Time

Tactile symbol for March: diamond shape with top point clipped and clover shaped pipe cleaner in the middle.
Tactile symbol for March: diamond shape with top point clipped and clover shaped pipe cleaner in the middle.

Tactile symbols representing elements of time made with diamond shaped poster board with the top point clipped off. The backing includes materials such as foil, contact paper, and  netting material. The shape is the most important, but the backing can vary depending on what materials you have and what the child can tactually discriminate. Using different backings to form smaller categories can be helpful . For example, you will see that months of the year have foil backing while the days of the week have netting. Just remember, touch is the sense primarily in use so the texture of the material should be distinct. 

This 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.

Shape: diamond with top point clipped off

Background: various materials such as netting, foil, contact paper

Days of the Week

Shape of symbol: Diamond shape with top point clipped off.

Backing material: Netting

Sunday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with white cord glued in spiral
Sunday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with white cord glued in spiral
Monday: net backing with clipped diamond shape and open brad.
Monday: net backing with clipped diamond shape and open brad.
Tuesday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of rubber band glued on horizontally.
Tuesday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of rubber band glued on horizontally.
Wednesday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with button glued on in the center.
Wednesday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with button glued on in the center.
Thursday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with tiny lego block glued in the center.
Thursday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with tiny lego block glued in the center.
Friday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of popsicle stick glued horizontally in the center.
Friday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of popcycle stick glued horizontally in the center.
Saturday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of pipe cleaner glued horizontally in the center.
Saturday: net backing on clipped diamond shape with piece of pipe cleaner glued horizontally in the center.

Time – Seasons                                        

Shape of symbol: Diamond shape with top point clipped off. Diamond

Backing material: Poster board

Winter: clipped diamond poster board with vinyl rectangle above 5 puff paint dots.
Winter: poster board clipped diamond with vinyl rectangle above 5 puff paint dots.
Spring: clipped diamond poster board with small flower glued in the center.
Spring: clipped diamond poster board with small flower glued in the center.
Summer: clipped diamond poster board with vinyl rectangle and sea shell.
Summer: clipped diamond poster board with vinyl rectangle and sea shell.
Fall: clipped diamond poster board with vinyl rectangle and leaf glued on.
Fall: clipped diamond poster board with vinyl rectangle and leaf glued on.

Months

Shape of symbol: Diamond shape with top point clipped off. 

Backing material: foil.

January: foil covered clipped diamond shape with j-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
January: foil covered clipped diamond shape with j-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
February: foil covered clipped diamond shape with hear-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
February: foil covered clipped diamond shape with heart-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
March: foil covered clipped diamond shape with clover-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
March: foil covered clipped diamond shape with clover-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
April: foil covered clipped diamond shape with A-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
April: foil covered clipped diamond shape with A-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
May: foil covered clipped diamond shape with 4 brad heads forming a square in the center.
May: foil covered clipped diamond shape with 4 brad heads forming a square in the center.
June: foil covered clipped diamond shape with o-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
June: foil covered clipped diamond shape with o-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
July: foil covered clipped diamond shape with square-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
July: foil covered clipped diamond shape with square-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
August: foil covered clipped diamond shape with vertical popsicle stick in the center.
August: foil covered clipped diamond shape with vertical popsicle stick in the center.
September: foil covered clipped diamond shape with horizontal paperclip in the center.
September: foil covered clipped diamond shape with horizontal paperclip in the center.
October: foil covered clipped diamond shape with x-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
October: foil covered clipped diamond shape with x-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
November: foil covered clipped diamond shape with triangle-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
November: foil covered clipped diamond shape with triangle-shaped pipe cleaner in the center.
December: foil covered clipped diamond shape with 6 sequins glued in a circle in the center.
December: foil covered clipped diamond shape with 6 sequins glued in a circle in the center.

Time – Informal Time of Day

Shape of symbol: Diamond shape with top point clipped off. 

Backing material: poster board.

Note: Since these were designed for use in school, we do not have a picture for symbols for evening or night. When creating your own symbol for these time concepts use the same shape and backing material. Consider using other shapes in the center such as a square, zig-zag, or curve or some other type of material such as a pipe cleaner or puff paint. 

Morning: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and a vinyl triangle glued in the center.

Backing material: poster board
Morning: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and a vinyl triangle glued in the center.
Afternoon: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and a vinyl circle glued in the center.
Afternoon: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and a vinyl circle glued in the center.
Later: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and an x-shape glued in the center.
Later: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and an x-shape glued in the center.
Sometime: Later: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and 3 puff paint dots aligned horizontally in the center.
Sometime: Later: poster board in a diamond shape with top point clipped off and 3 puff paint dots aligned horizontally in the center.

Time Clock Units

Shape of symbol: Diamond shape with top point clipped off. 

Backing Material: Contact Paper 

Second: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and a bead glued in the center.
Second: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and a bead glued in the center.
Minute: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and 2 beads glued in the center.
Minute: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and 2 beads glued in the center.
Second: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and 3 beads glued in the center.
Second: diamond shaped contact paper with top point clipped off and 3 beads glued in the center.