TOYS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Approximately every month WTTS receives a retail publication which contains articles pertaining to all areas of the retail industry, including a children's section called "Playthings."  The most recent edition had a very interesting article entitled "Learning Ability: Industry tips for Choosing Toys for Children with Special Needs."  As we have had quite a number of customers specifically requesting assistance in choosing a toy for a child with special needs, the most common being autism, we thought it might be helpful to summarize and pass on a few of these tips to our readers, to hopefully help assist and guide you on things to keep in mind when trying to decide on an appropriate playtime activity for your special needs child. 

As with any other child, children with disabilities, no matter what it is, still need to develop their basic skills.  Below is a list of these and a few suggestions of play items that may foster development in these areas.

1)  Gross motor skills: Bouncy balls, bikes, jump ropes, swings and slides.

2)  Fine motor skills:  Blocks, finger paints, shape sorters, crayons, musical instruments.

3)  Language skills:  Anything that teaches shapes, colors, numbers, letters, and sounds, dolls, talking toys.

4)  Cognitive skills:  Puzzles, brainteasers, books, board games.

5)  Social skills:  Dress-up/role playing, anything that encourages group play, such as family games. 

The article stated that in terms of autistic children, items with "visual cues" work well, such as toys that teach understanding of expression and emotions.  As an example, we carry Expression Handle Stamps by Melissa & Doug, and I Feel Stamps by Alex.  We also carry many items listed in the above basic skill categories such as blocks, art supplies, books, and dress-up items, and would be more than happy to assist you and make suggestions as to what might be an appropriate choice for your child.

With that being said, however, there is not a "one size fits all" toy for children with special needs, as the severity spectrum has such a wide range.  A parent knows their child and, of course, should buy what they feel the child might enjoy.  Also, the child's developmental age versus chronological age should be a prime consideration.

According to the article, 1 in 20 children has a disability, and because of this, more and more toy companies are including special needs information on their websites and packaging.  If you are interested, you can check out some of the websites that were listed in the article if you would like to learn more:

www.Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled*

www.Lekotek.org*

www.ToyInfo.org

www.Parents-Choice.org

www.AstraToy.org

Thank you once again for visiting us, and the staff of WTTS wish all of you a most wonderful November and upcoming Thanksgiving.

The above info is courtesy of Gifts and Decorative Accessories, vol. 114, No. 8, "Learning Ability: Industry Tips for Choosing Toys for Children with Special Needs," by Kristin Morency Goldman.

*NOTE:  These websites contain guidelines specific to special needs children. 

Why is a children's book about rabbits being read at weddings?

Keeping you up to date on trends!   The entire article is a great read, especially if you know someone that has children and is planning a wedding.    

Hot wedding trend: reading children's books at the ceremony

Wedding trends rip through the marriage industry each year with no real rhyme or reason. One year we're all holding up fake mustaches in photos and drinking things out of Mason jars, the next we’re watching fire dancers and everybody's barefoot. Sure! As long as there’s an open bar, sure. The big thing going this wedding season is, readings from children's books during the ceremony. Whole books like "Guess How Much I Love You," or selections from longer works like "The Velveteen Rabbit" or "The Little Prince."  This trend — unlike the mustaches — often has a real purpose. Many couples have children from previous relationships at the ceremony, and this is a sensitive way to include them. [Source]
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24379830   If you happen to be looking for any of these titles, we have them....Popular choices include:   Guess How Much I Love You (Sam McBratney),  The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery).The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Williams), The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett),  Oh The Places You'll Go (Dr Seuss),  Winnie-the-Pooh (AA Milne)            
 

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AS CHILDREN GROW

and develop, their imagination and creativity expand.  It is awe-inspiring how a child can take a plaything they received at age 1 or 2 and incorporate it into a new way of play.  For example, the little Tolo cow they got on their first birthday, the one that was held, chewed on and slept with, at age 4 now becomes a pasture pal for the Melissa and Doug foldable barn. The battery operated car that buzzed around the floor or was manually pushed later becomes a race car.  For these reasons, and many others, when considering what to buy, whether it be for a baby shower or birthday, or just because, keep in mind how long you will have the toy and if the child can grow with it; in other words, consider a toy that a child can either "grow" into or that they can grow with.

Some good examples of these sorts of play items could include Legos, board and card games, puzzles, and Tolo products, of which many are made for ages 1 to 5, such as the Tolo cow I mentioned above.  Art supplies also fall into this category, such as fingerpaints, markers, crayons, chalk, and watercolor paints, all of which can continue to be a source of fun and creativity well into the preteen years.  We do carry many of  the above mentioned items that are for toddler to teen.

