PlayAbility Toys

March Toy of the Month Story

2012-02-29T20:37:00.003-08:00

Fun with Abby and Alyssa ®,

An Introduction to Sign Language

By Don McNamara

This is the story of a grandfather venturing into a completely new area to try to make a positive difference in the lives of his two special needs granddaughters.

In June 2009, I was watching the planes depart Reagan National Airport from my apartment in Arlington, VA, and thinking about my career and personal life. I had spent nearly the past 30 years as a Special Agent within the U.S. Department of Defense. I recently returned from Iraq and meeting with agents there to discuss their operational needs and how I could help. For the past 2 years I lead an effort to organize several million documents stored in a dusty Government warehouse in Central New York. These documents involved the nearly $15 billion in cash the United States sent to Iraq to support the war effort. This amount of money attracted the efforts of criminals who saw this as an opportunity to get rich. My goal was to identify these criminals and help bring them to justice. We had initiated numerous cases around the world and were getting good results.

During my career I conducted and supervised criminal investigations both in the United States and abroad. These cases involved theft, corruption, bribery, accounting crimes, terrorism financing, and the illegal exportation of materials to Iran, North Korea and China. I was a first responder to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centers. I combed through debris in lower Manhattan and on Staten Island. I’d taught self-defense and firearms for over 10 years. I had given and taken my share of lumps. I was a certified “tough guy”. However, nothing in my career had prepared me for the challenges in my personal life that had occurred over the past 2-½ years.

In January 2007, as we prepared for the February wedding of our son, Sean, my wife Regina suffered a cranial aneurism and died within hours. We had been married over 30 years and had just celebrated her 51st birthday. Sean’s fiancé had a child from a prior relationship, Alyssa, age 3. Five weeks after Regina’s tragic death, I became a father-in-law and grandfather on the same day. Due to medical issues, Alyssa is nonverbal, although she can hear. I noticed her difficulty in playing with hearing children who didn’t know sign language, as well as communicating with other members of our family.

In November 2007, my second granddaughter, Abigail was born. A few days after birth she was stricken by a virus that destroyed the motor control section of her brain. Her medical diagnosis is quadriplegia cerebral palsy. As time went on, it became clear that Abby, although she can hear, would be nonverbal like her sister Alyssa.

As I sat on my balcony watching the planes, I decided to do something to help the girls. I couldn’t alter their medical issues, but I thought perhaps I could alter how they interact with other children. I decided to write a series of books introducing American Sign Language (ASL) to all children so that they could communicate more effectively with nonverbal and deaf children. I decided to write these books even though I had almost no experience with ASL. I needed to learn ASL so I could communicate with my granddaughters. I purchased an ASL dictionary and several reference books and began teaching myself ASL.

After a couple of months, I called Liam Gooley, the son of a close friend, who had experience in graphics and illustrations. Liam and I worked together for the next 2 years to create the “Fun with Abby and Alyssa ®” books. In these books my granddaughters introduced ASL to early readers and preschoolers.

Each thematic book provides easy to follow illustrations and instructions for the various signs. The readers are encouraged to practice these signs with Abby and Alyssa. Each book also contains the ASL signs for the alphabet and numbers 1 through 10, as reinforcement exercises. The themes for the six books are: zoo animals, breakfast foods, colors, bedtime activities, school and family members. These topics provide a glimpse as to the variety of activities that can be introduced by the “Fun with Abby and Alyssa ®” books.

To this day Abby, Alyssa and I continue to learn sign language. The ability to effectively communicate adds to our relationship.My goal is to improve communication among all children. Every child wants to play with other children. There has to be a basic level of communication to enable them to interact effectively. I’m hoping the “Fun with Abby and Alyssa ®” books will provide that bridge in communication.

