Play is an important part of childhood development, as it enhances motor skills, introduces the idea of cause and effect, and promotes independence. Yet, children with disabilities often cannot use commercial toys as they were originally designed. For example, a child with spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disease that impacts muscle strength, may struggle to press a small button to activate a toy. An adapted toy, however, can be activated by an alternate method such as moving a finger or tilting one’s head. This adaptation process makes toys more accessible to children of all abilities while fostering education, equity, and inclusion. Learn more about the toy adaptation process here.

Signing up for our newsletter is a MUST if you want to be able to participate in our Toy Adaptation events! This is the ONLY way you can hear about and RSVP for our events! We host Toy Adaptations and Fix-It events (events where we figure out how to fix an adapted toy that wasn’t completed during the first toy adaptation) around once a month for two hours, with no obligation to participate in other Toy Adaptation events other than the one that you signed up for. We send a newsletter once every two weeks with all the information about our Toy Adaptation events (time and whether it is Fix-it or a Toy Adaptation), and oftentimes, spots are limited so we encourage you to sign up right as the newsletter comes out and mark your calendar to save the date! You can sign up for our newsletter here or learn more about becoming a Lead Toy Adapter here.

With a goal to create a surplus of adaptable toys for the community, we could use your help with adapting them! HuskyADAPT hosts toy adaptation workshops all year long with any kind of group no matter the age, interest, or ability level. We've hosted beginner workshops with university students, elementary to high school students, clinicians, summer programs, and many more. If you believe your group would be interested in adapting toys for the community, please fill out this form.

Go Baby Go! is a national, community-based research, design and outreach program that began in 2012 with founder Dr. Cole Galloway at the University of Delaware. UW Go Baby Go! modifies battery operated, ride-on cars to meet the specific needs of each child in order to provide mobility and socialization for children with limited motor function. These build events take place typically once a quarter over the weekend, and lasts for around 5 hours. The location of the event is usually somewhere on the UW campus. You can sign up to volunteer at one of these events using this link, and hear about other GoBabyGo activities by following their social media (@uw_gbg) and Twitter (@UW GoBabyGo). Learn more about GoBabyGo here!