Toys R Us Steps Into the Autism Spotlight
Monday, February 8th, 2010
Toys R Us launches site to better help parents select the right toys for their child's needs.
One of the first things that we buy for a child is a toy. It’s pretty safe to say that all children love toys. From a few months old, to the pre-teen years, there is a wide span of time that children enjoy playing with toys. The only thing that changes is their specific interest and choice of play-toy. While some children enjoy hands on toys, others enjoy toys that give more of a mental workout. It all solely depends on their personal needs. This has become particularly true in the world of Autism.
Autistic children love toys as much as the next child. The challenge arises when we try to determine which toys are most beneficial to them. The amount of benefit that the child gets is solely based on their needs and specific symptoms of Autism. Just as all children have different symptoms, all toys have different target areas based on these symptoms.
That being said, how does a parent or caretaker know which toys are which, and what toys will give the most benefit to their child or loved-one?
There are quite a few sites that come up in a Google search that suggest toys for different needs. Toys R Us launched a site feature (found here:) that focuses primarily on toys for children with special needs. The toys, called “differently abled toys” are categorized into groups based on which area or motor skill the toy is specifically targeted toward. Among the categories are auditory, creativity, fine motor, social skills and self esteem.
It is important to allow children to sample a few different toys to see which they enjoy playing with. This in conjunction with functionality and focus on specific skill development will spell success for your child.
