Spangle Tangle
Play & Explore
Marie J. Amerson, M.Ed., TVI

In keeping with our philosophy to provide access to information for people who are blind or visually impaired, the American Printing House for the Blind provides this book in large print (18 pt.) with an accompanying CD that contains a braille ready file (BRF), HyperText Markup Language (HTML) file, digital talking book (DTB) file, and a text file.
 
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. 

Amerson, Marie
Spangle Tangle: Play and Explore
Copyright  2013
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
Louisville, KY 40206-0085
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America

This publication is protected by Copyright and permission
should be obtained from the publisher prior to any
reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise.

For information regarding permissions, write to:
American Printing House for the Blind, Inc.
Resource Services
1839 Frankfort Avenue
Louisville, KY 40206-0085
Catalog Number 1-08755-00 (Kit)
7-08755-00 (Large Print Guidebook with CD)

Table of Contents
About the Author 
Project Contributors 
Message to the Readers 
Introduction 
Young Children With Special Needs 
Children With Cortical Visual Impairment 
Play and Explore: Games and Activities 
Coil/Strand Sort 
Corkscrew Twist 
Infinity 
Loop Toss 
Page Turn 
Ring Sort 
Rocking Round Robin 
Short/Tall Stack 
Skyline 
Spangle Bangle Hunt 
Spangle Bangle Match Point 
Spangle Bangle Partners 
Spangle Coil 
Spangle Sculpture 
Contents
Spangle Steering Joystick Ride 
Spangle Steering Wheel Ride 
Spangle Tangle Knot 
Stir the Pot (or Song Time) 
Tangle Tracking 
Thread and Count 
Treasure Hunt 
Twist and Shape 
Twist and Tangle Reflections 
Bibliography 
Acknowledgements 

About the Author
Marie J. Amerson began working with students who have multiple disabilities after she graduated with a degree in Special Education (1974). She worked in a community facility that served students with severe intellectual disabilities and later took a position as a teacher of students with severe to
profound intellectual disabilities. Her students ranged in age from infants to adolescents.

When Amerson moved to Macon, Georgia, in 1979, she took a job with the Georgia Academy for the Blind (GAB) to teach students with multiple disabilities including visual impairment. Amerson obtained certification in the area of visual impairment and received a Masters Degree in Interrelated
Special Education. Her students ranged in age from 5-12 years old.
After Amerson participated in the Utah Ski-Hi INSITE training program, she became a Parent Advisor for GABs Georgia PINES Program.

Amerson moved from the classroom at GAB into an outreach and resource position. She maintained a connection with the schools preschool classroom and assisted with evaluation of young students with multiple disabilities.
Since retiring from GAB, Amerson continues to work in the field as a consultant, and she coordinates a braille transcriber training program in the area near her home.

Project Contributors
Project Leader: Tristan Gay Pierce
Research Assistants: Ann Travis and Monica Vaught-Compton
Technical Research Division Manager: Frank Hayden
Manufacturing Specialist: Andrew Moulton
Model Maker: Andrew Dakin
Design and Layout: InGrid Design
Photography: InGrid Design, Mary Sjogren, and Lisa Tyrrell
Talent: Home of the Innocents, KY; CNIB Early Childhood
Vision Support Services, ON; and Pathways Elementary
School, NC


Message to the Readers
Teachers, parents, and children know that active learning is FUN! The American Printing House for the Blind began selling our texture-color specific Tangle Toy in 2005, and it has proven to be a great toy and learning tool. Tangle Toys provide opportunities for learners to improve visual and tactile
attention, communication, and creativity. Through specially designed activities, the learner develops motor, problem solving, cognitive, self-care, social, and pre-braille skills. And, they get to have FUN!

The original Tangle Toy, created by artist Richard Zawitz, is based on the Tibetan Infinite Knot. His study of the Knot inspired him to create his world renowned sculpture titled Infinite Sculpture. Now available in plastic, over 100 million Tangle units have been sold since 1982. APH is happy to
continue our relationship with Tangle Creations and thanks them for creating the Spangle Tangle per our specifications. Anyone can learn and have fun with the Spangle Tangle, but it is designed specifically for children who have blindness and experience difficulty grasping and holding objects. The product includes the Tangle Stand, which is an accompanying support stand that allows learners to explore and play with the toy without it falling off their wheelchair tray, and three Tube Stands to use to play games and create sculptures. The Spangle Tangle is especially designed for children for whom haptic exploration may be their best--and perhaps only--way to gain information about their world.