The story of Shape SENSEation

2012-02-01T08:25:00.000-08:00

SHAPE SENSEation – Joyce Lopez

During one of many discussions with Speech and Language Pathologist/Special Education Teacher, Marian Gericke, the topic of integrating toys and games found its way into our conversation. Marian agreed that there are many good matching toys on the market; unfortunately, most of the matching toys focus on one or two learning skills and do not offer a variety of matching and learning skills for kids, especially kids with special needs. Marian also explained that the majority of matching toys on the market are small or awkward to work with, making it difficult for some children to use them effectively.

Since Marian works with special needs kids, I asked her for a list of features that she would like to see incorporated into a matching toy:

Bright, high contrasting colors for visual stimulation
Shapes that are easy to identify
Multiple textures for tactile stimulation
Multiple patterns and contrasting colors for visual contrast and visual discrimination
Sound for auditory stimulation
Lightweight for kids with limited muscle strength

Large and soft shapes that make it easy for kids to grasp, hold, and manipulate
Suitable for individual play as well as group play
Simple

Equipped with Marian’s list, I set off to create the ultimate matching toy for young kids, especially kids with special needs.

I started with six basic shapes – Star, Circle, Crescent Moon, Heart, Square, and Triangle.
Thick, soft foam was used inside each of the shapes, making each piece fun to touch, easy to grasp, and easy to hold.
Each shape was then divided symmetrically, making each half easy to identify.
I added multiple tactile materials – velour, bumpy, smooth, corduroy – to each shape.
A distinctive rib design was added around the top and bottom borders of each shape making it easier for kids, especially for kids that are blind or kids with low vision, to identify the shapes in order to match them together.
High contrasting colors and patterns were incorporated into each shape making them easier for all kids especially kids with low vision to identify.
Velcro was added in between each of the symmetrically divided shapes making it fun and easy for kids to pull the shapes apart and match them back together. The Velcro also adds an interesting sound when the shapes were pulled apart, adding auditory stimulation to the play experience,

Marian Gericke loves the final product, which we call Shape SENSEation. Because of its many features, Shape SENSEation offers parents, teachers, and therapists a variety of play ideas that promote physical, sensory, communicative and cognitive learning. Shape SENSEation also includes a handy carrying pouch that can be incorporated into group play activities.

Special Toy Stories

2012-01-06T08:07:00.000-08:00

Rib-It-Ball is Playability Toys' first product. Ever wonder about it? It's no ordinary ball. It looks, sounds and feels very different than ordinary balls and here is why? Here's the story of the ball and our founder Bud Fraze.
The average person would not naturally connect aerospace design with special needs toys. One might ask what these two disciplines have in common. Spacecraft and special needs toys?
In 2001 Bud Fraze, President and Founder of Playability Toys was Launch Operations Manager for a satellite company and designing mainstream toys in his spare time with his friend Bill Bridge. Bill’s idea was to start an action toy company and he had recruited Bud to collaborate. Upon returning from overseas travel, Bud received a call from the mother of a child who was born with Bilateral Anophthalmia. The mother left a message stating that her 18 month old son had visually impairment and she was frustrated with the toys available on the market, specifically balls. She had heard that Bill and Bud were designing toys and asked that they look at designing a ball for her son, Jacob. A few days passed and the mother called again and this time she explained in detail what the requirements for the ball were. Requirements are something that design engineers work from. How large is the camera on the satellite, how long must it operate, what is its orbit and so on. She was very detailed in her requirements: it must be (a) lightweight (b) easy to grasp or hold (c) make noise when grabbed, dropped or tossed (d) it could not have any batteries or electronics (e) be able to roll but not roll away (f) bounce but not bounce out of his reach.
In Bud’s words. “When considering these requirements they seemed counterintuitive. How could it make noise without some power source such as a battery or electronics? Within a week the mother called me again and asked how the project was coming? I was a little taken aback because I wasn’t sure exactly how the ball could be designed, I was still processing all of this and had not anticipated that someone would challenge me with that sort of project. “I’m still thinking about the design”, I told her. The phone calls continued and weeks went by. I use SolidWorks, a computer aided design software, to model in 3D my aerospace work so I also used it to create the ideas that came to mind with the ball. Each concept would work in one area but not in another. I was becoming increasingly frustrated with this challenge but as with most engineers I couldn’t abandon the project; I just kept at it.

