Enabling play

One of the greatest challenges of retailing is meeting the varying needs of all customers—from product variety to price points and beyond. Another one of those challenges is meeting the need of customers who are purchasing toys for children with disabilities. Since it is likely that this is an area in which most employees are not trained, they may not feel confident in asking the right questions or suggesting the appropriate products.

Employees are not alone. Just like other children, kids with disabilities love to open beautifully wrapped toy boxes for their birthdays. Oftentimes though, family members and friends of children with disabilities choose socks and pajamas, rather than toys because they too are afraid of choosing the wrong item.

There are many playthings in the average toy store that are appropriate for children with disabilities.

Helen McCarthy, executive director of the National Lekotek Center (a provider of play-based direct services to children with disabilities), suggests that employees ask the customer some general questions to get a sense of the child's interests.

What are the child's favorite characters? Do they like dinosaurs or trains, dolls or games? It is also important, McCarthy says, to understand the child's abilities. Can the child grasp a knob, push a button, sit up in a chair, complete a sequence of steps?

Another helpful way of selecting appropriate toys is to identify some special features that might be especially good for particular children. The National Lekotek Center has identified a variety of special features and explains why they are appropriate for certain children with disabilities.

• For children who have physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida or muscular dystrophy, Lekotek suggests that the following special features might be helpful:

Suction cups, fabric fasteners (such as Velcro), straps, and rubber or non-stick bottoms: These features will stabilize a toy or secure pieces in place to help prevent unintended toppling. Suggestions: rattles with suction cups, mitts and balls with Velcro or busy boxes or other table top toys that have rubber legs or bottoms.

Enlarged handles: By giving children a larger area to grasp, they can use a whole hand, rather than fine motor skills that can be harder for some children. Suggestions: large handles on drawing or painting utensils, large keys or surfaces on musical instruments, tall play pieces in board games and large knobs on puzzles.

Trunk support: A sitting configuration that helps balance and support the trunk area assists children in feeling secure and comfortable. There are many ride-on toys and chairs that now have high backs, sides for support and/or seat belt or straps.

• For children who have sensory disabilities such as hearing or visual impairment or sensory integration disorder, the following are special features that might be helpful:

Lights and sounds: Auditory and visual cues capture children's attention and interest. There are many balls that play music, toys that have blinking lights and a variety of musical instruments that will stimulate the senses.

Clear and defined outline: Toys that have a visual or tactile outline make it easier for children to see or feel. Suggestions: puzzles that have thick lines around the objects, raceway track that has a lip to follow and books that have outlines of objects that can be traced with a finger.

Adjustability: Children may require different levels of sound or rhythm to enjoy the toy. Suggestions: electronic toys that have adjustable volume control and musical instruments that have adjustable tempo and tone.

• For children who have communicative disabilities such as autism, speech and language delays or stuttering, the following special features might be helpful:

Amplification: Toys that project or change the sound of a voice can be motivating. Suggestions: tape recorders with microphones, stand alone microphones and megaphones.

Communication: Toys that encourage verbal interaction or independent chit-chat help children to practice sounds. Suggestions: phones, walkie talkies and toys that ask for a verbal response.

Words: Toys that incorporate words that can be pointed to or spoken, en- courage children to label objects or actions. Suggestions: books, games, puzzles, and electronic toys that include photos, objects or the alphabet.

For children who have cognitive disabilities such as Down syndrome, attention deficit disorder, learning disabilities or mental retardation, the following special features might be helpful:

Concrete play (as opposed to abstract pretend play): Children are better able to understand a concept if it is centered around something with which they are familiar. Suggestions: puppets of real people or animals, school buses, pretend play food and dishes sets or other reality-based items are helpful.

Games with a short duration: By completing a game from start to finish, a child feels a great sense of accomplishment. Suggestions: games with a few steps in sequence and games with a variety of modes or playing variations.

Picture cues: Children learn how the world around them works visually. Seeing pictures gives them a sense of how it should look. Suggestions: puzzles that have the same pictures on the piece underneath, lotto games that match identical pictures and building toys that have pictorial directions.

The most important thing to remember, McCarthy says, is that children with disabilities want the joy and discovery of playing and learning just like their friends and neighbors. There are thousands of children out there who will have meaningful and satisfying experiences with the very items sitting on ordinary stores' shelves. The key is helping your customers choose the right ones. By working to insure that the appropriate toys are chosen to fit the way the child's mind and body works, a toy retailer is able to deliver a higher level of customer service that ultimately strengthens and builds business.

For more than 20 years, the National Lekotek Center has served thousands of children with disabilities in more than 60 play centers, toy lending libraries and technology programs nationwide. For stores with more specific questions about choosing toys for children with disabilities or retailers interested in learning how Lekotek can help build business by meeting the needs of children with disabilities, McCarthy says that Lekotek stands ready to help. Lekotek's play specialists are available at National Lekotek Center's toll free Toy Resource Helpline at (800) 366-PLAY or online at www.lekotek.org.

Editor's note: One of the ways the National Lekotek Center works to help make play successful and accessible for children with disabilities is to work within the toy industry to provide expertise in making toys and play materials as good as they can be for children of all abilities. It is good for children and good for business. For more information on how the National Lekotek Center can help meet the needs of customers— whether for a toy retailer or toy manufacturer, call Diana Nielander at (847) 328-0001.