Object Cards:
What they are, how to make them, and what they can be used for
Object Cards 101
Introduction to a lesser-known tool
What are object cards ?
Object cards are a 3D alternative to photo and picture symbols. Instead of a child touching, say, a picture of a child playing to tell you they want to play, they might touch an actual ball to show they want to play.
Who are they good for?
Object cards are a good choice for non-speaking children and adults who either 1) need maximum support understanding symbols given in a rapid manner [such as those with global aphasia] or 2) are blind or have other vision related disabilities along with cognitive disabilities that make tactile symbols inappropriate.
What's the difference between an object card and a tactile card?
Object cards are inherently tactile, but there do also exist tactile cards which are more abstract representations of concepts. For example, the 3D printable Bliss Tactile Symbols are abstract tactile representations of various words/ideas. You can feel the difference between each tactile word from the raised lines on the symbols. These symbols are preferable to object cards because they are easier to standardize, take up much less space, and are far more robust. However, in cases where tactile cards are not appropriate (the abstraction is too difficult) object cards are a good option.
Who should object symbols not be used for?
Object symbols are bulky, hard to transport, and do not provide robust access to language. As a result, they are only appropriate for use in communication for a very small subset of AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) users. The idea that there is a hierarchy of symbolic understanding (objects -> photos -> illustrations -> words) that must be followed when teaching AAC is a myth. So please only start with object symbols if everything else has been ruled out.
Placement memorization (when I touch the button on the corner, people give me food) and image memorization (when I touch the picture that looks like this, people give me a drink) means that symbol understanding is usually not only not required, but doesn't even have to be the main channel of learning for most AAC learners. Mean even if you are working with a typically sighted person that does not appear to understand picture symbols, you still don't need to use object symbols. They can simply memorize by either location or what it looks like.
Why are they useful?
Object cards do not require vision and require only the smallest amount of symbol understanding. Object cards can be used as part of a representation of a person's schedule or they can be directly used for communication.
How do you choose an object symbol?
Object representations should reflect real experiences a given individual associates with a concept. As a result, they will be different for everyone. Miniature versions of an item, such as a doll bed to represent "sleep", require a connection of the experience of a real bed with a miniature doll bed; in short, they are too abstract. Objects that don't represent that specific individual's experience are also not good. For instance, a rubber duck would only be a good representation of "bath" if the user has a rubber duck with them during their baths.
Examples of good object representations:
Eat: A spoon - which looks/feels the same as the spoons used during actual meal times - to represent "eat". Or for someone who is fed by g-tube, you could do a syringe or a little bit of tubing.
Drink: Something that looks/feels like the drink containers a person is used to. An empty juice box, a small (but not miniature) cup, a bottle, etc.
Diaper change: The absorbent part of diapers make a big mess if you try to cut them, but you could get an infant diaper from Dollar Tree, flip it inside out (so only the white is showing) and attach it to an object card, so it will feel/look like the AAC user's diaper. Alternatively, you could cut the tabs off the AAC user's diapers and use those.
Toilet: A couple of options here. You could go to the hardware store and get a toilet handle - only do this if you're comfortable you can remove the attached rod and if the person interacts with the handle enough to associate it with a toilet. Or you could get a roll of toilet paper that just has the last ring of paper left on it and use that as your object symbol.
Sleep: A small piece of their blanket or a blanket that looks/feels similar to theirs.
Drive: A piece of seatbelt (you can get seatbelt extenders on Amazon).
Read: A small book. If they interact with board books, you can get a tiny one of those to attach; for paperback or hardcovers, you can get tiny ones of those instead. Yes, it's true that since they're so small they won't necessarily look/feel like the books they read. But I like to only attach the back cover (and maybe some extra pages if it's a paperback) to the card and then leave the rest unattached, so they can experience flipping the pages. That should provide a similar sensory experience to their experience with books, so long as they get to participate in the page flipping.
Medicine (or pain/sick): This depends on what their experience of medication primarily is. Is it getting a medication cup and swallowing the pills in that? Then a medication cup would be a good representation. Is it a liquid medication from a medicine measuring spoon or a syringe? Then one of those would be more appropriate. Maybe they're used to interacting with pill bottles. An empty one of those with the label removed would be a great option.
Hurt: To communicate about a physical injury, you can just stick a bandaid on an object card - or if their experience is with more significant physical injuries, you could attach some gauze.
Other ideas: Those are the most critical wants/needs but you can certainly use object symbols for other words. For instance, play is a really important thing to kids, so maybe putting something that would feel like play to the AAC user, such as a ball, might be good.
Why make an object card schedule?
Schedules with symbols are good for several reasons. They help with understanding time, allow for anticipation of next steps, decrease anxiety, promote engagement, and introduce the concept of symbols in general. For those who can't access a text or picture schedule, an object schedule is a great alternative.
How to Make an Object Card
You can buy pre-made object cards various places. There are two drawbacks to that, however. First, they're expensive. And second, they are unlikely to be great fits for the AAC user's individual life - and as we know, that's critical for object cards to be effective.
So why not just do it yourself? To do so all you need are 3 things: something to be the "card", the objects themselves, and some way to attach the objects to the cards.
There are options that you can use for the card material. Cardboard, foam board, or laminated cardstock are some examples of possibilities. If you're working with someone with some limited vision, you're going to want the back to be a solid color. If the person has CVI (cerebral visual impairment) in particular, you're probably going to want it to be black. Luckily, many craft stores and even some Dollar Trees have black foam board, so that's probably the option I'd go for. Then cut it down to size. You're going to want the cards to be a pretty standard size, perhaps around the size of your hand - and you'll want the objects, of course, to be smaller than that.
Next, get your small object (or piece of an object) and figure out how best to attach it. You've got options! Typically what I do is poke holes in the cards ("picks" for crafting or construction can be helpful for that) and then I loop a zip tie around or through the object. You may have to cut holes in the object to enable this!
I would probably write on the card what it's supposed to represent, so it can be used consistently across all care team members. And then you're done!