Message to the Readers
Some of the activities in this book are adapted for wheelchair use from APHs The Tangle Book by Marie Amerson.
Additional activities have been written specifically for the Spangle Tangle Kit.

Your Spangle Tangle Kit contains

  *  1 Tangle Stand
  *  3 Tube Stands
  *  3 Plastic Tubes - short, medium, and tall
  *  36 Spangle Tangle segments
     - 4 bumps - B
     - 4 spirals - S
     - 4 tire treads - T
     - 4 alligator - A
     - 20 smooth - X

We hope you enjoy implementing the activities in this book, and we encourage you to create new ones to share with APH, teachers, parents, and children.
Tristan Pierce
Multiple Disabilities Project Leader

Spangle Terms You Need to Know

Cradle
slotted opening in the
Tangle Stand through which segments
are threaded
Ring
4 segments connected to form
a circle
Coil
5 or more segments with open or
closed ends
Loop
6 or more segments with
ends connected
Strand
any number of segments with
open ends

Introduction

Children learn by doing; they interact with their environment in order to develop motor skills and to process information about the world they experience. This usually happens casually, as children watch the world around them. Children who have vision loss do not gather as much information incidentally about the environment as their sighted peers; add
disabilities that affect mobility and movement, and children are further limited in their ability to interact independently with the environment.

A childs early interactions with the environment are viewed as play, and interesting toys provide a target for a childs attention. Though the primary objective of play and toys is FUN, they also open the opportunity for service providers (parents, teachers, and others) to introduce learning objectives. For a child with visual and multiple impairments, it is a special challenge to introduce new experiences without overloading the childs sensory system.

With its infinite knot shapes and shiny, textured surface, the Spangle Tangle has many features that are ideal in the selection of toys for children with visual impairments-- including visual and tactual appeal, sturdiness, and flexibility of use. The "spangle" of the toy attracts a child who has some vision. However, when a child has no vision to partner with touch for exploration, that child must depend on haptic perception alone for object recognition. When a childs hands and feet do not work well for exploration because of central nervous system or peripheral nerve damage, he or she needs to use his or her mouth to get information about the properties of the object regardless of chronological age or cognitive age (Smith, 2012). The Spangle Tangle and the accompanying Tangle Stand and Tube Stands are designed to accommodate a child who needs to use his or her mouth to
gain knowledge about the object and activity. The guidebook activities encourage a child to discover and explore shape (curvature), edges, and textures.

Each Spangle Tangle is made of 18 pop-apart segments. It is easy to create a variety of patterns using the five distinct textures. The Tangle Stand offers a way to keep the movable toy stationary on a table or wheelchair tray while the child interacts with it.

Segments of the Spangle Tangle fit together tightly. Children-- especially those with motor impairments--are not expected to assemble or disassemble parts. Service providers and learning partners are encouraged to assemble, disassemble, fiddle with, create, and enjoy the Spangle Tangle as they prepare to introduce the delightful toy to children.

These will snap together because the two pieces are held parallel.
No matter how hard you push, these will not snap together because they are not held parallel.

WARNING
Choking Hazard - Small Parts
Not recommended for children ages 5 and
under without adult supervision.


A girl explores a new texture while she plays with a smaller, 13 segment loop.

Bangles with distinct contrasting textures

Young Children With Special Needs
Infants without vision may not naturally regard their hands or bring them together at midline. The Spangle Tangle is useful to help a young child become aware of both hands and can be used to help the child practice movement patterns useful for later learning. It is a movable yet "stay-in-place" tool for haptic exploration, using the hands, mouth, or feet.