Bill and I had raced sailboats in San Francisco for many years and I remembered that the sail cloth used on spinnakers made lots of noise when stuffed into sail bags. That gave me an idea, maybe if the ball were made of that cloth it could produce some noise. As luck would have it there was a sail loft located in the same building and I knew the manager, Lynn. I went to the loft and asked Lynn if she could sew a prototype from sailcloth if I gave her a solid model, drawings and dimensions. “Sure!” was Lynn’s response. A few days later, Lynn brought the first prototype of the ball to me. It was light weight and almost seemed to float when it was tossed. When it bounced on the floor it made a soft noise and it didn’t roll away but simply rocked back and forth. The cloth ribs on the side made it easy to grasp and kept it from rolling away. I asked Lynn to make a few more of the balls so we could test them. After I was satisfied I called the mother and sent a couple of the balls to her. After a week she called me back and related how much Jacob enjoyed the ball.
I thought this was the end of the project and went back to other work. A few weeks later I received a call from a woman who worked in special needs. She explained to me that she had sent one of the balls to the Helen Keller Institute and if I would come back there for a meeting she would like to talk to me. She told me to bring some balls along but to make them with black, white and red cloth. I flew to New York and met her at the institute annex in Manhattan. She took me to a room with a half dozen children who had visual impairment. They were standing apart from each other at other activities. She then took one of the larger red, white and black Rib-It-Balls™ and tossed it into the room. The children immediately ran to the ball and started playing with it, laughing and yelling. “You see?” she said, “It works, they’re having fun.” I stood there at the doorway watching in silence. Trying to take it all into my consciousness and analyze what I was seeing sent my mind into overload. For me it was a defining moment. I realized that one event had done more to change my attitude about my designs than any spacecraft or aerospace project I had ever worked on. The Rib-It-Ball™ ball, in my mind, made more of a difference to people than any high tech project I had ever been involved. We contacted a manufacturer who could mass produce the ball and the rest is history.”
Bud still designs spacecraft but his “special passion” is to design toys for “special children”. Playability Toys will always be unique and tailored for the community they serve. Ideas for other toys continue to be submitted from the teachers and therapists involved in special needs. Without them we couldn’t do what we do.

Talking to Parents, Teachers, and Therapists About Toys for Children with Special Needs

2011-12-13T12:26:00.000-08:00

Childhood development can be tricky to measure, as it doesn’t always
align with chronological age. This can be especially true for children with special needs. But there are six play milestones that
can be measured, and that children can tackle at their own pace:
Shared Attention, Social Engagement, Two Way Interaction, Shared
Problem Solving, Creative Thinking and Logical Thinking. Each stage
builds upon the previous, allowing children to learn the fundamentals,
and apply them to specific situations with greater understanding. Toys can help to promote play and children will be more engaged when the features of the toy match the characteristics of the stage.

The first stage, Shared Attention, encourages sensory exploration,
sensory experience and physical proximity. The focus is to allow
for two or more children to interact and understand physical
boundaries as well as gain exposure to different sensations.

The second, Social Engagement, emphasizes person-to-person connection
and a shared experience. The goal in this stage is to provide the
basics in interaction between two people, like waving or hugging.

Third, Two Way Interaction, is a stage similar to social engagement,
but also encourages the child to take initiative in a conversation and
reciprocate actions, which could be as simple as rolling a ball back
and forth.

Next is Shared Problem Solving, where children engage in longer
periods of shared attention and handle complex emotional exchanges.
In this stage they are also encouraged to seek and receive help. This
stage includes toys like building blocks or puzzles, anything that can
be put together and takes some level of concentration.

The fifth stage is Creative Thinking, where children begin to use
their imagination and think symbolically. This can begin as imitation
of parents or elders and evolve into less realistic themes and more
conceptual.

The last stage, Logical Thinking, is when children begin to connect
ideas to gradually make a story, question their surroundings and, when
they receive answers, deepen their understanding of the world around
them.

