
A group of blind and vision impaired children have joined the circus… thanks to Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.
The organisation has held its first circus-skills workshop in Homebush for children aged between six and 11, giving them the thrill of attempting activities such as swinging on a flying trapeze, tightrope walking and hula hooping.
Guide Dogs Orientation and Mobility Instructor Anne Keep organised the free workshop with Circus Arts Sydney.
“While the workshop offered plenty of fun, it was also designed to expose kids with impaired vision to adventurous, new activities that boost their confidence and body awareness,” said Ms Keep.
“The train trip to and from Homebush also helped to improve their travel skills because we always encourage them to learn to navigate public transport while providing guidance,” she added.
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT provides free services to more than 600 children and youth in NSW and the ACT each year.
Ms. Keep said: “Children with impaired vision often have posture and balance issues. This can be because they either don’t have the opportunity to observe other people, or they don’t develop the necessary gross motor skills.
“In addition to this, children with impaired vision can sometimes lack the confidence to explore their surroundings, so they need a lot of positive encouragement to conquer their fears so they can continue to develop and undertake new physical activities”.
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