To accommodate the specific needs of a child, adjust the number of segments and use certain textures.
  *  A very small or young child may be more successful
manipulating a 10-segment loop as opposed to a heavier
18-segment loop.
  *  A child with low vision may be more successful when doing
an activity with a bright covering on the wheelchair tray and/
or when the child wears a colorful shirt that reflects on
the toy.
  *  A child with no vision may learn tactual discrimination
better when he explores (perhaps orally) a toy that has
distinct contrasting textures, (e.g., smooth and bumps or
spiral and bumps).
  *  A child with no vision and an intellectual disability may
learn and enjoy an activity better when simplicity is used
(i.e., start out using one texture, slowly introduce a second
texture, and gradually build complexity into games
and activities).
  *  A child with no vision and low muscle tone may successfully
manipulate a Spangle Tangle made with fewer segments
and attached to the Tangle Stand; the stand prevents the
toy from falling off the work surface.

Closely observe a childs responses to the Spangle Tangle and expand activities accordingly. Adjust activities for the childs chronological age and use age-appropriate language to describe the game. Combine the Spangle Tangle with the APH Tangle Toy (#1-08750-00) for more visual options.

For more contrast, play Spangle Tangle Knot using
APHs Original Tangle Toy combined with the Spangle
Tangle. This creates a "left-right" teaching opportunity.

CAUTION: The Spangle Tangle is reflective. If using the toy
in a room that has a ceiling fan in use, monitor children who
have vision and are prone to seizures or migraines.

Children With Cortical Visual Impairment

The Spangle Tangle activities designed for children with ocular forms of visual impairment or blindness may be modified so they are appropriate for children with cortical visual impairment (CVI). The following guidelines take
the unique visual and behavioral characteristics of CVI into consideration. They are adapted from The Tangle Book (2005).

  *  If the child demonstrates visual field preferences, initially
present the Spangle Tangle in the dominant viewing field.
  *  If the child gains visual attention most consistently
through movement, present the Spangle Tangle in the
childs dominant peripheral field and slowly move it back
and forth to help establish attention to the toy.
  *  If the child demonstrates latency, allow ample wait time
for the child to visually locate the Spangle Tangle.
  *  If the child demonstrates a color preference, partner the
Spangle Tangle with segments of the preferred color from
the APH Tangle Toy Kit (#1-08750-00) or dress the child in
that color so the clothing reflects in the Spangle Tangle.
  *  If the child demonstrates light gazing, position the
Spangle Tangle so it reflects any natural or artificial light.
  *  If the child is nonresponsive to complexity,
     - keep the background simple,
     - avoid using verbal direction or praise while the child is
looking at the toy,
     - select segments so the assembled Spangle Tangle has
no more than one or two textures, and
     - recognize the child may not use vision while exploring
the textures of the segments.
  *  If the child uses visual-motor skills incongruently,
remember that looking and reaching may occur as
separate events rather than as a single action.
  *  If the child demonstrates resistance to novelty, he or
she may not visually attend to the toy; provide gradual
experience with the object over time, use favorite color
and reflected light (as appropriate to the individual child),
and monitor the complexity of the activity to reduce
its novelty.
  *  If the child has difficulty with distance viewing, place the
Spangle Tangle within inches of the childs face to offer
the best opportunity for him or her to see.


Play and Explore: Games and Activities
The following games and activities are provided as springboard ideas to use the Spangle Tangle with children who have visual and multiple impairments. Unlike APHs Tangle Toy, activities for the Spangle Tangle do not require the
learner to pull apart or connect the segments. If the learner is capable and ready for that challenge, please refer to APHs Tangle Toy Kit (#1-08750-00) for additional games and activities.

The Tangle Stand--included with the kit--sticks on any flat smooth surface; press it down on a table or wheelchair tray.

To insert the Spangle Tangle into the stand, push the open end of a segment into the cradle opening. Continue to thread the strand through the cradle. 

You can connect segments when at least two segments are threaded all the way through the cradle. You can also pop a connected segment into the cradle by pushing down hard on the loop.

The bumpy segments (B) maintain their position in the Tangle.

Stand better than some other textured segments and work
especially well to form a 4-segment ring that doesnt move around too much.

The Tube Stands also stick on tables and wheelchair trays.

