From across the pond comes an opinion piece on how certain toys can help children with disabilities feel better about themselves as well as increase inclusion with their non-disabled peers.

Start with the toybox to broaden children’s understanding of disability, from The Scotsman, was written by Dr. Sian Jones, whose research is primarily in the areas of typical and atypical development, with a specific focus on bullying and friendship in schools. “Toys are a way into a child’s world, and they mirror the world to them,” Jones writes. “If there isn’t an opportunity to play with disabled characters or children don’t come across disabled people doing everyday things in books and films, we’re losing an opportunity to broaden the next generation’s understanding of the world and the people in it,” she writes.

“There is growing evidence that toys and resources representing disability help non-disabled children to think about making friends with disabled children.”

More Toy News

Below are other recent pieces on representational toys and books, plus a press release on LEGO’s new line of toys, LEGO Friends, which as of 2023 includes characters with a wider variety of skin tones, cultural backgrounds, disabilities, and neurodiversity.

How Columbia OT Students Are Helping Local Kids with Disabilities (Columbia University Irving Medical Center)

Reading Disability History Back into American Girl (Nursing Clio)

Two in three kids want toys to better reflect real-world feelings (Lego)