Places

Tactile symbol for outdoors is a small piece of twig on top of artificial leaves glued to the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for outdoors is a small piece of twig on top of artificial leaves glued to the needlepoint square.

Tactile symbols representing places are made with squares of needlepoint backing. The backing could be made from other material, depending on what materials you have and what the child can tactually discriminate. 

Note: These symbols are the ones utilized at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, so they reflect that social environment. You may need to create symbols or adapt symbols specific to the environment of the student.

If you are starting from scratch with a symbol, try to pick something that will make sense to the student. As you look at the symbols you will see that some are based on visual information and some on possible tactile information.  It is important to consider the individual’s perspective when creating the symbol. These symbols are highly abstract so it is important to note his/her visual and tactile access when designing the symbol. A part or a piece of an object often works. By necessity, however,  some symbols have to be arbitrary, because there is no obvious item to place on the symbol. When that’s the case, the student will learn the meaning through repeated association.

Shape: square

Background: needlepoint backing

A-Fa

Tactile symbol for bakery is a cupcake paper and drinking straw glued to the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bakery is a cupcake paper and drinking straw glued to the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bank is made of three pennies glued in a horizontal row on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bank is made of three pennies glued in a horizontal row on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bathroom is a piece of yarn tied in the corner of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bathroom is a piece of yarn tied in the corner of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for beach is a small seashell glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for beach is a small seashell glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bowling alley is a piece of flat shoe lace glued vertically on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for bowling alley is a piece of flat shoe lace glued vertically on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for cafeteria is short pieces of popsicle sticks forming an x-shape glued to the center of the needlepoint.
Tactile symbol for cafeteria is short pieces of popsicle sticks forming an x-shape glued to the center of the needlepoint.
Tactile symbol for car or van is a key glued horizontally to the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for car or van is a key glued horizontally to the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for car wash is a penny glued on top of a piece of chamois clothe in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for car wash is a penny glued on top of a piece of chamois cloth in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for cave is an open circle of glue with tiny pebbles on top in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for cave is an open circle of glue with tiny pebbles on top in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for Central Market is the scoop of a plastic spoon with tinsel pipe cleaner surrounding it.
Tactile symbol for Central Market is the scoop of a plastic spoon with tinsel pipe cleaner surrounding it.
Tactile symbol for church is a house-shaped piece of balsa wood with a tiny cross on top glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for church is a house-shaped piece of balsa wood with a tiny cross on top glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for classroom is two pieces of rubber band forming a t-shaped glued to the center or the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for classroom is two pieces of rubber band forming a t-shaped glued to the center or the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for computer room is a piece of felt with a circle of cork on top glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for computer room is a piece of felt with a circle of cork on top glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for dorm is two small square glass tiles, one above and one below with one corner touching.
Tactile symbol for dorm is two small square glass tiles, one above and one below with one corner touching.
Tactile symbol for Farmer's Market is a piece of straw placemat cut into the shape of a basket with rickrack on the top.
Tactile symbol for Farmer’s Market is a piece of straw placemat cut into the shape of a basket with rickrack on the top.

Fi-L

Tactile symbol for fire station is a match glued horizontally to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for fire station is a match glued horizontally to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for game room is a piece from the game Barrel of Monkeys and a small googly eye.
Tactile symbol for game room is a piece from the game Barrel of Monkeys and a small googly eye.
Tactile symbol for garden is a circle of glue with sand on it in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for garden is a circle of glue with sand on it in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for HEB Grocery is an oval-shaped piece of braille paper with HEB in braille on it.
Tactile symbol for HEB Grocery is an oval-shaped piece of braille paper with HEB in braille on it.
Tactile symbol for group home is the top of a bending straw formed in the shape of the roof of a house that is glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for group home is the top of a bending straw formed in the shape of the roof of a house that is glued to the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for gym is a terry cloth wrist band or hair scrunchy glued in a circle shape in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for gym is a terry cloth wrist band or hair scrunchy glued in a circle shape in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for health center or school nurses' office is a ball of cotton glued in the center or the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for health center or school nurses’ office is a ball of cotton glued in the center or the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for home is a Styrofoam peanut glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for home is a Styrofoam peanut glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for hospital is a a cross made from red pipe cleaner that divides the square into 4 quadrants.
Tactile symbol for hospital is a a cross made from red pipe cleaner that divides the square into 4 quadrants.
Tactile symbol for the hot tub is a square of aluminum glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for the hot tub is a square of aluminum glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for kitchen is a rectangle of aluminum pan glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for kitchen is a rectangle of aluminum pan glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for lake is a large circle of plastic wrap glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for lake is a large circle of plastic wrap glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for the laundromat is a rectangle of terry cloth with a penny glued above it on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for the laundromat is a rectangle of terry cloth with a penny glued above it on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for laundry room is two small buttons in a row horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for laundry room is two small buttons in a row horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for the Learning Resource Center (library) is the center cog of a cassette tape glued to the middle of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for the Learning Resource Center (library) is the center cog of a cassette tape glued to the middle of the needlepoint square.

