There are a few things we know for sure about kids. Every child is unique. Each grows and learns in his or her own special way. And pretty much all children love to play.

Kids with disabilities are no different, of course. Whether a child’s disability is mild or severe, obvious or not, that child is first and foremost a kid—which he or means she will have the natural instinct to explore the world through play, just like any other child.

When it comes to birthdays and holidays and other special times, however, children with disabilities all too often find clothing or other “safe” gifts waiting for them. Many times, grandparents, other relatives, and friends want to do something special for the child, but they just aren’t sure what types of toys will be fun and usable. They don’t want to take a chance on disappointing her with something that doesn’t fit her abilities—something that ends up being more frustrating for the child than fun.

If you have a child with disabilities in your life for whom you would like to find just the right toy, several resources are available to help you.

For general guidelines on what to consider when selecting toys for differently-abled children, take a look at Lekotek’s Top Ten Tips for Choosing Toys, which you can find on their website at http://www.lekotek.org/resources/informationontoys/tentips.html. While you’re there, check out the many other resources on play for children with disabilities, including downloadable information packets on many play topics.

A more comprehensive look at toys that fit well with particular disabilities can be found at http://www.ableplay.org/ . Developed by the National Lekotek Center, toys are rated on several characteristics and you can search by disability, age of child, type of toy, and more. If the child for whom you are buying has asked for a particular toy, this site can also serve as a resource to see if that item has been reviewed. The evaluation can help you decide if the toy is the right choice.

Another easy way to get personalized information is to visit your neighborhood toy store. These stores are generally very different from national chain toy stores and toy sections in discount department stores because they provide significantly more personalized service along with a selection of products not usually found in big chains. You can expect to find staff who are knowledgeable about a wide range of toys, how to use them in different and sometimes unique ways, and how to match up children with the toys that best suit their interests and developmental levels.

If you need further or more detailed help, pick up the phone and call the Lekotek Toy Resource Helpline at 1-800-366-PLAY and arrange to speak with one of Lekotek’s experts on toys and play for kids with disabilities. You can also email lekotek@lekotek.org with your questions for a personalized response.

Provided By Susan J. Oliver, Tropomedia
This information is provided on behalf of the toy experts at your neighborhood toy store.

Here are four trends that offer expanded play opportunities for kids with disabilities:

• Use of technology and interactivity. New printing technology has made it easy and affordable to customize some games for children with special needs. Goosie Cards® are relatively new and a good example. They are flash cards that consumers make by uploading personal pictures and text to their website. The company creates the cards and send them back to you. Parents and families can use these cards to customize what their child needs to learn, and they can also involve the child in the creative process. The concepts you can teach are endless, from math to spelling to social-emotional skills.
  
  
• Promote movement. There is a powerful trend to promote physical play activities, which is welcome because children with special needs carry an even higher risk factor for obesity than typically developing kids and so many children are drawn into non-active play experiences on computers. Current research is showing that physical activity can help increase memory, perception, language, attention, emotional stability, and even decision-making. Another plus is that movement has been shown to help cam and promote alertness in infants.
  
  
• Deliver developmental benefits. Toys and play products are now delivering, at record levels, real developmental benefits: cognitive, physical, and or social. Inventors, educators, and engineers continue to amaze consumers with the creative ways they can structure toys and games to help children learn and grow.
  
  
• Bridge therapy and play. Toy creators are bridging the gap between therapy and play, and professionals are realizing there are toys out there that offer therapeutic goals quietly imbedded in the play processes they promote. Ther-A-Saurs, for example, are squishy toy dinosaurs in graduated resistance levels. Dinosaurs play a large role in pretend play, but when kids play with these dinosaurs, they are also developing hand and arm strength and practicing grasp and release. Wikki Stix is another product that helps with manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination. They can form shapes, names, numbers, or letters and make all these developmental milestones fun and entertaining for children, in addition to feeding their creative spirit.

Provided By Susan J. Oliver, Tropomedia
This information is provided on behalf of the toy experts at your neighborhood toy store.

Physical disabilities affect the motor systems. They can include skeletal, muscle and joint abnormalities which in turn affect a child’s ability to move, stand, sit, play, reach, etc.

Types of Disabilities

Physical disabilities include cerebral palsy, spina bifida or muscular dystrophy along with other physical conditions including involuntary movements.

Features to look for in toys

Since there are many types of physical disabilities, there are a lot of features that may apply. Here are some of them.

• Toys that provide stability. With limited mobility and possibly body control, stability is a great aspect to look for with toys. These include toys that have stability built-in and toys that provide stability to the child. Toys that have stability might include rubber or non-skid bases. Toys that provide body stability might be ride-on toys or swings that provide trunk support or offer additional help with balance with railings or support holds.
• Toys that help a child hold or operate. This might include larger handles on toys or switches that are easier to turn on or manipulate.
• Toys that can be positioned on a wheelchair. Look for toys or games that fit and can be played easily on a wheelchair tray.
• Play sets that allow for wheelchair accessibility. Larger openings on playhouses of activity sets that can accommodate a wheelchair make it easier for some kids to access and enjoy. Also be aware of surfaces that are easy for a wheelchair to roll over

Cognitive disabilities affect a child’s ability to process information, reason, remember and express emotions.

Types of Disabilities

Cognitive disabilities include Down syndrome, attention deficit disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (often referred to as ADD or ADHD respectively), learning disabilities, and intellectual delays.

Features to look for in toys:

Toys that encourage concrete play. Toys that take their inspiration from real life are often a great idea. These can include play houses, puppets and dolls. These toys help a child work out situations and make sense of them through the act of play.

Games that have short duration. Focus can be hard for some children and by calling on their attention span for a short bite of time allows them to experience success and encourages them to try again.

