12/02/2009

Holiday and Gift Giving Guide

The National Institute of Play states that "We all know that play is fun, even joyful. It refreshes and energizes us. Play is a central element of life, throughout life, not only for children, but for working and retired adults. In play our burdens feel lighter and we are opened to new possibilities. But play goes even deeper - it shapes our brains to make us smarter and more able to adapt to situations."

Holiday time and birthdays are an exciting for all children, and children with disabilities are no different. There are nearly 6 million children with disabilities (including 12.7% of school children) who will receive holiday gifts this season. Yet because gift givers are afraid of selecting the "wrong" toy, many children with disabilities find pajamas and socks wrapped up in those brightly-colored boxes. Not the toy of their dreams.


The National Lekotek Center recommends the following-
Top Ten Things to Consider When Buying Toys for Children with Disabilities:

1. Multisensory appeal: Does the toy respond with lights, sounds, or movement? Are there contrasting colors? Does it have a scent? Is there texture?

2. Method of activation: Will the toy provide a challenge without frustration? What is the force required to activate? What are the number and complexity of steps required activating?

3. Where toy will be used: Can the toy be used in a variety of positions such as side-lying or on wheelchair tray? Will the toy be easy to store? Is there space in the home?

4. Opportunities for success: Can play be open-ended with no definite right or wrong way? Is it adaptable to the child's individual style, ability and pace?

5. Current popularity: Is it a toy most any child would like? Does it tie-in with other activities like T.V., movies, books, clothing, etc?

6. Self-expression: Does the toy allow for creativity, uniqueness, and choice-making? Will it give the child experience with a variety of media?

7. Adjustability: Does it have adjustable height, sound volume, speed, level of difficulty?

8. Child's individual characteristics: Does the toy provide activities that reflect both developmental and chronological ages? Does it reflect the child's interests and age?

9. Safety and durability: Consider the child's size and strength in relation to the toy's durability. Is the toy and its parts sized appropriately? Does the toy have moisture resistance? Can it be washed and cleaned?

10. Potential for interaction: Will the child be an active participant during use? Will the toy encourage social engagement with others?


Toy Safety

Find information about toys, safety, recalls, and play on this toy safety site. Contents include data about toy industry testing as well as suggestions for toy use and exploration. A handout for using toys with children who have special needs may be helpful for families and friends who want to include a child, but are unsure of how to start. "Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity." - Kay Redfield Jamison, Professor of Psychiatry


Software Ideas
  • Don Johnston has a wide variety of software products. Free catalogs are available at Mesa Vista.

  • Off the counter at Staples, Office Depot, Best Buy or any of the other local stores, look for some of the following titles:


Toy Ideas
  • Switch toys are great for children who can’t play with many toys right off the shelf. You may make your own switch toys (much cheaper) or buy toys already designed to use with switches. If you are interested in making your own, directions are available.

  • A great company for purchasing switch toys is Enabling Devices. You can also contact them and ask for a catalog at: 1(800)832-8697

  • Anything LeapFrog. “Created with the guidance of top educational experts and content specialists, LeapFrog products span a wide range of subjects to complement a child's school curriculum. Our products also enable children to receive immediate and positive corrective feedback while working at their own pace. Most importantly, LeapFrog learning products are designed to build self-confidence by providing age-appropriate activities that challenge and motivate children.” LeapFrog is divided into Infant/Toddler, Preschool/Kindergarten, Grade School and Middle/High School. LeapFrog is a new company that has just gone crazy in the electronic educational toy department. Wonderful stuff! Walmart and Toys R Us carry their products.

Older Kids
  • Coin-u-Lator makes coin counting easy and fun! Instead of standard numbers on a regular calculator, this device uses realistic coin buttons and a dollar bill.
  • Rocket Reader is an audio book reader for the Pocket PC which has been simplified by removing text-based instructions and menus, utilizing the efficiency of pictures and audio to guide the end user through the book selection and reading process.
  • iPodTouch allows all of those wonderful aps to be used without the phone charges. It is endless the types of aps that may apply to a disabled child. (See iPhone posting.)
  • Watches are always a special gift. There are a couple out there that might be the best design for your child. Check out the 12 Alarm Watch which is easy to program and easy to use. It has a easy to read display with large text. There is also a couple of varieties of the Time Timer watches that are very simple when you need to manage time or teach the concept of time.

