Kiara's Corner: The Magic of Play and the Importance of Intentional Toy Selection

Adapting is nothing new for parents and caregivers who have a child, or children with a visual impairment. Many things have already been adapted in their lives, especially when it comes to interacting with their child in play. The inclusion of sensory-rich toys for tactile development, extensive searching, the use of light-up toys, and other adaptive playing helps highlight various senses. 

We are now in our third week of Socio-Emotional groups which are based on the Baby Doll Circle Time Curriculum from Conscious Discipline. Due to our children’s unique needs, we have been gradually making various adaptations to the curriculum. Last week, we explored eyeglasses, and this week we introduced eyepatches for our babies. Adding various adaptations, such as the need for our baby's eyes to be patched, emphasizes on various needs our babies might have. 

Baby dolls with eyeglasses, eye patches, helmet, and an AAC device

But WHY do we do this? Knowing the WHY is empowering and brings forth intention and motivation. 

For children, play is their language and toys are their words. If we truly take this to heart, we should strive to ensure that kids have access to inclusive toys to explore themselves and/or their loved ones represented. In the coming weeks, we will be slowly including various toys that represent adaptive equipment and medical devices, many of which our kids may be familiar with.   

Play empowers children to process their experiences as much as it gives them an outlet to express themselves. Whether they are using the adaptive equipment themselves and/or have a peer needing the adaptive equipment, engaging with these inclusive and adapted toys is vital for children to better understand their lived experiences. 

For those families that have various children, having these toys available at home for their siblings to make sense of their experience and/or play through things they have seen their sibling experience would greatly benefit everyone to feel empowered and work through fear with play. 

Fostering inclusivity and belonging begins with curiosity, and making real-life examples available through toys sends the message to children that exploration of such topics is welcomed and encouraged. 

Alongside our mission, we want children to leave CCVI with a greater understanding, appreciation, and sense of belonging for little or big people with various needs. We want our children here to truly feel and know that accommodations should be supported for any person to reach their highest potential. Advocacy for self and others starts SO young; to feel seen is to be seen! 

Novelty toy items come with a heavy price tags. If you are interested in purchasing some inclusive and adaptive equipment, check out these links to see where we got ours!

Inclusive Doll Accessories (for Minikane and Miniland) • The Butterfly Pig 

Adaptive Equipment for Dolls with Special Needs - Complete Set at Lakeshore Learning