March Madness Bundle: March 1-March 31

We’re so excited to share our special March only sale. We’ve bundled Color SENSEation, Shape SENSEation, and Slide, Twist & Solve to save you money! All three products are a natural fit because they provide a well-rounded sensory experience, especially for blind and visually-impaired children.

Color SENSEation (7.95) is a pack of 8 embossed images with braille titles, perfect for visually impaired individuals to learn shapes and outlines. The heavily embossed lines of the drawing are easily followed with the fingers and when using a crayon or paint brush, they provide not only a wonderful teaching format, but are just plain fun.

Shape SENSEation (39.95)  is a matching toy consisting of six different soft shapes loaded with visual and tactile stimulation. Each of the six shapes is symmetrically divided and has distinct visual and tactile combinations so children can pull apart and match according to shapes, patterns and textures.

Slide, Twist & Solve (14.95) is a tactile, on-the-go puzzle. The pieces can be moved left and right, up and down, then twisted and swooped for another dimension. Each shape has a raised pattern and is easy to identify by touch, and the high-contrast colors make it ideal for blind and visually impaired children.

The retail value of the products is $62, and for a limited time only, we’re offering this bundle for $44!

Life Lessons from our Holiday Giveaway

by Martin P Fox, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer, PlayAbility Toys

The stories we are reading about the children with special needs being nominated for our Holiday Giveaway have just been amazing. Some of the stories bring tears to our eyes, others bring a big belly laugh, and some bring tears and laughter at the same time.  To say we have been inspired would be an understatement. Several common themes cut across most of these stories:

·        Families show amazing strength and resilience;

·        Families do not dwell on their child’s challenges but focus on the talents that each child possesses;

·        Families recognize that their children are a gift and they have taught new perspectives on what is important in life. 

We started this Giveaway with the intent of helping as many families as we could but the stories have also reinvigorated all us at PlayAbility about the importance of our mission to serve the special needs communities. What better way to start the Holiday season!

October Toy of the Month: Laser Band V2.0

by Martin P Fox, Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer, PlayAbility Toys

playabilitytoys.com

The Laser Band was created through a partnership with PlayAbility and Scottsdale-based Beamz Interactive.  Beamz Interactive designed and developed a professional laser instrument (the “Beamz”) and had been selling the instrument for several years to musicians and DJ's. I was invited to Phoenix by Jerry Riopelle, the inventor of the Beamz to see the instrument in action in a special needs environment. Jerry was convinced that the laser instrument could be beneficial for individuals with special needs and wanted our input on the device. It was an honor to meet Jerry as I had followed his singing and song writing career for many years.

Our first stop was a high school special education classroom. When we walked through the classroom door we saw and heard a Beamz unit being played by a boy with severe physical challenges. His music was remarkable, and the rest of his classmates were happily dancing and singing along. It was an inspiring experience, and I immediately grasped the enormous benefits this instrument could bring to the special needs community. Jerry and I then visited the Gompers Habilitation Center where a Beamz unit was being used by clinicians to support therapy for a number of patients. The therapists spoke highly of the potential for the laser instrument in a therapeutic setting, and I was able to observe a group therapy session that centered around playing the laser instrument.   

I left Gompers even more excited, and Jerry and I talked of the many potential uses for the laser instrument in various special needs settings. That visit led to a collaboration between Beamz Interactive and PlayAbility to develop a version of the laser instrument with modifications that would make it more suitable for the special needs community.  We consulted with a number of teachers and therapists about their needs and designed a new version of the laser instrument that included a softer and more engaging color scheme; raised labeling for the control buttons on the instrument; a Velcro pad that allows the instrument to be secured to a surface; a specialized song selection; and an extensive user manual with therapy activities and lesson plans.  The Laser Band was born and has opened a world of therapeutic, creative, and life-enhancing opportunities that are rarely available to the special needs community.

