Many children with disabilities can still play with toys. What is important is choosing the appropriate toy depending on the disabilities being dealt with. Problems encountered by children with disabilities include attention deficit disorders and physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
Since children can learn by playing, and from the world around them, touching, hearing, seeing and feeling is also important in their development. In some cases this is even more so when it comes to special needs children. Having the right toys can help them to grow and develop. Even children with disabilities can benefit from playing toys which in effect work as disability accessories.
Learning and Stimulation Toys
Based on the level of and the kind of disabilities some children get more from learning and stimulation toys. For children with disabilities which affect their sight, toys with sound and texture are very important. These types of toys help them to develop their sense of hearing and feeling and so learn more about the world around them.
On the other hand, a child who cannot hear will like toys that are bright and visually appealing. These children will be better served by toys that can print out or have written messages displayed. Toys that can perform actions that they can understand are also good.
Based on the level of disabilities and motor skills toys chosen should also be unbreakable and non-skid. The surface on which they allowed to play with their toys should also be conducive to their abilities. This may call for placing the toys on a blanket or padded mat.
When selecting toys for children with disabilities, it is also important to pay some attention to age appropriateness as well. This is especially true for children with physical as against mental disabilities. The toy must also be safe to use based on the child’s abilities. If it has edges that can cause injury they should be avoided. Look also for the manufacturer’s guarantee of non-toxicity.
Any toy chosen for special needs children should entertain as well as help to stimulate learning.
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