Accessible toys
Published
Do you have a child with disabilities? If you do, you may have noticed how hard it can be to find suitable toys for them.
Young children learn how the world works through play – especially cause and effect. A lot of early years’ toys involve squeezing toys or pushing a button and having something happen. But for many disabled children this can be difficult as they don’t have fine motor skills or may have other impairments which prevent them being able to activate their toys.
Epsom design charity MERU now offer a range of adapted toys that can be used with an accessible button or switch. They are aimed at introducing the early-learning concept of cause and effect.
It may seem a small thing for a child to be able to press a button and make a toy sing or light up, but the first realisation that ‘if I do this, then something happens’ is a crucial part of development. So, a disabled child who is introduced to switches or accessible controls via an adapted toy will be gaining the basics of how to go on to control a powered wheelchair.
The exciting adapted toy range includes everything from remote controlled cars and Scalextric sets to the popular Fisher Price BeatBo and they can all be used with a variety of different types of switches or buttons that are easier for children with disabilities to use.
* MERU (Medical Engineering Resource Unit) is part of the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation for Disabled People family of charities.
Visit meru.org.uk/shop
