Introduction by Karen Wang
Introduction by Karen Wang “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” ― Fred Rogers If play is the work of childhood, then toys are the tools of the trade. All children learn through play, but play does not come naturally to all children. It doesn't necessarily come naturally to adults, either! But with practice, adults can learn how to help children with special needs express their thoughts, feelings, skills, past experiences and dreams for the future while playing. Sometimes the right toy can spark enough interest to start something new. Jason Ferrise explains in his article, “Toys should have meaning to each individual child. Without meaning, there is no assigned value to play with that toy.” The purpose of this essay collection is to narrow down the field of infinite toys to those which successfully target special interests and emerging skills. Here you'll find tried-and-true toys and activities recommended by experienced therapists and parents – yes, even toys for children who refuse to play with toys, or children who prefer to spend hours each day watching objects spin. At home, toys may be used to expand circles of communication - the little exchanges of glances, gestures, facial expressions and vocalizations between parent and child. The idea of “circles of communication” was first articulated by Dr. Stanley Greenspan in his book The Child with Special Needs, in which he also outlined his research on a type of play therapy called Floortime.
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