Guide to Toys 2004

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Let's Play

A Guide to Toys for Children with Special Needs

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When you look back at your childhood, surely you don't realize how and where you learned your most important skills: how to interact with others, how to think creatively, and how to understand the world around you. If you're like most of us, it's likely you didn't learn these lessons in a classroom, but through play.

Play is a child's first exposure to understanding their environment and themselves. And, while you were doing all of this learning — it's a sure bet you were having fun! Play is an important part of all children's lives, including children with special needs. Many times adults are hesitant to buy toys for children with special needs, afraid these children would not be able to enjoy them. However, there are literally thousands of toys on store shelves everywhere that children with a variety of special needs can enjoy.

This Guide was created to help you -- a parent, friend, relative or caregiver -- to identify appropriate toys and recognize the qualities you can look for when selecting toys for children with special needs. Through the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) and the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), toys in this Guide were reviewed by more than 140 children with a variety of special needs at seven different centers across the country. Children of many abilities played with these toys including those with Down syndrome, visual and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy. The toys featured in this Guide were selected by ATA and AFB for their play value for children with special needs.

In the Guide you will find a description of the toy, along with an explanation of why the toy was appropriate for a child. These descriptions may then be followed with a quote from a parent, caregiver or teacher involved in the toy test to give you a little more insight about the toy and why the child enjoyed it. Each toy will also contain one or more of the following labels that indicates who may find the toy most enjoyable: SN, PI, A, HI, B, LV, and DD.

These are defined as:

SN = Special Needs
Children with a variety of special needs enjoyed playing with this toy. This includes children with dyslexia, dysgraphia, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorder (ADD and ADHD). These toys rated high because of either their large parts, or ability to engage children in activities.

PI = Physical Impairment
Children with physical impairments (children with less than optimal use of their hands or children with some motor control challenges) were able to play with this toy. Physical impairments include cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. Features to look for when selecting toys for children with a physical impairment include large parts that make a toy easy to grasp, and a sturdy base to secure a toy in its place.

A = Adaptable for Physical Impairment
This toy can be adapted for children with physical impairments. Visit the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA) web site for adaptation instructions at www.ataccess.org/resources/fpic/accesstoys/.

HI = Hearing Impairment
While many toys are appropriate for children with hearing impairments, these toys included one or more of the following: lights or visual feedback, volume control, interesting texture or surface or some other unique feature that made it appropriate for a child with a hearing impairment.

B/LV Blind or Low Vision
Although children with visual impairments may enjoy many toys in this Guide, these toys rated particularly high because of their sounds and interesting textures and surfaces that provided sensory stimulation. Also, children with moderate visual impairments can enjoy toys that include bright lights.

DD = Developmental Disabilities
Children with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, autism and mental retardation enjoyed playing with this toy. When selecting toys for children with these disabilities, look for products that encourage them to act out real life situations such as playing school, or interacting with action figures and dolls. Other toys to look for are games with a short duration to help children feel success through completing a task. Toys that have a repetitive nature are also advantageous as children learn through repetition.

When using this Guide remember that these are our suggestions and reflect the experience we had with children in our toy tests. No one knows your child better than you. Also keep in mind that the age ranges for each toy were assigned for children who do not have special needs. Selecting toys with your child's interest and skill level in mind is the most effective way to find a toy your child will enjoy. In addition, be imaginative when selecting toys for children with special needs, who may enjoy a unique way of having fun with their toys.

Finally, the 100+ toys in this Guide are just a small sampling of the thousands of toys on store shelves across the country that your child may enjoy. These toys serve as examples of the wonderful products that are available to your child. We hope that by using this Guide you are able to select the toys that encourage your child's developmental growth, help you bond with your child and most of all allow them to have fun!