Summer is for Play!

Switches and Toys for All

Summer means time to play.  I remember when my kids were young, we would have a large block party, close the street, and let all the neighborhood kids play on the street for the day while the adults would all barbeque and chat.  The challenge was how to include our son who has Cerebral Palsy so that he could play with the others.  This is where switches, and switch toys, became so important to him.

There are a lot of different switches available to try.  Many people start with a standard switch.  However, they may do better with a wobble switch or a pillow switch.  I have just received from the Ability Tools program of California some different switches for people to try out, to see which switch may work best for you or your loved one. These switches are available for up to a  3-week loan, so you can really see if it will work or not for you.  Contact me at at.ddrennan@gmail.com if you are interested in exploring the different switches. 

As for what to use the switches with, well, that is really up to the person using the switch!  What do they like to play with?  The toy pictured above is a battery-operated Valentine Snoopy.  When activated, it plays a song, vibrates, and the propeller is a fan that lights up.  This toy was adapted to a switch by my husband.  Instructions on how to adapt a toy to a switch can be found here- How to Make a Switch Adapted Toy.  If you have questions about how to do this, feel free to connect, and I will see what I can do!

As for my son, my husband switch-adapted a battery-operated water bazooka and attached it to his wheelchair.  He happily went up and down the street, and played with the kids in the water fight.  It was an epic water fight, with all the kids playing.  He may have won….