This post was based on an article in the August 2011 newsletter from
the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. Visit astratoy.org
for more information on specialty toy retailers and the organization
itself.

FREE PLAY VS. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS

2011-12-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

In this era of constantly updating technology, it stands to reason that
education and learning materials would grow and adapt with these changes. But
not all changes may be as beneficial as they claim to be. The American
Academy of Pediatrics has released a statement encouraging children under 2
to play freely and interact with others instead of watching educational TV
or videos. In fact, videos marketed as educational may not have any effect
on your child’s development after all. AAP believes toddlers learn best
from unstructured play, both with parents and siblings, and independently. For
further reading, visit
http://www.consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=657757 October 24, 2011

IMPORTANCE OF PARENTS ENCOURAGING CREATIVE PLAY

Creative playtime is as key to a child’s physical, mental and social
development as it is to their happiness. When a child is given the freedom
to explore the bounds of their imagination, he or she is developing
necessary skills for a fulfilled life. Parents can help foster creativity
in their child’s play and become instrumental in their creative development.

*Why is the creative process so important?* Play is more than just a good time for children. Play is the way children
learn about the world and about themselves. Creativity in play teaches
children how to express and cope with their feelings, thinking and problem
solving skills, and important cultural and social cues. Something as simple
as a greeting is a great example of a social cue children can learn from
playing pretend. Creativity can also encourage independence and free
thinking in children; how to make decisions and what results from different
choices.

*The creative process is more important that the end result.*

If a child is coloring, the finished picture is less important the act of
coloring itself. Not only is the act the fun part, but it can say a lot
about who the child is and how they think. What colors, prints or patterns
did the child choose? The creative process is all about trying new ideas
and new ways of thinking about problems in a fun and encouraging way. It is
also important for a child to try many different activities. The greater
the exposure to different situations, experiences and materials, the wider
the child’s range of creative expression.

*What can parents do to encourage the creative process?*

Let children tell you about their creation and refrain from guessing or
judging what they have done. Encourage your children to make their own
choices and let them take you along for the ride. And don’t allow yourself
to shy away from creative play with your child because you think you are not
creative—perhaps creative activities with your children can get your own
creative juices flowing!

For further reading please visit:
http://www.pbs.org/wholechild/parents/play.html

BOOKSHARE CREATES ACCESS TO TEXTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

2011-11-28T11:37:00.000-08:00

E-book technology has taken off over the past couple years with Amazon and
Barnes and Noble leading the industry in both e-readers and e-books, but
Bookshare has realized the powerful potential the e-book format has with
children with special needs. Bookshare is a non-profit organization with
children with special needs in mind: they create free online e-books with audio,
magnification and spacing capabilities that can be tailored to suit a
child’s individual needs, and they do it fast. Bookshare eliminates the
lag between published print and audio versions of a book by using a
computer-generated voice to read the text instead of a live recording.
This means that children struggling with print disabilities—those who are
blind, have low vision, several dyslexia, or are unable to physically hold
a book—have less of a chance to fall behind their classmates. For further
reading, please visit
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/11/02/10book_ep.h31.html?tkn=P...

Why is playing important for your child?

2011-11-23T08:54:00.000-08:00

No matter the range of physical, cognitive, or emotional challenges that may impact a child’s ability,
every child has the capacity and drive to play. Playing helps develop
a child’s physical, emotional, and intellectual skills to expand their
capacity to engage in other activities. Also, professionals who
diagnose children, use observations from play activities to create
well-rounded assessments that a simple skill test could not
demonstrate. You can find more information about the physical, emotional, and
intellectual importance of play at
http://www.education.com/reference/article/play-children-disabilities/

Benefits of learning to play with other children

It is beneficial for your child to interact and play with other
children. This can be especially true for children with autism, ADHD or other special needs. Children can learn to develop their social skills, new ways of
communicating, and to grow in self confidence. It is equally important
to help prepare them by starting them off on the right foot. Parents and others close to the child should model correct behavior and talk with the child
about appropriate ways to interact to further develop the skills. Playing with the child is also
a good way to continue the development of their comfort. For the full
article, “Play and Friendship for Children with Disabilities,”
published by raising children network, go to
http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/disabilities_play_and_friendship.html

What is Music Therapy and how does it help Children with Special Needs?