October is going to be an exciting month for the Laser Band. Look for future blog posts related to the American Music Therapy Association's annual conference and an article about the Laser Band in the Muscular Dystrophy's national magazine.

National Survey about Learning Disabilities

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Eighty four percent (84%) of respondents in a recent survey see learning disabilities as a growing issue in the US. Although estimates vary, most experts put the incidence at between 5 and 10 percent of the population.  A survey of approximately 2000 adults across the United States by the National Center for Learning Disabilities produced some interesting insights.

            Twelve percent of the respondents reported that they had a learning disability and eight percent of parents have a child with a learning disability. Most people see the responsibility for diagnosis as a shared responsibility of parents/caregivers, educators and pediatricians. About a third to two thirds of parents surveyed feel there school is lacking in diagnostic testing and information distribution.  A large majority thinks correctly that genetics can cause learning disabilities. Almost all respondents know the meaning of dyslexia, but about two thirds said they were unfamiliar with some of the other forms of LD such as dysgraphia, dyscalculia and dyspraxia.

Unfortunately, the survey also shows that some misconceptions exist in large percentages of the respondents. For example, many think that learning disabilities are correlated with IQ, that medication and mental health treatments are useful and that corrective eyewear can treat certain learning disabilities.

            The survey also discusses the understanding or lack thereof of laws regulating employment and education. For more information go to the NCLD website:

http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/what-is-ld/survey-executive-summary

September Toy of the Month: Mini Rib-It

by Martin Fox

Cheif Executive Officer, PlayAbility Toys

playabilitytoys.com

September’s Toy of the Month is the Mini Rib-It-Ball! This month, in addition to providing the Mini Rib-It-Ball story we thought you would be interested in learning how safety is considered when we design toys here at PlayAbility.  We have posted two blog entries on toy safety over the past months; the first discusses the importance of evaluating the child with special needs before selecting a toy; and the second provides general and regulatory information related to toy safety.

The concept of the Mini Rib-It-Ball resulted from the overwhelming positive feedback we received from the special needs community about our larger Rib-it-Ball and Jacob’s Rib-it-Ball. Bud Fraze and Joyce Lopez, the PlayAbility product design team, began receiving requests for a Rib-it-Ball better suited for infants and toddlers.  Our customers wanted the same features of the Rib-it-Ball  but smaller and with added features to enhance cognitive, communicative, sensory, and physical learning experiences.  

Our design team came up with a 7 inch ball size and integrated our patented rib design to enable an infant or small child that is non-ambulatory to play with the ball without the risk of the ball rolling far out of reach.  We added vibrating and chiming mechanisms, high contrasting colors, gentle textures, and the crinkle sound to provide deep, internal sensory input.  The colors chosen were meant to capture a child’s attention, and the vibration was added to sustain the child’s attention and increase the opportunity for cause and effect action as well as prolonged play. The vibration of the Mini Rib-it-Ball was also designed to be very gentle to allow therapists to use it on a child who is hypersensitive.  A teething ring pull was added to offer a child an alternative method to pick up and handle the ball as well as offering oral stimulation.

Toy safety was paramount in every aspect of the design process.  Our first consideration, as it is with all PlayAbility toys, was that the materials used needed to be completely safe and free of toxins. 

The ball material also needed to be soft enough for a baby’s face and mouth, yet cleanable with a gentle and safe cleaning process.  The internal chiming and vibrating mechanisms needed to be enveloped in heavy foam so they could never be felt or exposed to the child. The stitching and pull mechanism needed to be extra strong and thoroughly tested by our quality control consultants.  The teething ring needed to be made of safe plastic compounds with no toxic or even controversial compounds such as PVC.  

The combination of designing for fun, therapy, and safety resulted in one of our most popular toys – the Mini Rib-It-Ball. Take advantage of our month long sale on this toy. The sensory stimulation is great for all children and makes a wonderful baby gift.

