Playing and Adapting Games

With just a few extra steps, you can keep doing the things you love no matter your level of vision. Here are a few tips that can help with playing board games.

For those with low vision, the first thing to do is to make sure you have good lighting. That will make seeing the game board, pieces, and cards a lot easier. You can use a lamp with an adjustable arm to control the direction of the light as needed. Refer to our resource list for more lighting options.

Labeling your board games is a helpful way to locate them and choose the game you want to play. Take a look at the resource section of this workshop for labeling ideas and ways to keep track of game pieces.

Now, when it gets down to playing, choose an area that doesn't create shadows on the board and put a solid, contrasting colored table cloth underneath the game. That can make the board and pieces stand out better. Avoid tablecloths with stripes or patterns. You can replace hard to see game pieces with other items that contrast, such as buttons. You can buy large print cards and large dot dice.

To better identify the cards in your hand, consider using a voice labeling system to place audio tags on your cards. And to keep your hand of playing cards private, just use headphones for the audio playback. Our resource list has some options for audio tags for you to think about. And last but not least, using a clear, see through, small plastic container with a lid will help with rolling dice and keeping track of them.

As always, contact a learning expert if you have questions or your own tips to share. Of course, as with anything new, give yourself time, patience and practice and you'll get there.