M-R

Tactile symbol for mall is four pieces of rickrack along the edges of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for mall is four pieces of rickrack along the edges of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for a specific mall in Austin - Barton Creek is the symbol for mall plus a short piece of twig glued on a diagonal in the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for a specific mall, Austin – Barton Creek, is the symbol for mall plus a short piece of twig glued on a diagonal in the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for movie is a paper candy wrapper glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for movie is a paper candy wrapper glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for museum is a small googly eye glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for museum is a small googly eye glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for music room is a single jingle bell glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for music room is a single jingle bell glued in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for office is three tiny circles of paper made by a hole punch glued in a horizontal row in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for office is three tiny circles of paper made by a hole punch glued in a horizontal row in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for outside or outdoors in a small piece of twig on top of artificial leaves glued on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for outside or outdoors in a small piece of twig on top of artificial leaves glued on the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for park is a piece of twig glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for park is a piece of twig glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for a specific park, Austin Zilker Park, is a piece of twig with a z-shaped piece of pipe cleaner above it.
Tactile symbol for a specific park, Austin Zilker Park, is a piece of twig with a z-shaped piece of pipe cleaner above it.
Tactile symbol for playground is a blob of glue with tiny pebbles in it at the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for playground is a blob of glue with tiny pebbles in it at the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for pool is a triangular piece of terry cloth glued to the center of the needle point square.
Tactile symbol for pool is a triangular piece of terry cloth glued to the center of the needle point square.
Tactile symbol for post office is a piece of package string glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for post office is a piece of package string glued horizontally in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for swimming pool is an o-shape of glue in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for swimming pool is an o-shape of glue in the center of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for recycling center is a square of sponge with two paper clips forming an X-shape on top.
Tactile symbol for recycling center is a square of sponge with two paper clips forming an X-shape on top.
Tactile symbol for restaurant is a piece of straw glued along one edge of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for restaurant is a piece of straw glued along one edge of the needlepoint square.
Tactile symbol for an Asian restaurant is a piece of straw glued horizontally on one edge of the square above a piece of wooden chop stick glued horizontally in the center.
Tactile symbol for an Asian restaurant is a piece of straw glued horizontally on one edge of the square above a piece of wooden chop stick glued horizontally in the center.
Tactile symbol for chicken restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with a small piece of q-tip glued below it in the center of the square.
Tactile symbol for chicken restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with a small piece of q-tip glued below it in the center of the square.
Tactile symbol for fast food restaurant (e.g. McDonald's) is the symbol for restaurant with the letter M cut from paper underneath it.
Tactile symbol for fast food restaurant (e.g. McDonald’s) is the symbol for restaurant with the letter M cut from paper underneath it.
Tactile symbol for Italian restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with seven short piece of spaghetti glued beneath it in the center of the square.
Tactile symbol for Italian restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with seven short piece of spaghetti glued beneath it in the center of the square.
Tactile symbol for Mexican restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with a circle of tinsel pipe cleaner below.
Tactile symbol for Mexican restaurant is the symbol for restaurant with a circle of tinsel pipe cleaner below.