Try the various lengths of tubes to accommodate the abilities of individual children or particular challenges of an activity.

Recognize that toys can encourage interactive play and utilize the fascination of the twists and loops to engage the child with peers.

Coil/Strand Sort
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Ring of 4 smooth segments; multiple coils of 5 segments,
each made up of either textured or smooth segments
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, visual attention, tactile attention,
cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread smooth segments through the cradle to create a
4-segment ring and connect the ends, or make the ring
and then push it down into the cradle, whichever is easier.
  *  Thread two or three coils through the ring and present the
task to the child.
  *  Instruct and/or assist the child to remove each coil from
the ring; ask the child to determine where to place the
strand/coil.
  *  The uncoiled strand can be sorted as is, or direct the
child to recreate the coil once it has been removed from
the ring.

Corkscrew Twist
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs, toddlers
Segments and Combination
Ring of 4 segments, all B; 12-segment strand, all X
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread bumpy segments through the Tangle Stand cradle
to create a 4-segment ring and connect the ends, or
make the ring and push it down into the cradle, whichever
is easier.
  *  Loop the 12-segment strand through the ring and form a
coil; leave the ends unconnected.
  *  Instruct (or assist) the child in problem-solving to "unlock"
the coil by unthreading the strand from the ring.


Infinity
Target Population
Young child (12-month-old) who has torso and head control,
low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Loop with maximum 16 segments, all X
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, creativity
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread the strand of smooth segments into the Tangle
Stand and connect to form a loop.
  *  Use cues to bring the childs attention to the
Spangle Tangle.
  *  Allow the child time to explore (orally if needed) the
Spangle Tangle and to pull, push, and make circles with it.
  *  Encourage two-hand manipulation of the Infinity loop.
  *  As the child becomes familiar with the activity, add one
texture to the loop for Infinity+1 or two textures to have
Infinity+2.

Loop Toss
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple 10-segment loops of segments the child enjoys
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tube Stand to a surface near the child, either
in front of or to the side; insert the tall tube in the stand;
and add a sound source to the area if needed.
  *  Direct the child to toss the loop onto the tube to
score points.
     - Involve several children as team members or
game competitors.
     - Make the loops larger or smaller if needed.
Page Turn
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Ring of 4 segments, all X; Choice of
  *  two or three textured rings
  *  one smooth ring and two or three textured rings
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Make the smooth ring and push it into the Tangle
Stand cradle.
  *  Place two or three 4-segment strands through the X ring
and connect the ends to form rings. Place all the rings on
the right side of the ring in the cradle (from the
childs viewpoint).
  *  Instruct the child to "turn the page" and assist to move
individual rings from the right side to the left side of the
ring in the cradle.
Reverse the turning motion to put rings back in their
starting position.

Ring Sort
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple 4-segment rings, each made up of one texture
(X-X-X-X; B-B-B-B; S-S-S-S, etc.)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, visual attention, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tube Stand to the wheelchair tray or table;
insert a tube appropriate to the childs motor abilities
(short, medium, or long tube).
  *  Assemble rings and randomly stack on the tube.
  *  Instruct the child to remove each ring and sort by
texture--smooth rings on one side of the tray and
textured rings on the other.

Rocking Round Robin
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs, toddlers
Segments and Combination
Multiple loops of 7 segments each
(X-B-B-X-X-B-B, X-S-S-X-X-S-S, X-X-X-X-X-X-X)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, cognitive skills, social skills
Instructions
  *  Create the loops; make at least one with all
smooth segments.
  *  Twist each loop so the textured segments will rock on the
table surface and the smooth segments form the front
edge of the rocker seat and top of the rocker back.
  *  Assist the child to put each rocker in motion and try to
keep all of them rocking at once.
  *  Help the child distinguish between the sounds of the
different rockers.
  *  A rocker made with the bump segments (B) does not
rock well; let the child compare the way the rockers
behave and sound as they are put into motion.
  *  Invite peers to participate in a game of "musical chairs"
where each person has a rocker and tries to keep their
rocker moving until the music stops. Swap the rockers
around so each child has an opportunity to play with his
or her favorite rocker.

