Submissions due for review of toys for disabled kids
By Staff -- Playthings, 6/28/2006 4:36:00 AM
CHICAGO—The deadline for submitting products for review by the National Lekotek Center’s AblePlay rating program of toys for children with disabilities is Wednesday, June 28.
AblePlay is a toy rating system and Website (www.ableplay.org) that provides information on toys for children with special needs, and is designed so parents, special educators, therapist and others can make the best choices for the children in their lives with disabilities. The rating system breaks down information into disability categories—physical, sensory, communicative and cognitive— in order to help parents and professionals get more customized information. Products are rated by special education and therapy experts.
AblePlay was developed by the National Lekotek Center, the nonprofit organization focused on interactive play experiences for children with disabilities. Since AblePlay’s launch last year, the group has evaluated approximately 100 items, according to Diane Nielander, the NLC’s executive director.
AblePlay’s evaluation will cost a manufacturer $150 for each product. There is no limit to the number of products that can be submitted for review. Toys that have received the rating will be announced in October.
For more information, visit the AblePlay Web site at www.ableplayrating.org.
According to the NLC, there are 6.2 million children with disabilities in the U.S., representing 13.2 percent of the child population. Toy sales to the children with disabilities market is estimated at $3.5 billion annually.
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