Touch
Without eyes, touch is the only way that humans have to tell the texture, size, and anatomy of an object. Yet it is one that few of us have to actively rely upon. For activities that emphasize touch to work, one must definitely remove the sense of sight so that one can focus more completely on the stimuli around them.
A great introduction to the world of feeling is the common braille trail activity [1]. Set up a simple rope course in the middle of the forest or other habitat area, making sure to decide on which side of the rope the campers will be walking. Try to choose an open understory so that campers are not tripping and falling, and tie the rope to trees and other objects. Braille trails can be at a variety of difficulty levels. I have created some in the past where knots in the rope indicated objects on the forest floor that the blind person must find and explore with his hands. On other courses I have actually set up the lead rope so that it goes down to objects of interest and around particularly unique sections of trees. Work on a braille trail with a few groups before deciding on a final plan. Also, be careful that your braille trail does NOT go over any stinging insect nests, which might result in many stung and crying campers.
To actually use a braille trail, I find it best to have the campers work as partners, one blind and one seeing. The seeing partner keeps the blind partner safe and also aids the blind person in finding interesting objects and in interpreting them. Once one person reaches the end of the trail, the two partners switch roles and walk the trail again.
If you do not have the time to set up a full braille trail, lay out a course with cones that campers will have to navigate blind with the help of their team. Give the blind camper four ropes that she must hold in one hand while her partners hold the other ends. By spreading out around the blind camper and taking turns exerting force on their particular rope, the team can lead the blind camper through the course, giving the camper practice with responding to touch stimulus rather than sight. As always, switch partners so everyone gets a turn to be blind.
This activity can be used not only to teach trust within the group but also as an introduction to following God's call in our lives. For most Christians, God's leading is not always clear in their lives, but instead they must go forward trusting that they are being led. In the same way, the trail requires trust that we are being led although we cannot even see where we are going.
A simpler touch activity is “Feel and Find” [2]. In this activity, the campers are initially blind as they feel an object which I have in my hand. After exploring the object with their hands, they must then attempt to find an object that is as similar as possible. This activity stresses very active observation through the sense of touch.
In another variation, one could divide campers into partners, and give all participants a piece of clay. One partner molds an object and the other, without looking, must create a replica of the figure. Using this game, campers must more actively interpret what they are feeling for their own use.
“Hug a Tree” is perhaps the greatest touch activity of all because it stresses touch and trust at the same time. In the game, the participants again choose partners, and one partner is blind and the other can see. The seeing partner leads the blind partner to a tree which the blind person explores with her hands. The partners then return to spot from which they began, perhaps following a circuitous route, and then the blind partner must find the tree once she opens her eyes. Switch roles and repeat. Stress the newness of the situation, of seeing the world through one's finger tips. That complete newness must have been what it was like for Adam and Eve as they saw the world for the first time and became amazed at the wonders of creation. Help your campers to appreciate the experience of perceiving creation through a new lens.