Toys that visually stimulate. These toys can provide the interest and capture the attention of a child long enough to engage him in the play process.

Toys that have a repetitive component. Repetition is one of the best ways for anyone to learn something. Toys that repeat commands in a clear steady voice give kids time to process and respond by hearing the prompts over and over again. Toys that have levels of abilities. Toys that allow a child to progress slowly from simple to more complex play are ideal and keep the toy current and viable longer for the child. Look for toys that encourage skill building in a fun and playful way.

This information is provided by the National Lekotek Center, a division of Anixter Center. Lekotek is a non-profit (501C3) organization with a national network of affiliates dedicated to making play and learning accessible for children with disabilities. For permission to reprint or for additional information on toys, play and technology for children with disabilities, contact us at 800-366-PLAY, online at www.lekotek.org or our website on toys rated and reviewed for children with special needs at www.ableplay.org.  

Sensory disabilities affect a child’s ability to gather and understand information from the environment through any of their five senses.

Types of Disabilities

Sensory disabilities include hearing or visual impairments or other sensory processing disorders. Sensory issues can also be an aspect of other disabilities which might present themselves as intolerance for loud noises, flashing lights or other elements that stimulate the senses.

Features to look for in toys

• Toys that are visually stimulating and colorful. Some children are just more visually oriented than others and really enjoy the visual aspects of a toy. These could include movement, graphics, high-contrast colors and interesting shapes and patterns. Conversely, some children need to edit their visual stimulation and focus on one thing at a time in order to give it the needed attention.
• Toys that produce noise. An auditory aspect in a toy like the shaking of a rattle can capture a child’s attention and keep his interest activated.
• Toys with volume control. If a child is hearing impaired but has some auditory ability, a toy that can have the volume turned up is a great option. On the other hand, some children are very sensitive to noise and may need to have the volume turned down to be comfortable with hearing it.
• Toys that have textures. If a child has tactile sensitivities, toys that have combinations of rough and smooth surfaces may help a child increase their tolerance. Some children may require hard smooth surfaces to focus on the play rather than the distraction of texture. Some children need more textures for their systems to register them, others need less.

Other features to be aware of

• Some play products such as paints and play dough have strong scents and some children will like them and others will not.
• Flashing lights can be a trigger for seizures with some children
• Many children like to mouth toys as a way to discover and explore their world. Be sure to use caution in allowing a child to mouth a toy or play product.

This information is provided by the National Lekotek Center, a division of Anixter Center. Lekotek is a non-profit (501C3) organization with a national network of affiliates dedicated to making play and learning accessible for children with disabilities. For permission to reprint or for additional information on toys, play and technology for children with disabilities, contact us at 800-366-PLAY, online at www.lekotek.org or our website on

Communicative disabilities affect a child’s ability to communicate verbally due to limited or altered comprehensive and language limitations.

Types of Disabilities

Typical communicative disabilities include autism, speech and language delays and stuttering.

Features to look for in toys

• Toys that call for kids to communicate. Many toys and games can motivate children who are reluctant to talk, to open up and express themselves. Toys can pull them from their solitaire world into a social one. Whether it involves a card game where the child needs to ask for certain cards or the more complicated discourse that takes place on a play set where kids need to take turns and navigate it together, language comes easier when play inspired.
• Toys that communicate. A talking toy can be a model for kids to hear and mimic language and help a child by hearing words over and over and remembering them. Look for toys that use simple, clear language.
• Toys that provide verbal feedback (live or otherwise). Toys continue to become more voice-sophisticated and some can respond to commands and engage in mock dialogue. This is a great way to help a child build basic verbal dialogue skills in a safe environment. It can also help a child to hear language repetitively like some toys can provide. At the top of this spectrum are toys that are all about facilitating live communication and making it fun like phones, Walkie Talkies and other electronic communication devices that two or more kids can play with.
• Toys that teach words. All our language is based on words and the more a child knows and recognizes the easier communication will be. There is a broad range of toys that serve this purpose ranging from flash cards with pictures and words on them to simple instructions or messages that appear in the process of playing a game.

This information is provided by the National Lekotek Center, a division of Anixter Center. Lekotek is a non-profit (501C3) organization with a national network of affiliates dedicated to making play and learning accessible for children with disabilities. For permission to reprint or for additional information on toys, play and technology for children with disabilities, contact us at 800-366-PLAY, online at www.lekotek.org or our website on toys rated and reviewed for children with special needs at www.ableplay.org.

The National Lekotek Center believes play, toys, and games are necessary tools for children to learn—and especially those who have special needs. It is so important an issue that we have made it our mission and focus for nearly 30 years.

“Parents who understand that high-interaction, at-home activities (e.g. reading or playing with children), which present opportunities for highly effective parenting, may feel less stress than those who feel compelled to arrange out-of-home opportunities.” This is taken from a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics on the value of play for children and their families. The lead author of this report is Dr. Kenneth Ginsberg, pediatrician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Doctors and researchers alike are discovering the importance of encouraging play. Play not only affects the health and development of the individual child, but also has a significant role in creating a healthy family life. Playing as a family, like eating meals together, brings benefits not only to individual family members, but also to the whole family unit. When sitting around a board game, for example, families can abandon the pressing issues of the day, relax, and laugh. Play creates an environment where they can learn more about each other and see each family member’s individual talents.

But children with special needs are at greater risk of being marginalized even within the context of the family. Play is a great way to level the playing field and just have fun. Here are a few toy and play categories that promote family time and include children of all abilities in the fun:

• Board games
• Question and answer games
• Art projects
• Games that require physical activities
• Team games

Provided By Susan J. Oliver, Tropomedia
This information is provided on behalf of the toy experts at your neighborhood toy store.