Short/Tall Stack
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple rings of 4 segments, each made of one texture (A-AA-
A, T-T-T-T) or mixed (A-X-A-X, B-X-B-X, S-X-S-X, T-X-T-X)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, visual attention, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach one of the Tube Stands to the wheelchair tray or
table and insert the short, medium, or tall tube in
the stand.
  *  Assemble the rings.
  *  Instruct the child to stack rings on the tube.
     - Challenge the child to stack rings in a
specific pattern.
     - Challenge the child to complete the task in a
specific amount of time.
     - Challenge the child with varying tube lengths at
various times.
  *  Direct the child to signal "finished" when the stack
is complete.

Skyline
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple rings, each made with one texture
(X-X-X-X, A-A-A-A, etc.)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, cognitive skills, creativity
Instructions
  *  Attach both Tube Stands to the wheelchair tray or table
and insert a tube in each stand.
  *  Assemble the rings.
  *  Place rings on the wheelchair tray or in a container on
the table.
  *  Instruct the child to stack rings on the tubes to
create skyscrapers.
     - Challenge the child to stack in a specific pattern
(smooth, texture, smooth, texture, etc.; all textured
rings on one tube and smooth rings on
the other).

Spangle Bangle Hunt
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple rings, each made of one texture
(X-X-X-X, A-A-A-A, etc.)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, cognitive skills, sound localization, social skills
Instructions
  *  Hide the rings around the room, each with a portable,
remote-controlled sound source.
  *  Activate the sound source for the first ring. If the
child does not ambulate independently with a power
wheelchair, have the child point to the direction of the
sound. Assist or push the childs manual wheelchair
following the childs guidance.
  *  Team up children to locate and collect the rings.
  *  Child collects the rings on his or her wheelchair tray, on
the Tube Stand, or as "bangles" to wear on his or
her arms.
Portable Sound Source, Sport Edition is
APH catalog #1-03045-00.

Spangle Bangle Match Point
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Multiple pairs of rings; some with 2 smooth and 2 textured
segments, some that are all smooth
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Place one bangle from each pair into a basket or bag.
Distribute the other bangles to the children and have
them join in a group or circle.
  *  Direct one child to select a bangle from the basket and
circle around the group as everyone sings "In and Out
the Window" or another simple verse.
  *  When the verse ends, the child with the extra bangle
checks to see if he or she is behind a child with the
matching bangle; if yes, the child with the bangle keeps
the extra bangle and both children earn a match point;
if no, the child must return the bangle to the basket and
another child takes a turn.
  *  When all the bangles have been matched, the children
with the most points earn a sticker.

Spangle Bangle Partners
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Two, three, or four pairs of rings with 2 textured and 2 smooth
segments in each ring
Skill Areas
Social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Place all the rings in a bag and help a group of children
each select a ring to place on their arms or on the table
or tray in front of them.
  *  Take turns having a child locate his or her partner--the
child who has a matching ring.
  *  Allow the partners to wear the Spangle Bangles while
they complete the next task or activity as partners.

Spangle Coil
Target Population
3-5-year-olds; low vision, blind, special needs, CVI
Segments and Combination
Strand of all 36 segments
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, visual attention
Instructions
  *  Connect all segments to create a long strand.
  *  Help the child curl the strand to create a coil that rolls
back and forth on the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  If the child has low vision, direct attention to his or her
reflection in each segment as the coil is rolled on the tray
or table.
  *  Teach the child to move both hands over the coil to
create a "stadium wave" reflection in the coil.

Spangle Sculpture
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strands and loops of any combination of segments (may
include APH Tangle Toy for added variety)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, cognitive skills, decision-making, creativity,
social skills
Instructions
  *  Place segments in a basket or tray so the child can select
segments by texture and/or color.
  *  Instruct the child to count the segments and determine
how many he or she wants to have connected for his or
her Spangle Sculpture.
  *  Have the child decide which segment goes next as you
connect segments.
  *  Have the child direct whether to thread a strand into the
Tangle Stand or choose to use a Tube Stand for his or
her sculpture.
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand or Tube Stands to the wheelchair
tray or table. If using the Tube Stands, insert a tube in
each stand.
  *  Direct the child to create a sculpture with his or her
chosen segments.
  *  Have the child choose a name for his or her sculpture.
  *  Include the Spangle Sculpture in a classroom or school
art exhibit.