Evaluating Toy Safety for a Child with Special Needs: Part II

Understanding Toy Safety Regulations, the Manufacturer, and the Retailer

 Martin Fox, Ph.D

Chief Executive Officer, PlayAbility Toys

playabilitytoys.com

This is part two of our series intended to help parents and others when buying a toy for a child with special needs.  Part one focused on the need to evaluate the child.  This second post will focus on other safety issues and considerations. Making sure a toy will be safe should always be a toy buyer’s primary concern.  Safety involves obtaining and evaluating knowledge about the child, the toy, the toy retailer, and in some cases the toy manufacturer.

As I stated in my last post, matching the toy to the child is critical.  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 abilities? 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.

Reading safety information and having some level of understanding of toy safety regulations is important. Most toys made for young children are required to undergo a number of tests mandated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).  CPSC mandates 3^rd party testing of toys for a number of potentially hazardous substances such as lead and phthalates as well as an evaluation of potential choking hazards. Toy manufacturers and importers are required to issue or make electronically available a Certificates of Compliance or Children’s Product Certificate that certifies the required testing has been completed. If you are buying directly from a manufacturer, ask to see the Certificate. If you are buying from a retailer make sure they require a Certificate from their suppliers and ask if they are willing to share the information with you. Most specialty toy retailers are happy to share this information and some post the Certificates on their websites.

In addition to familiarizing yourself with safety testing, you should always read the instructions, warnings, and other labels that accompany the toy.  The labels will inform you of potential hazards and age ratings associated with the toy and will often provide guidance on proper cleaning or storage requirements.  A toy that is easy to clean with mild cleaning solutions is a real plus when buying for a child with special needs.

Obtaining information about the toy retailer and manufacturer is also essential. What is their reputation and how long have they been in business?  Do you have friends that have purchased toys from this retailer or made by this manufacturer? What was their experience?  Do the retailer or manufacturer emphasize toy safety and make information available to you in their store or on their website?  Is the retailer knowledgeable about the toy and can they help you find a toy that will be appropriate for the child you are buying for?

Bottom Line, you should take the time to learn about the Child, learn about the toy, and learn about the toy retailer and manufacturer before making your purchase.  A wealth of information on toy safety is available though US Consumer Product Safety Commission website. 

Valley Home Educators Conference

Joyce Lopez

Product Development, PlayAbility Toys

playabilitytoys.com

I had the pleasure once again to work the PlayAbility booth at the Valley Home Educators (VHE) conference in Modesto, California.  What I like best about the VHE conference is meeting the parents that come to the conference in search of the best materials and programs that fit their child’s unique style of learning.  As a mom who did home school my children on and off during the years, I do appreciate the flexibility that home schooling offers to families.  The support that is available to parents, especially to parents that have children that require extra attention and creativity in learning, is absolutely amazing. 

PlayAbility’s See It and Sign It Level I and Level II games are always a hit at the VHE conference because they provide an excellent introduction to American Sign Language.  Many students choose ASL as their second language in High School, and introducing See It and Sign It in the early years will give children a huge advantage as they delve deeper into the language during their high school years.  It was clear that the next generation of See It and Sign It games is needed to teach even more signs, ASL sentence structure and classifiers.  Looking forward to this one!

Another hit at the show was our brand new Drums AndDisabilities (D.A.D.) Therapy Kit.  Created by award winning drum virtuoso, author, and clinician Pat Gesualdo, the D.A.D. kit aids in the development of coordination, fine motor skills, physical and cognitive functioning, retention, self-esteem and sensory integration.  Because of its wide array of benefits, it’s no wonder the D.A.D. kit received so much attention at the VHE conference.  Parents loved the fact that the kit includes a step-by-step DVD that walks the child (or adult) through every page of the instruction manual to ensure that every stroke is executed correctly.

With toys, games, and learning tools designed to target all kids, especially kids with special needs, PlayAbility Toys offers a fun and unique line of learning tools for the educational market.

I am looking forward to next year’s VHE conference!

To learn more about VHE, visit their website and Facebook page.