Bringing the Winter Games to blind and visually impaired children

The Winter Games is fast approaching. It’s a time to celebrate excellence in winter sports and observe the rich ceremony of the Games, but this runs the risk of excluding the over 25,000 blind and visually impaired children in the UK. So, at Living Paintings, we’re highlighting our Winter Snowsport tactile-audio set that helps blind children access this wonderful cultural moment like their sighted peers.

Why is it important?

Sportspeople are often perceived as role models in society, and Olympians are, arguably, at the very top. Their perseverance and excellence makes them inspiring figures, and the visual element – seeing them in action – makes it incredibly exciting.

Why should blind people miss out?

This isn’t just about missing a sporting event. It’s about educational equity, social inclusion, and the fundamental right of every child to engage with the world around them. Visual impairment shouldn’t mean cultural isolation.

Our box set not only provides blind children a valuable entry point into the world of sports – potentially kicking off a new interest – it also includes stories from blind Paralympians, proving the limitless potential of visually impaired people.

What’s included?

Our box sets are packed full of fun, information booklets, and amazing exclusive audio descriptions from people who are experts in the field. They also contain tactile adaptations of relevant imagery; 1) a skier and a snowboarder, 2) a skeleton rider and bob sled, and 3) a skier and their skis.

Accompanying these tactile illustrations is a handy audio guide, which describes the details of the raised images and provides insightful commentary, and personal anecdotes about the Games.

Readers for this set include JJ Chalmers, Clare Balding, Menna Fitzpatrick, Chemmy Alcott and Mike Brace.

Their voices, alongside these raised images, help blind children to understand the visual world through the power of touch and sound, inviting them to learn about the Games in a way that works for them.

How to order

Our Winter Snowsport tactile-audio box set is available to order from our FREE postal library – why not explore our Olympics-related titles while you’re at it?