Spangle Steering Joystick Ride
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand of 9 segments: X-X-X-B-X-X-X-A-A
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread the segment into the Tangle Stand so the B
segment is in the cradle of the stand.
  *  Connect ends and arrange the loop so the A segments
are at the top.
  *  Instruct the child to move the steering loop with one hand
in the direction he or she would like to go as someone
pushes the wheelchair. The steering loop operates like a
joystick.

Spangle Steering Wheel Ride
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand of 9 segments: X-X-S-X-X-X-X-X-S
Skill Areas
Motor skills, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread segments into the Tangle Stand so the five X
segments are in the cradle of the stand.
  *  Connect ends and arrange the loop so the two X
segments are at the top.
  *  Instruct the child to grasp the two S segments with both
hands and move the steering wheel loop to the right or
left indicating the direction he or she would like to go as
someone pushes the wheelchair. The steering wheel loop
slides freely left and right in the cradle like driving a car.

Spangle Tangle Knot
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand of 12 segments: 5 X, 2 B, and 5 other textured
segments (X-X-X-X-X-B-B-A-T-A-T-A); select tight-fitting
segments for the textured side so they hold their
position better.
Skill Areas
Motor skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread the strand through the Tangle Stand so the B
segments hold the strand in the cradle firmly.
  *  Position the strand in front of the child so the smooth
segments are on the right and the textured segments
are on the left. (Note: Adapt this as needed to place the
segments with the tightest fit on the right side so the
strand section that starts on the left moves more freely.)
  *  Assist the child to create a knot:
     - cross the textured segments over the front of the
smooth segments,
     - grasp the Spangle Tangle where the segments cross,
     - twist the textured segments so the end points down
on the backside,
     - push the textured end up through the loop of the
Spangle Tangle, and
     - twist the smooth segments forward and connect to
the textured segment to finish the knot for the child.

Stir the Pot (or Song Time)
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand of 7 segments: B-B-X-T-X-S-S (or other preferred
texture); to encourage a child to reach higher or extend their
reach farther, add more segments
Skill Areas
Motor skills, cognitive skills, creativity
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table in
front of the child.
  *  Thread the strand into the Tangle Stand so the two B
segments are in the cradle and hold the strand firmly in
place or push the strand down into the cradle.
  *  Direct the child to locate the two textured (S) segments
near the end of the strand and to grasp and hold them.
  *  Direct the child to "stir the pot" left/counterclockwise or
right/clockwise.
  *  Direct the child to perform actions to go along with
songs, e.g., "Wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish."
Instruct the child to move the strand to the left and right
in rhythm with the song.

Tangle Tracking
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand with 11 segments: 10 X and 1 textured
(X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-S-X or X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-B-X)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, cognitive skills, pre-braille skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Assemble all 11 segments into a strand, placing the
textured segment near the end of the strand.
  *  Thread the first two smooth segments into the Tangle
Stand and flatten the strand so it creates a curvy
horizontal line on the tray or table.
  *  Direct the child to track along the strand and locate the
segment that is different from the other segments.
  *  As the child progresses in locating one texture at the
end, add a second texture.
  *  Create a strand with X-X-X-X-A-A-A-B-A-X-X and direct
the child to locate the B segment.
  *  Give the child a 4-segment circle and let him or her drag
or move the circle along the line. If the line ends at the
edge of the wheelchair tray, let the child push the circle
over the edge so that it drops into a metal container on
the floor.

Thread and Count
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Three rings, each one texture; strand of 10 smooth
segments (X)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Thread the strand through the Tangle Stand so it stays in
place and has a long section on one side.
  *  Direct the child to thread the textured rings onto the long
section of the strand; when completed, connect the ends
to form a loop.
  *  Help the child count the number of rings on the loop.
  *  Direct the child to count pieces of a specific texture as he
or she tracks through the loop.

