Opening Up to Children with Disabilities

"(C)hildren with disabilities like to play ... they just play with a toy a little differently than a normal child would." — Joan Machlis of Wind Up Here

When specialty toy retailers have even a rudimentary knowledge of the conditions that affect special-needs kids, a new market opens up to them. Although reports vary, most studies show that the number of U.S. children with special needs ranks in the millions.

Special needs kids don’t necessarily require “special” toys, experts told TDmonthly Magazine. They just need to be directed to toys that will help them grow and learn.

“Kids with disabilities oftentimes get clothes and stuffed teddy bears for Christmas,” said Kathy Proctor, therapy supervisor of the Elk program in Washington. “Grandparents go to Toys ‘R’ Us and Wal-Mart, but those toys are massed produced and don’t always work for these kids. Kids don’t learn unless they have good toys.”

If a child is disabled, the toys with which she plays must be simpatico with her disability. For instance, a child with physical limitations may not be able to catch a solid ball, but might be able to catch the rubbery skeletal O Ball by Rhino Toys (ToyDirectory), which is easier to grasp.

In contrast, children with mental disorders that cause social anxiety or overstimulation need toys that can calm and entertain. Therapists recommend the Color Morph Bubble Ball by Play Visions (ToyShow).

“It’s about focusing on skill development — instead of focusing on diagnosis — because all children are achieving developmental milestones,” said Proctor.

Laura Brewer, vice president of marketing for PlayVisions, told TDmonthly that the Color Morph Bubble Ball was not developed with the specific purpose of helping special needs children. She’s not surprised, though, that it’s found a new niche.

“All of our toys are multi-use,” said Brewer. “Our company takes something small and keeps pushing it through the hoops to see if it’s beneficial somewhere else — to have more than one application.”

To help customers find toys for children with disabilities, Joan Machlis, owner of Wind Up Here in Olympia, Wash., founded the Good to Grow Toy Program. Sponsored by the Washington Elks Therapy Program for Children and funded through a grant sponsored by Patty Murray (D-Wash.) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Good to Grow asks occupational therapists to test toys for children with disabilities. Their evaluations are then placed on a Web site for retailers to access when families with special-needs children come into their stores.

Retail membership in the Good to Grow program includes access to the Web site (goodtogrowtoys.com) and its evaluation database. Also provided is an educational video that removes the fear factor for those not used to communicating with special-needs children.

“See these kids just as kids,” Machlis recommended. “We’re really trying to de-stigmatize both these children and the toys. Parents and their children want to access playthings in a completely normal environment. A great part of it is believing that children with disabilities like to play … they just play with a toy a little differently than a normal child would.”

Having just launched in late summer 2005, Good to Grow has become the first international service to bridge the gap between children with disabilities and specialty toy retailers. “Every time I go down on the floor now, there’s someone who’s buying for a child with special needs,” Machlis said. “I don’t know if I’m just more aware, but there’s a huge population base and they’re looking for us to be a partner with them.”

The following products are considered to be suitable for some children with special needs: