I wanted to bring stories to life for my daughter who has Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI). Our Early Childhood Vision Consultant, Tara Tompai, suggested I improvise sound effects while reading. This inspired me to create a series of short stories that my daughter can relate to based on everyday routines. Reading and repetition are very important for building a foundation for literacy—especially when vision is a major challenge.
Tips for reading this story
Engage your child in the story. Bring your own CVI kit of toys, textures and accessories to the story. This story mentions the words stones, leaves, water, cold, etc. You can find creative ways to provide more context for these words, for example, letting your child touch a stone or feel a leaf. I like to make my own sound effects right along with the audio for added effect. See my article on how to make story time more interactive.
Please check your volume first to avoid startling your little one.
A Forest in Bloom
Pitter-patter,
the ducklings scatter,
into the water they go.
The rain pours down,
but fish cannot drown,
they are safe as a lighthouse that glows.
The frogs leap away,
and shut their eyes for the day,
they sleep under old leaves and stones.
The forest is cold and wet,
but don’t you forget,
it is alive with squeaks and groans.
The whales are at bay,
the puffins turn grey,
they are watchful as the moon.
Don’t be afraid,
of dark, dreary days,
for it means that life is in bloom.
Close your eyes,
and don’t be surprised,
when you hear that the world has gone still…
It’s the sound of quiet my heart desires,
as I climb up that old Signal Hill.
I hope you loved the story! If you find this page helpful, please share it with other parents. Visit the Stories page to see my collection of interactive stories.
Cindy has a deep interest in Cortical Visual Impairment (CVI) and is currently studying Early Childhood Education. She focuses most of her time on her energetic daughter: playing, cuddling and helping to make her world visually accessible. Cindy holds a degree in Marketing and has worked in the not-for-profit sector for many years.