Treasure Hunt
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs, toddlers
Segments and Combination
Several smooth rings and one textured ring (or reversed to
have several textured rings and one smooth)
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, social skills, cognitive skills
Instructions
  *  Attach one of the Tube Stands to the wheelchair tray or
table and insert the short, medium, or tall tube in
the stand.
  *  Place rings on the tube in a random order.
  *  Instruct the child to find the "treasure"--the ring that is
different from the others or that is the same as a model
placed in the Tangle Stand.
  *  If the "treasure hunt" is presented as a task to match
one ring to a model, attach the Tangle Stand to the
wheelchair tray or table in front of the child and push the
"model" ring into the cradle of the stand.
  *  Vary the number of alternate rings to sort through to find
the treasure.

Twist and Shape
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Smooth ring; Strand of 14 segments, mixture of smooth
and textured
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, creativity
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table.
  *  Push the smooth ring down into the cradle of the Tangle
Stand. Thread the strand through the ring three times
and connect the ends.
  *  Direct the child to use both hands to twist and shape
the coil.
     - Allow the child to explore and name the shapes that
result from twisting the loop in various ways.
     - Encourage the child to create a coil or three separate
loops around the ring.
     - Challenge the child to twist and shape the coil so that
a specific texture is at the top.
  *  For children with low vision or CVI: Place one or two
segments of the childs preferred color from the
APH Tangle Toy in the coil; target the color instead of
the texture.

Twist and Tangle Reflections
Target Population
Low vision, blind, special needs
Segments and Combination
Strand of 18 segments, 16 X and 2 B
Skill Areas
Motor skills, tactile attention, visual attention, exercise
Instructions
  *  Attach the Tangle Stand to the wheelchair tray or table in
front of the child.
  *  Assemble a strand (X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-B-X-X-X-X-XX-
B), thread it through the Tangle Stand cradle, and
connect the ends.
  *  Place the textured segments in a position where the child
can grasp them with both hands.
  *  Encourage the child to hold, twist, and move the loop.
  *  Create arm exercise routines, e.g., stationary bicycle
arms, in-and-out accordion arms, single arm extension,
biceps curls, etc.

Amerson, M. (2005). The Tangle book. Louisville, KY:
American Printing House for the Blind.
Smith, M. (2012). SAM: Symbols and meaning [Guidebook].
Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind.

Bibliography
Thank you to the teaching professionals who contributed their
time and expertise to evaluate the Spangle Tangle Kit.
Anonymous, Teacher of Students who have Visual
Impairments, McPherson High School, KS
Jane Garrison, Outreach Consultant, Montana School for
Deaf and Blind
Lynn Lebiecz, Teacher of Students who have Visual
Impairments, Northshore Education Consortium, MA
Lisa Pruner, Teacher of Students who have Visual
Impairments, Bureau of Rehabilitation Services, CT
Sonia Schescke, Teacher, B. W. Robinson Missouri School for
the Severely Disabled #23, MO
Mary Sjogren, Teacher of Students who have Visual
Impairments, Pathways Elementary, NC
(submitted field test photos)
Meridith Tietz, Teacher of Students who have Visual
Impairments, South Central Service Cooperative, MN
Lisa Tyrrell, Early Interventionist, CNIB, Ontario, Canada
(submitted field test photos)
Shay Utley, Certified Orientation and Mobility Instructor,
Mansfield Independent School District, TX

Acknowledgements
APH is grateful to the staff and children at the Home of the
Innocents, Louisville, KY. Their continued support to assist
APH project leaders whenever called upon confirms their
understanding and commitment to help children with
special needs.

The Spangle Tangle Book is produced through the special
talents of many individuals at APH who performed necessary
tasks to produce and package the kit. Thanks to those
who helped with tactile graphics, braille translation, HTML
translation, CD preparation, printing, purchasing, and
support services.

A girl plays Twist and Tangle Reflections.
1839 Frankfort Avenue   *  P.O. Box 6085
Louisville, Kentucky 40206-0085
502-895-2405   *  800-223-1839
Fax: 502-899-2284   *  info@aph.org
www.aph.org   *  http://shop.aph.org
Catalog Number: 7-08755-00