2011-11-18T12:19:00.000-08:00

Since ancient times it has been known that music can affect health and mood. In modern times, informal gatherings of musicians playing for patients at veterans hospitals after the World Wars had a noticeable impact on patients’ emotional and physical well being, so much so that physicians and nurses began to organize more events at their hospitals.

Recently, music therapy has been in the news as an important element in the recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. So what is music therapy and how is it applicable in the treatment of children with special needs?

The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), created in 1988, by the unification of predecessors, the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music Therapy, is a central leader in the field of music therapy. AMTA defines music therapy as, “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” This industry has evolved today as an established health profession with more than 5,000 board certified therapists.

Their mission is to pursue “the progressive development of the therapeutic use of music in rehabilitation, special education, and community settings…AMTA is committed to the advancement of education, training, professional standards, credentials, and research in support of the music therapy profession.”

Whileapplicable to adults, adolescents and children, music therapy has been deemedparticularly important in the treatment of children with communication,attention, motivation, and behavioral problems.

Thefield is growing rapidly and is the subject of much research. In fact, Pubmed,the data base of the National Institutes of Health list 3381 publicationsconcerning music therapy and 556 publications dealing with music therapy in thetreatment of children. TheAMTA describes the importance of music therapy for children as follows:

Currently the AMTA is hosting their annual conference in Atlanta. PlayAbility Toys is excited to represented at this conference through a partnership with Resounding Joy. Our newest product, Laser Band, is being debuted! This exciting new instrument allows children and adults with even severe physical and cognitive challenges to create, record, and experience the joy of playing music. It provides broad therapeutic opportunities while children and adults take pleasure in playing fantastic music ranging from classical to rock! With no prior knowledge of music required, Laser Band allows everyone a world of musical opportunities by using small arm and hand movements to break low intensity laser beams. You simply have to try it to believe what you can accomplish!

The Laser Band, PlayAbility's newest Music Therapy Tool.

Click here to learn more!

For additional resources on Music Therapy, please see:

musictherapy.org | The Handbook of Music Therapy by Leslie Bunt and Sarah Hoskyns | Boyer College of Music and Dance--Temple University | University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy Research | Case Studies in Music Therapy by Kenneth E. Bruscia

Special Needs Toy Buying Guide

2011-11-14T11:59:00.001-08:00

PlayAbility Toys – Special Needs Toy Buying Guide

Martin Fox, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer, PlayAbility Toys

www.playabilitytoys.com

What toy will be best for my child? What are the safety considerations I should be aware of? What features should I look for in a toy? Where do I find toys that will be appropriate for my child? These are only a few of the questions often asked by parents, family members, or friends of children with special needs. Toy buying for a child with special needs can be a frustrating experience. You want the toy to be right for the child, to be fun, to engage, to promote growth, yet you need to recognize the specific capabilities and challenges that your child faces. I have developed this guide to help parents and others understand toy-buying considerations and promote awareness of many of the questions toy buyers should ask and answer before purchasing a toy for a child with special needs.

EVALUATE THE CHILD – Every child is unique in his or her own interests, strengths, and challenges. Having a sense of your child is critical to finding appropriate toys. What is the child’s developmental level and are there physical or cognitive limitations or strengths you should consider? What are the child’s interests? What is his or her communication and social skill level? You want toys that will be SAFE AND FUN, BUT ALSO ENGAGE, STIMULATE, BUT NOT FRUSTRATE. Don’t be afraid to ask the child about his or her interests and what they like and dislike in other toys they play with.

