The stores are adding extra shelves in anticipation of the holidays so I have been exploring the shelves for toys that seem like they have potential to be good for Adapted Play. While I have not tried these outside the box (I like my thrift store budget), I have tried them in the store and looked up unboxing videos to see how they work. I wanted to share the ideas so Grandparents and Aunts and Uncles and Santa could get ideas for toys that can actually be played with. These toys all have sound effects that are easy to produce. The Little People Barbie Corvette talks and makes sounds when the button in the driver's seat is pressed. Glue one of the people into the seat and its always easy to activate. There is a whole line of Paw Patrol Mighty Movie vehicles with a clear plastic clip in the driver's seat. When the pups are snapped in (could be glued), they become a button that can be pushed to make the sounds. The Little People Choo Choo Zoo train has been a thrift store staple for me because it has a lot of easy play potential. It is currently in the stores. There are songs and sounds when toys are dropped in the back, when the back is pressed down and when the train is pushed just a little bit. All of these toys react to voices (or communication devices). Moji responds to voice commands as well as some touch points on his body. Charmander doesn't discriminate what you say but will react to a voice and has some other touch points. Groove N Grow Groot has a leaf shaped button on his foot that makes him grow (this could be easily made bigger). He dances when the child plays music and says "I am Groot" when the child talks to him. Yellies are sound activated toys that move around faster with louder sounds. I have tried the spider and it stayed on the wheelchair tray that had a built up edge. The frogs and lizards seem to move faster when I watched videos so they may be hard for the child to visually follow. Barbie Chelsea's carnival has a Ferris wheel that could be attached to a board to allow easy turning. The dolls seem to be secured fairly well so they won't be accidentally knocked out. The Chelsea doll in the wheelchair looks like she would be easy to push around in pretend play. The last picture is just one example of dinosaurs that have some easy action. Look for dinosaurs with sounds that play from pushing the tail or head. Double sided Gorilla Tape is very effective for attaching the dinosaurs to surfaces. Look through other "Great Finds" blog posts for more gift ideas.
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I am an occupational therapist with over 30 years of pediatric experience. I currently work predominantly with children who have cerebral palsy and other neuromotor difficulties. I love to help children who have the most challenging bodies participate in their world, especially through play. I scour local thrift stores to find toys that provide a lot of fun without a lot of hand skills or can be easily (and cheaply) modified for that purpose. Archives
December 2023
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