A special need for play

Aeronautical engineer Bud Fraze was told not to approach the special needs market when he wanted to start his toy company. “It’s a matter of numbers,” one toy consultant advised. Apparently, this consultant had his numbers wrong. Toys for children with special needs account for $3.5 billion in yearly purchases, according to Lekotek, the Chicago-based organization that assists parents and caregivers with children who have disabilities. In fact, in 2003, more than six million children were born with disabilities in the United States alone.

As for Bud, he and his sailing partner Bill Bridge started by making prototypes of what they thought would be unusual and fun toys for all kids. Then Bud saw a Web site with a young boy named Jacob. The boy was blind and finding playthings for him was a continual challenge for his mother. Balls were Jacob’s favorite, so Fraze aimed to create a ball that wouldn’t bounce or roll away from a child. The Jacob’s Ball was created as well as Bill and Bud, Inc., Leandro, Calif., manufacturers that specialize in toys for children with disabilities.

Retailers who stock Bill and Bud products can get a sample to test with parents who are looking for special playthings for their children. “The special needs community is growing by leaps and bounds,” Fraze tells Playthings. “This is something that most are not aware of; something I wasn’t aware of until recently.”

The Jacob’s Ball is made of soft nylon material and has handle-like ribs for easy catching and quick stopping if the ball falls to the floor. The lightweight ball is easy to throw, which helps children with limited muscle strength. The high contrast of colors and “crunching” sound helps children with limited visibility see the ball; or those who are hearing impaired to hear it.

In addition to the Jacob’s Ball, the Bill and Bud line also includes toys for “typicals”—a term used by professionals in reference to children without special needs.

Additional products include the six-piece Whole Picture Puzzle and Zorp gliders, lightweight gliders for use indoors. The See It and Sign It game, helps introduce kids to American Sign Language and features six games in one, plus a DVD with live action demonstrations. Players learn 60 words—10 words in six different categories—the alphabet and numbers one through 10.

The Buddy Dog, which will be launched later this year, has been tested and has helped keep the attention of autistic children. Fraze says that children with autism, a neurological disorder that affects the brain, impacting social interaction and communication, are usually more engaged with animals than people. The Buddy Dog is a crinkly, black, white and red doll with big eyes—the tactile paws and solid colors are big attractions for children who are visually impaired as well, because they can touch and make out most of the solid colors.

Fraze says he will continue to develop products based on need and welcomes suggestions. When Fraze visited the Helen Keller Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., last June, he says that there were eight blind children in one room. The therapist threw down the Jacob’s Ball and all of the kids ran to grab it. “There are so many things as an engineer that I don’t understand,” he says. “[Therapists] tell me what they need. You need to help a child get through to the next step. If a child is blind, deaf, you have to help them get to the next stage.”