SAFETY – Making sure a toy will be safe should always be a primary consideration. Safety involves obtaining and evaluating knowledge about the toy and the child. Is the toy age and developmental level appropriate? Does the child have any allergies or physical and cognitive limitations that would make some toys or toy features inappropriate? What is the size and weight of the toy and how does that match the child’s limitations? Does the child become fixated on particular toy features or are they likely to place objects in his or her mouth? This creates the potential for choking and ingestion of toxic materials. Small batteries are of particular concern for children with this propensity.

Obtaining information about the toy manufacturer and retailer is also important. What is their reputation and how long have they been in business? What materials were used in the toy construction and what toxicity and other safety tests were performed on the toy? Are safety testing reports (Certificates of Compliance) available for your review? Make sure you read the instructions and labels, and understand all warnings or cautions associated with the toy.

BOTTOM LINE, YOU SHOULD TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT THE CHILD, LEARN ABOUT THE TOY, AND LEARN ABOUT THE TOY MANUFACTURER AND RETAILER before making your purchase. A wealth of information on toy safety is available though US Consumer Product Safety Commission website. (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/toy_sfy.html)

MATCH TOY FEATURES WITH THE CHILD – Many children with special needs are engaged by, and attracted to, toys that provide multisensory experiences. Such features might include bold contrasting colors for visual stimulation, music, chiming or other sound producing devices for auditory stimulation, multiple materials for tactile stimulation, and various scents for olfactory stimulation. However, THE TYPE AND LEVEL OF STIMULATION THAT IS APPROPRIATE IS DEPENDENT ON THE CHILD. What might be an engaging level of stimulation for one child might over stimulate another.

Toys can also be designed to promote specific types of physical activity which could benefit children with major or minor motor challenges or other physical limitations. Children with communication and social challenges would profit from toys and games that PROMOTE GRADUALLY INCREASING LEVELS OF INTERACTION. You also should consider some basic characteristics of the toy. Will the child be able to effectively activate and operate the toy? Is the size and weight of the toy appropriate for the child and your home? Think about where the child will play with the toy and where you will store it? How will you clean the toy and will it be easy to maintain?

Taking into consideration the child’s developmental level and age is also critical. Does the toy match the child’s developmental level and is it age appropriate? Although you should try to match the developmental level of the child with the toy features, be careful to not buy a toy that may be developmentally appropriate but could embarrass or lower self esteem. IF A CHILD IS EMBARRASSED BY A TOY THAT IS NOT AGE APPROPRIATE, HE OF SHE WILL NOT WANT TO PLAY WITH IT.

Focusing on the child is critical to successful toy buying. Understanding the child’s abilities and interests can result in a toy match that will engage the child and open the door to multiple physical and cognitive benefits and hours of fun!

SIMPLE IS OFTEN GOOD - You do not need the biggest, brightest, most technologically advanced toys to meet the needs of children with special needs. I love simple toys that are easy to play with and FOSTER IMAGINATIVE PLAY. Cost considerations are critical for many families and these toys are often less expensive and more durable than toys with multiple technical or electronic features. Simple toys are also less likely to create frustration and they often come with bold color schemes (think wood blocks) or other features that engage and stimulate. Less frustration and ease of play often translates into longer play time and increased benefits. Remember, A CHILD WILL BENEFIT FROM A SIMPLE TOY THEY ENJOY PLAYING WITH. Toys with multiple features that promote therapeutic or educational benefits can also be wonderful but KEEPING THE CHILD ACTIVE AND STIMULATED THROUGH PLAY is our primary goal.

DISCUSS AND CONSULT – Talk to your friends and other families about toys and toy features. Chances are you have contact through schools, clinics, play groups, and social media with parents of other children with special needs who have confronted many of the same questions you have. You should also consult with your child’s therapists, and teachers. They can provide help with specific toys and provide guidance on toy features that would be most appropriate for you child.

TOYS ARE IMPORTANT - I hope the information presented above will assist families in their pursuit of toys for children with special needs. The toy purchasing process for these children may require a little more effort but the payoff for your child can be enormous. Toys play a critical role in a child’s development and the fun and smiles they create are priceless.

