Assistive Technology for Young Children: Adapting Play at Home

By: Teresa Loos and Katie McCormack, EC-SEAT scholars and early intervention (EI) interns

Note: EC-SEAT scholar interns provide two professional development workshops for cooperating teachers and interdisciplinary teams (including families and paraprofessionals) as part of their early childhood education: special needs option graduate programs at the University of New Hampshire. This blog post summarizes the content from Katie and Teresa's workshop with EI professionals in early 2017. 

Children with delays or disabilities sometimes have difficulty accessing toys. Perhaps vision issues make it difficult for children to differentiate colors or shapes, motor planning difficulties make it difficult to execute tasks or sequences or limited communication skills make it difficult for a child to express their interests. 

Whatever the circumstance, a child’s delay or disability may prevent them from accessing or playing with toys to the same extent of their typically developing peers. 

We know that play is extremely important in early childhood, and is crucial for the development of self-regulation, language, cognitive and social-emotional skills (NAEYC Position Statement, 2009).

The following is a list of suggestions to adapt materials and toys or help children access play in the areas of physical, cognitive, communicative, self-help and social-emotional development. Each developmental domain has various low-tech and low cost ways to accommodate children’s play.

Communication	Physical	Social-Emotional	Self-Help	Cognitive
Create and use visual aids such as picture schedules and picture communication boards. Use an Evo pen, rollerball or light pen for writing. Use a “first”, “then” picture system (e.g. “first bathroom, then iPad) Attach items or pictures to an eye gaze board, vest or piece of cardboard or wood with glue or Velcro. Your child may request the items via eye gaze or pointing.	Add knobs or dowel rods onto puzzle pieces for easier grasp. Create a Velcro wrist band and place Velcro on objects to make it easier to pick up objects. Make toys easier to grasp by adding grips on the handles with tape or create a firmer surface with cardboard. Attach a firmer material such as pieces of cardboard or chip clips to book pages to make pages easier to turn. To prevent a toy from sliding, place a suction cup or shelf liner underneath. Use a binder to prop up papers, puzzles or toys. Use a peanut ball to strengthen muscles Use a trampoline for balance skills	Create social cue cards and reminders for specific behaviors. Use videos (e.g. videos of your child or other children) to model appropriate behavior. Create a ‘social story’ book. Sit with your child, write and draw a future event, including expected behavior. Read together. Install self-regulations apps onto the iPad including: Inside voice Emotionary Gravitarium Soundrop Sosh Swirl Paint Koi Pond Incorporate relaxing music or white noise into the environment	Add foam tubes onto eating utensils to create a better grip. Attach a clothespin to a straw for drinking. Place iPad or iPhone into a freezer or Ziploc bag to protect device from moistures such as drool or spilled drinks. Create a picture sequence of  routines such as bathroom routines or leaning up routines,	Place toys on a dark colored surface for less distraction and more contrast. Offer toys individually or place out a few at a time to create a less distracting environment. Toys that appeal to the senses are more likely to be engaging. These types of toys include toys that make sound, have tactile differences or are visually appealing. Create raised lined paper or use different colored lined paper to focus the task of writing. Outline puzzle pieces with a thick black pen or marker for increased contrast. Offer smaller pieces of paper or create smaller boxes to focus the area of drawing. Use a clipboard to secure drawing or writing paper.

Resources for infants and toddlers:

• Assistive Technology for Infants and Young Children - http://mason.gmu.edu/~aevmenov/Portfolio/Growth/infants.htm
• Assistive Technology and Play for Young Children - files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED393229.pdf

Resources for preschool and elementary aged children:

• Assistive Technology Continuum of Low to High Tech Tools -http://assistedtechnology.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/1/9/3419723/at_continuum_generic10_06.pdf
• Making Low-Tech AT and Adaptations - http://tnt.asu.edu/sites/default/files/August2010.pdf

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