft’ in large print and braille; stylized ice cream in a tactile cone.
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The embossing can also be felt on the backing sheet. The edges of the stickers are raised to help navigation.
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‘Super’ in large type and braille and an embossed badge with ribbon and star.
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‘Great’ in large print and braille, along with a tactile thumbs up.
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Children can stimulate their senses with interesting textures and associations.
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‘Hop’ in large print and braille; stylized drawing of a kangaroo in relief.
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Children can stimulate their senses with interesting textures and associations.
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‘Hop’ in large print and braille and stylized drawing of a kangaroo in relief.
Rewards theme
These can be used as a confidence booster or to reward good schoolwork or any achievement:
- super (ribbon with a star), star (star with smiley),
- bravo (medal on ribbon), high 5 (hand),
- proud (trophy with star), hooray (flag with star),
- superb (crown), great (hand with thumbs up),
- smart (owl), goal (target board with arrow in centre),
- well done (flower), good job (smiley)
Sports theme
To motivate and encourage children to enjoy physical activity and sports:
- twist (snake), hop (kangaroo),
- flip (seal), skip (bunny),
- run (cheetah), jump (frog),
- ready (toad), climb (monkey),
- steady (tortoise), gallop (horse),
- go (hare), dance (bee)
Emotions theme
These appeal to the emotions and challenge tactile sensitivity:
- soft (ice cream cone), hug (octopus),
- lucky (shamrock), trail (snail),
- happy (balloon with smiley), wise (owl),
- spiky (hedgehog), snappy (crab),
- fluffy (chick), tickle (feather),
- hot (hot dog), sweet (strawberry)
Language theme
The very first set of tactile stickers I designed, in which words are enhanced with interesting tactile-visual associations:
- busy (bee), fly (butterfly),
- cool (snowflake), jump (frog),
- sunny (sunflower), tweet (bird),
- shine (star), bright (sun),
- dotty (ladybird with six dots), home (snail shell),
- grow (plant), free (dolphin)
How to order
- You can purchase all the different themes from the webshop.
- For general inquiries or feedback please contact me at ann@brailledots.nl.
- If you live in the UK the rewards and sports stickers can be purchased from the Royal National Institute for the Blind via RNIB webshop.
There are four theme packs, each containing 12 different designs, printed and embossed on two A5 sheets (148 mm x 210 mm). The diameter of the stickers is 52 mm and the braille is Grade 1 UEB, without any capitals or punctuation.
Thank you!
I’d like to thank all the parents and teachers who have already purchased the stickers. In doing so you are helping to support my work which focusses on the development of design projects for children and adults with a visual disability. This is some of the positive feedback which I’ve been receiving:
I teach blind and visually impaired children. Many still have some sight and all share classrooms with sighted peers. These stickers will be such fun.
What a fantastic product! The children I work with, work so hard it would be lovely to reward them with stickers with meaning!
I just wanted to tell you that the stickers are awesome!!! My son’s TVI also thought they were amazing! Thank you so much!