Of course, don't forget the books!  Many of the early childhood books will be read and read and read for years to come, and sometimes they can even be passed on to a younger sibling or other family member or friend.  And these much beloved books will also be in the child's memory as they grow up.  We have so many parents and grandparents who stop by looking for their beloved childhood book, the one they never forgot, the one that still makes them smile, the one that brings forth happy memories of their childhood, the one they loved so much that they wholeheartedly believe it should be part of the literary collection of that special little person. 

Happily, WTTS can provide the art supplies, the books, new and old classics (Remember Nancy Drew?  Well, she's back in vogue), the games, puzzles, trucks and blocks, toys they can mature with, share, and remember as adults, that they can in their later years pass on to the next generation.

CAN YOU BELIEVE

that the fall season is almost upon us?  Though the summer here is a brief one, we truly hope you all had enjoyable and fun-filled vacations.

We would like to officially begin our blog by first and foremost extending our warmest thanks and gratitude to all of you for your support.  We truly appreciate our clientele, and you know who you are:  Friends, colleagues, local patrons as well as national and international customers.  Without all of you we wouldn't be here!!!

Our customer base is such an interesting one.  We've met such friendly people from everywhere.  I remember meeting a wonderful couple visiting from Australia who were shopping for their grandchildren.  As they were making their purchase we were discussing money and they asked me if I wanted to see a sample of their currency.  Of course, I was very curious, and they handed to me what was the most vibrantly colored money I have ever seen which was made of polymer, a plastic material.  They further explained that they no longer have 1 and 2 cent pieces, and they use one dollar coins.  We have also had visits from German exchange students and people from all over the U.S., including Iowa, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, California, Washington State, Wyoming, and the list goes on, and, of course, we regularly have visits from our delightful Canadian neighbors and local folk. Each and every connection we have with our customers is a learning experience.  We learn about cultures, interests, travels, and even weather patterns.  At our store we not only encourage learning, but we also have the benefit of an endless education ourselves!

*****

Although summer is winding down, the cool autumn breezes make for some excellent kite-flying conditions.  We still have lots of cool kites in stock.  Our butterfly kites are ready to take to the skies, or run through a field flying a vortex or a dragon!  Have some fun and come up with creative ways to use the stunt kites.  Vermont has some of the most beautiful acres of open fields (especially when haying is done) to run and do some great kite-flying, but if you are really up to a challenge, how about attempting to fly a kite in a corn maze?

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With the onset of school comes the reading assignments.  We recently sold the book Stone Soup to a lovely lady whose daughter had it on her list of required reading.  I remember in junior high being required to read Dorothy Canfield Fisher (DCF) Award books.  We currently have some DCF books in stock as well as various Caldecott and Newbery Award winner books.  Also gracing our shelves is the Sisters Grimm series (perhaps some of you remember the Brothers Grimm?)  It is so refreshing to read a twist on an old classic.  Which reminds me of a few other books on that topic, such as CinderEdna and Sleeping Bobby.  Wider Than the Sky's mantra is "All our toys are powered by imagination," so having as part of our inventory books such as these, which use creative ways to rewrite a much loved fairy tale, is a must and fits in perfectly with our mission.

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So folks, enjoy the rest of your September month, and get out and catch the sun while you can.  Fly that kite, read that book, explore nature, and continue to nurture children's creativity and imagination as well as your own.

I Guess...

The best way to get started is to just jump right in!  We're all on board now, next I just have to figure out how to download photos.   We'll get our profiles done ASAP, that way you'll know who we are.  I'll be talking to Helen Hipp tomorrow, author of "A Different Kind of Safari".  Hopefully we'll be carrying her book soon.  If you would like to learn more about her and her book, try this link, you may have to cut and paste it if you can't click through.

 http://newsle.com/article/0/85301888/ 

Until next time....

Hi Everyone...

 This blogging is all new to us.  We're just learning our way around this site, it's a bit confusing to say the least!  You'll be hearing from Karin, Diane, Billy and Jesse from time to time.  We'll try to keep you up to date on what's happening and what's new at Wider Than The Sky.  We'll try to cover the latest trends in toys and keep you informed.   But right now I've got to do more exploring here, want to make sure I'm doing this right!  Hope you're all enjoying this long Labor Day Weekend.  : )