Each year, the Calgary Board of Education hosts the Braille Challenge, presented in North America by the Braille Institute. This year, a unique activity was introduced to some of the elementary school kids – floor curling!
About the Braille Challenge
The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has been hosting the Braille Challenge for over 20 years now, and students from all across the province participate in tests that challenge their braille literacy skills. This year, CBE hosted the Braille Challenge with 50 students from grades 1 through 12 participating, which took place on February 8 in person in Calgary and Edmonton.
Incorporating FloorCurl
Partnering with Rocks & Rings and Curling Canada, and with special thanks to the Government of Canada Community Sport for All Initiative Grant, FloorCurl equipment was loaned to CBE for this challenge and while the older kids were still writing tests, 18 elementary school-aged kids got to try something new!
The FloorCurl Inflatable rink was a success because of how tactile it was to the kids. The inflatable surface allowed the students to follow it down to find their stone, and they used the sound of the stone sliding on the surface to help them out as well.
In order for the students to find their stones, the blue ones were marked with an oval tactile foam sticker and the red ones with star foam tactile stickers, making them distinguishable by touch.
The rings at the end of the rink were outlined by tape to allow the kids to feel where their target was. The outer circle was outlined in tape that had some bumps on it and the inner circle was marked with a different tape in a different pattern. Finally, the button was marked with a tactile circle.
Vision Strategist at CBE, Lindsey Bryden, stated “Our Braille Challenge was a success! We were able to use the rocks with the push stick and a student in a wheelchair was able to participate. Overall, the kids were able to try something new which many do not have experience doing.”
At FloorCurl, we love seeing how our equipment can be used in new and unique ways, especially when it involves inclusivity and accessibility. Hopefully, many more visually impaired individuals can have the opportunity to discover floor curling and enjoy it as much as we do!
