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Toy for Children of All Abilities

 

While scouring websites looking for lists of recommended toys, it’s important to remember the way you play with your children and how you teach them to play can benefit them further than buying the “perfect” toy. You can take a simple toy, such as a ball, and turn it into a learning activity without them realizing it. Ex. “Look at this ball! It’s round and bounces. I’m going to roll it to you. Can you roll it back to me?” Within those short phrases you’ve now engaged your child in conversation, initiated following directions, prompted attention to tasks and expanded language input. Keep an eye out for toy guides that are specific for children who have physical, cognitive or developmental disabilities this holiday season from various stores. 

The following websites are some of our favorite sources. 
– Toys “R” Us, Inc. Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids: www.toysrus.com
– AblePlay toy rating system for children of all abilities from National Lekotek Center: www.ableplay.org/
– Fat Brain Toys Special Needs Resource Center: www.fatbraintoys.com/special_needs/

 

 

Below are just a few ideas we came up with while searching these sites:

 

Playhouse/Tent Sometimes children enjoy to be in their own space away from all other distractions. A place they can call their own can make for a quiet place to relax, a place to build their imagination and a fun hangout to share with others when desired. Play spaces like this can build social skills and language abilities when interacting with others. Have a child who needs sensory input? Fill the space with your child’s favorite sensory items like :idget toys, soft blankets and other manipulatives. www.bedbathandbeyond.com

Coloring Alternatives Does your child need assistance holding coloring utensils? Purchasing adaptive tools like these can make coloring fun again for your child. Using these utensils can help your child feel independent and in control of their creativity.  parentingspecialneeds.org/

Hedbanz Looking for a game for the family that can teach your child incognito?

This question game of “What amI?”is played by asking “yes” or “no” questions to figure out if the picture on your head is an animal, food or manmade object. The first player to guess what’s on their head wins! This game helps to expand language and descriptions, builds inferential thinking and initiates social exchanges. http://www.walmart.com/

Kinetic Sand Know a child that doesn’t prefer certain textures like playdoh or regular sand? This magnetic sand might be the answer for a fun, mess-free alternative. This sand never dies out and sticks together without sticking to you. Place the sand in a container with a lid to make for easy setup and cleanup. Press down the sand into a :lat surface and use a :inger to practice writing letters and numbers. Or simply use the sand as a stress relief and calming activity. www.fatbraintoys.com

By Kelly Dugan

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LLA Therapy

Patient Reviews

Crystal Scheibe

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Great place, glad we found them. Been going to Medina over 2 months now and he loves Lauryn and Kyler. Wish they had more ABA therapy places available... live in Wooster and long drive everyday.

Karrie Swan LaRock

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My 11 year old son has dyslexia and has made noticeable gains in working At LLA THERAPY. Katie is strong in her approach toward him and also keeps him comfortable enough to perform well. We will continue visiting both the Fairlawn and Hudson offices and recommend them highly.

Ron Monroe

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My 9 year old just completed about 9 months of weekly speech sessions (due to his stuttering) with Matt Hagge at LLA and we are thrilled with the experience and results. What I thought might be a negative (what kid really wants to go to speech class?) was made very positive by Matt, and my son never hesitated or complained when we talked about class. He really enjoyed it and really took what Matt taught him to heart. His speech has been greatly improved and we definitely recommend LLA. Thank you so much!

Heather Dougherty-Pantoja

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My son’s Occupational Therapist, Jess, is an amazing OT! She gives practical tips on working with my son at home and school!

Terri Apgar

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I cannot say enough good things about LLA Therapy. My daughter was a client of Teal Simmons’ for approximately 2 years and was just released from speech therapy! She was diagnosed with Apraxia in 2015 and worked with Teal twice a week. Through Teal’s application of PROMPT therapy, my daughter had age-appropriate speech after one year. All of the staff we interacted with at LLA were absolutely wonderful. They really care about what they do and making sure your child achieves their goals.

Kelli Geisler Davisson

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for my son as well as my family! My son always asks, "When can I go see Ms. Jeannine again, is it Monday??" He has also made huge gains in only 5 months! I would highly recommend LLA and have already shared my experience with friends looking for services!

Victoria Hansford-Price

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We are so grateful for our Speech Therapist Ms.Teal. We have seen a great improvement with our sons confidence and communication abilities since we have started "Prompt" therapy. What we love the most about LLA and Ms. Teal is that Kohl feels comfortable and relaxed which has played a critical role in his progress. Thank you Ms. Teal for all you have done.

Laura Lee Hogsett

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They have helped in numerous ways. Speech, OT and behavioral. I've had numerous compliments on my son's progress thanks in very large part to LLA. I would recommend LLA before I recommend our local children's hospitals, though they are good, they don't have the staff that LLA does.

Amy Furukawa

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We had a great experience with Matt Hagge at LLA! Our Middle School age son was becoming very conscious of his voice, which is nasal due to a cleft palate. Matt helped him to better form his sounds and project his voice in a way that makes the unavoidable nasality less noticeable.Our son is more confident and outgoing & even took on a speaking role in the church play. Matt has the perfect personality to relate with our son, and we would recommend him to anyone needing speech therapy services!

Jessica Havalotti

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for our daughter. I would highly recommend LLA. Miss Grace was so amazing and I can't believe how quickly our daughter showed improvement. Thank you!
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