Tag Archives: adapted toys

Science Leadership Academy

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by Sandy Masayko

Nine Senior Engineering students from the Science Leadership Academy, a Philadelphia public magnet high school, and their teacher, John Kamal, visited Easter Seals at the end of October.  Prior to their visit the students interviewed Sandy Masayko using FaceTime to learn about projects that required engineering solutions.  Learning that the students at Easter Seals need to have toys adapted to meet their special needs, the students selected Easter Seals as a site for their engineering and design project.  After an introduction to concepts of Assistive Technology, the student engineers toured the school and observed children and teachers in action. The students have now begun their project by taking apart and repairing switch operated and adapted toys back at their lab at the Science Leadership Academy.

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Laurie McGowan, Assistive Technology Specialist, demonstrates to students how eye gaze technology works.

Project Vive

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by Sandy Masayko

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Project Vive has partnered with us at Easter Seals to repair and adapt toys for children with disabilities.  Recently Mary Elizabeth McCulloch, an engineer and the founder of Project Vive, visited Easter Seals at Bucks County to see our AT Department and to get a feel for the kinds of toy adaptations we need.  She took back several large boxes filled with broken toys for her team to take apart, repair and adapt. We are very grateful for Project Vive’s assistance.  We are discussing whether Project Vive may be able to help us with adapting children’s ride-on cars to adapt mobility for children with disabilities.

To find out more about Project Vive, visit http://www.projectvive.com/

 

Santa’s Workshop at Delco in December

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by Sandy Masayko

Several parents of children who attend Easter Seals in Delaware County joined Laurie McGowan, Assistive Technology Specialist, and Sandy Masayko, Director of AT, in a workshop to adapt toys. The parents learned how to adapt battery powered electronic toys with a battery interrupter to make the toys accessible by switches, and they constructed adapted crayon holders from PVC pipes. They also learned how to adapt stacking blocks using adhesive magnets, to make a “coloring car” from Duplo ™ pieces and clothespins to hold a crayon, and to adapt puzzle pieces and action figures with magnets, shower rings, wooden knobs and Velcro loops. Look for pictures of the adaptations on the Easter Seals web site under Assistive Technology–to be posted soon!

The workshop will be offered upon request at other sites.

Delco Parent Workshop 12