Articles on Toys | Topics: toys, toy
by Herbert Pratt
Too often, people forget that disabled children are just that – children. As children, they like to have fun, too. In fact, children with disabilities enjoy toys just as much as children without disabilities. While the toy selection may be somewhat varied compared to toys for children without disabilities, many toys can actually be the same. All you really need is to be able to understand how to choose the ones that are right for your child.
Toys can be more than Just Fun
As with children without disabilities, toys are much more to disabled children than just a means to have fun. In fact, toys help promote learning and problem solving skills. They also help push the child with a disability toward playing at a higher level. Most of all, toys help the child with a disability feel as though she is just like other children and capable of "fitting in." When choosing a toy for a child with a disability, however, you must take the individual needs of that child into account because not all children with disabilities will need the same types of toys.
Toys for the Senses
One thing to consider when choosing toys for children with disabilities is the sensory stimulation the toys will create. For example, many toys make a variety of different sounds and some of these sounds can be quite loud. When choosing toys for children with disabilities, this needs to be taken into consideration. For some children, these sounds will be a delight and your child will want the toy to make the noise over and over again. For other children with disabilities, however, the noise may have a negative effect. This can be particularly true for children with Autism who can be oversensitive to sensory stimulation.
Visual stimulation should be treated in a way similar to sound. Some children with disabilities will enjoy bright, colorful toys. Some will also love lights. For other children, these features can be distracting and have a negative effect. It is very important as a parent to understand how visual stimulation and sounds may impact your child before making a toy purchase. In many children with disabilities, however, sounds can be a great way to promote learning. This is particularly true if the sounds are linked to certain sounds or are the "reward" for your child performing a certain task, such as pushing a button or pulling a lever.
The feel of a toy can also have a great impact on your child with a disability. For children with Autism, certain textures may have positive stimulatory effects. For children with physical disabilities, the toy may actually encourage them to grasp and release. For others, the toy may encourage more active exploration. All of these features are, obviously, great in that they help your child improve in her skills and abilities.
| Historical Quote |
We may prepare food for our children, chauffeur them around, take them to the movies, buy them toys and ice cream, but nothing registers as deeply as a simple squeeze, cuddle, or pat on the back. There is no greater reassurance of their lovability and worth than to be affectionately touched and held.
| —Stephanie Martson (20th century) |
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Ease of Activation
When selecting a toy for a child with a disability, you also need to consider how easily the toy is activated. If the toy requires more movement than the child with a disability is capable of, the toy will likely result in frustration rather than laughter. You also need to consider what parts of the body need to be used to activate the toy.
In addition, you need to determine if multiple parts of the toy need to be activated at the same time in order for the toy to be interesting. If so, this may be too difficult for the child depending on his disability. Also, if the toy needs to be positioned in a certain way in order to be played, you need to be sure the child is capable of accessing the toy from this position.
Physical
The size of the toy can also have a large impact on whether or not is appropriate for the child with a disability. Small toys, for example, may be difficult for a child with a disability to manipulate. This is particularly true if she has poor fine motor control. At the same time, large toys may be cumbersome and difficult for the child to play with. This is particularly true if the child spends most of his time in a wheelchair.
The construction of the toy is also important. If it is poorly constructed, it can be a safety hazard for a child with a disability. The material it is made of may also be problematic for children with certain disabilities.
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Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Great Toys for the Disabled Children" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by ToysGiftsPresents.com. |
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