Other Resource Guides
Those of you with the Internet, may also want to check out:
  • One of our local Occupational Therapist Assistants has developed a wonderful, in depth listing of toys that she has experienced with kids and found to be their favorites. Take some time to explore her recommendations.

  • Toys R Us has put out a guide that is available free at Toys "R" Us stores nationwide and has helped millions of people choose just the right toy for the children in their lives with disabilities. Each plaything in the 52-page book is accompanied by one or more symbols to help you match them to your child's abilities and needs: auditory, language, visual, tactile, gross motor, fine motor, social skills, self esteem, creativity, and thinking. From the interactive online version, you can page through the catalog, click on things that interest you for a closer look, and then click on the stock number to go right to that item on the Toys R Us site and buy it. Check it out by clicking right here!

  • AT Access provides information on toys that were tested by approximately 100 children with disabilities and their parents so that the Toy Industry Foundation could compile a guide to help people choose toys that are appropriate and fun for children with disabilities.

  • AblePlay provides independent reviews of toys for special needs students. They provide toy descriptions and ratings by evaluators certified by the National Lekotek Center. A searchable database provides factors such as disability category, type of play and age range and includes information about play strategies and adaptation ideas.

  • Let's Play Project

  • Lekotek, the country's central source on toys and play for children with special needs is a wonderful source.
  • If your child has some specific allergies you may want to look at the Guide to Toxic Chemicals in toys to make sure you are purchasing toys that are safe.
And of course, no one could ever have enough books. Books on tape or CD are wonderful for the car. If you have a child that uses a switch, adapt the player so that the child can operate it by hitting the switch. And every switch user should have a PowerLink 3 from AbleNet, in the home!! Great personal control!



2009 EDITION OF TOYS “R” US TOY GUIDE FOR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED KIDS DEBUTS IN STORES NATIONWIDE AND ONLINE

Toys "R" Us has released the 2009 Toys "R" Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids, a complimentary toy-selection guide for parents and friends of children with disabilities. The Guide and the products featured inside are available in all Toys "R" Us stores nationwide and online. The Guide is available in all Toys “R” Us stores nationwide and online at .

The easy-to-use resource, released annually, features specially selected toys that promote the development of children with physical and cognitive disabilities. Items featured in the Guide promote the development of specific skills, such as auditory, language, visual, fine motor, thinking and social skills. Symbols are assigned to each toy so parents can easily identify items that are best suited for their child's needs.

In addition to toy recommendations, the Guide also includes the Lekotek's "Top Ten Tips for Buying Toys," a list of questions compiled by Lekotek's experts to guide people when selecting toys for children with disabilities. This year, the Guide also introduces a new, easy-to-use toy-finder index that lists toys in separate skill-building categories. This added feature allows users to quickly find and select toys that are appropriate for a child's specific needs and interests.

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Switch Adapted Battery Operated Toys
By Dave Grass

What’s a Switch? A "switch" is something that can be pressed to activate a toy or any device that is turned on or off by opening or closing a circuit.

What’s an adapted toy? A switch adapted, battery operated toy is a toy that has been modified so that a child with a disability can press a switch and activate the toy, instead of using a standard battery operated toy's on/off button.

Making a Switch Adapted Toy

Where to Buy Single Switches

Making Your Own, Inexpensive Switch

Why adapt a toy? The importance of play is well documented. All children need opportunities to learn cause and effect, interact with the other children in a play setting, and develop fine motor and gross motor skills, all of which can carry over to a variety of educational activities. An adapted toy allows children with disabilities the same play opportunities available to other children.

Having the power to make things move at the touch of a button is a wonderful thing for anyone!



You may also want to try these from CreativeSupports:

 Switch Adaptation Instructions.pdf
CPVC Camera Mount.pdf
Cutting Insructions for Acrylic.pdf
Making a Wagon for Interactive Stories.pdf
Product Purchasing Information.pdf

If you do not have access to the Internet, please let me or your teachers know and we will try to help you.


Good luck and happy shopping!
Posted by Glenda Hampton Anderson
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