Fantastic Abby and Alyssa Sign Language Books

2011-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

I am excited to introduce Don McNamara, my life-long friend and new children’s book author. Don is writing a series of books inspired by his two grandchildren who have special needs. Don’s grandchildren, Abby and Alyssa, communicate with sign language and Don’s books teach sign language associated with the different themes that each book with be based on. The first set of three books is now available on our website (www.playabilitytoys.com). Don anticipates in excess of 12 books in the series.

New University of Arizona Interns at PlayAbility

2011-11-13T19:15:00.000-08:00

Once again PlayAbility has been blessed by a strong group of Interns from the University of Arizona. Our new interns, Nicole St. Germain and Caroline Hierling (Retail Majors), Chelsea Suitos (Family Studies), and Shon Gale (Media Arts) are already making a tremendous contribution to PlayAbility. These students are excited to help PlayAbility to fulfill its mission to serve children with special needs.

2011-11-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

PlayAbility Toys was proud to participate in the Tucson’s Athletes, Artists, and Angels on the Move Mixer that was held September 14, 2011 at the Fox Theater in Tucson. The event promoted the link between health and activity, particularly with children. Dr.Martin Fox, PlayAbility’s CEO demonstrated the power of their new Laser Band instrument and showed how it can motivate children with special needs and adults with severe physical and cognitive challenges to keep moving. The event was coordinated by Tucson Move magazine and their November – December issue includes a great article about PlayAbility and the Laser Band. Go to www.tucsonmovemagazine.com

Commonly Asked Questions - 1 of 6

2010-12-14T08:53:00.001-08:00

“Why do "special needs toys" cost so much? How is a "special needs" squeeze toy, easy-to-grab ball or stacking toy any different from toys that look and feel almost identical but cost half as much?

"I cannot speak for all toy companies, but PlayAbility Toys develops unique products in a manner that is almost unheard of in the toy industry. We design our toys based on input from therapists, special education teachers, and parents of children with special needs. This collaborative design process results in toys that are both fun and include developmental and educational advantages for the children of the targeted special needs community. For example, Buddy Dog, which is the number one rated toy by Able Play for children on the Autism Spectrum, was the result of an intensive collaboration with a teacher and therapist who operated a center for children on the Autism Spectrum. Our toys are different from mass market toys and have features that mass market toy producers and retailers do not understand.

PlayAbility Toys is dedicated to creating toys only for the special needs communities, which are much smaller markets than the general toy markets targeted by larger toy producers. This results in smaller and more costly manufacturing runs and higher shipping and testing costs. These costs along with our intensive design process result in higher overall toy costs. The good news is that we have worked aggressively with our manufacturing, shipping, and testing partners to successfully manage our costs and many of our toys are priced very competitively with general market toys of similar quality." Martin Fox, PhD - CEO of PlayAbility Toys

Incredible Review on Buddy Dog by Dr. Esther Hess from the Center for the Developing Mind in Los Angeles, CA

2010-11-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

"The kids at Center for the Developing Mind love Buddy Dog! At the Center for the Developing Mind, we specialize in the treatment of children with developmental and/or regulatory disorders like autism and the Buddy Dog has become an essential therapeutic tool that helps the clinicians pull their child into a shared emotional experience. If a child is noticed to be wandering and distracted in the play, by pulling on the tail of the Buddy Dog and starting the animated movement of the toy, a child is redirected back into the interaction. Once reengaged, the child is encouraged to explore the toy on multiple levels. The crinkly jacket that Buddy wears provides sensory input that helps in general regulation. Once a child's skills advance, Buddy Dog has been an essential part of pretend play (symbolism) where the child is encouraged to recreate themes in their lives that have range from nurturing to being afraid or recently, being bullied in school. Buddy Dog has provided the children in our Center multiple opportunities to explore the uncertainties of their world and come up with solutions that help them move forward developmentally. Thank you for coming up with such a creative, interactive toy for children. Yours, Esther B. Hess, Ph.D., executive director Center for the Developing Mind, Los Angeles, CA."