Gadgets are not limited to school help. By exercising care, you should be able to find games and toys at your local toy store to meet your child's needs and provide hours of fun. A shopping trip online to find specialized products can turn up many gizmos geared toward recreational fun.

Toys

Toys that light up (including balls and manipulative toys) can be fun for the child with low vision or the child who is autistic. Many light-up toys are sold in traditional toy stores, and a variety of companies that offer specialized toys can be found online.

Toys that make sounds are also favorites of children with low vision and those who are blind. Toys that vibrate are popular with children with various special needs (vision, hearing loss, and sensory integration).

Outdoor Fun

Some backyard fun items are traditional favorites, but offer added appeal to the child with special needs. Children with autism crave sensory input provided by trampolines and swings. Climbing toys offer a great way to work off energy for the child who is ADHD.

Messy tables are popular for imaginative play and sensory integration. A messy table is a great choice for outside play or in a floor-protected area inside. Children enjoy using small containers and handheld scoops to fill, dump, and refill. It is also fun to bury small toys and have a hunt to find them. The “messy” part can be water, sand, rice, and so forth, but should be chosen based on the safety needs of the child. All messy table fun should be closely supervised by an adult.

Some backyard toys are adapted to meet special needs. Adapted swings provide physical support. Velcro gloves and balls assist children with physical or coordination challenges in games of catch.

Sports Equipment

A variety of more serious adaptive sports equipment is available. Specialized skis, horseback riding equipment, baseball batting Ts, and beep baseballs are a few examples of adapted sports equipment.

Bowling ramps can be used for children and teens who have physical disabilities, particularly those who do not have the strength or muscle control to maneuver a bowling ball. The ramp is placed in front of the lane. Another person assists by placing the bowling ball at the top of the ramp. The bowler can push the ball (with little force), and it will begin rolling down the ramp and the bowling lane.