Selecting Toys For Children With Behavioral Disorders

I wrote on selecting toys for children with behavioral disorders, many of the parents I work with have found it useful.  I thought it may be of use in your training.  Again, you are welcome to share it wherever you wish.

These are general guidelines I use in selecting toys for any of the children I provide care for, including children with RAD. 

They key is selecting toys that promotes creativity and positive interactions.  Dramatic play toys are great, particularly if you use them with your child--children with RAD may not naturally be able to engage in appropriate dramatic play without adult guidance.  I figured this out the hard way when two children acted out a drug bust in the dramatic play center using our doctor kit!  A doll house, doll furniture, and dolls representing members of your family can be great for role playing and encouraging positive interactions.  Baby dolls & a play kitchen can also be used to promote responsibility and teach general household rules.

Consider colors when you are purchasing toys and materials--bright colors can often be over stimulating.  It is best to select toys with colors that promote calmness--lighter pastels are great. Natural wood is also a great option.  Melissa & Doug and PLAN toy brands offer several wooden toys that are great for creativity & imaginative play.

Any manipulative toys--Lincoln Logs, Thistle Blocks, Tinker Toys, etc--are great for encouraging creative play and increased attention span.  School & Child Care catalogs typically have a large selection of manipulatives, many of which are fairly inexpensive (I prefer Discount School Supply myself, www.discountschoolsupply.com).  Block sets are also good for promoting creative play--if your child has a tendency to throw things I would start with a set of foam blocks.  Large cardboard blocks can be used to build a safe haven for the child--you can make your own using newspaper and paper bags.  Simply stuff the bags with newspaper and staple and/or tape shut.  These make great building materials, with no chance of harm if the child decides to throw them.  Cardboard boxes of various sizes can be covered with brown paper grocery sacks taped down with packing tape, then decorated with markers or stickers--leaving children with a plaything they played a role in creating and thus encouraging the important sense of ownership and belonging. 

A sand tray can be a great tool for calming a child--I purchased a small tray with a bamboo rake and several small stones from a Montessori catalog, and I put it in the corner of the classroom on a small table so children may use it at any time.  Raking the sand and arranging the stones seems to have a very soothing effect--though children with RAD may initially need guidance with this activity if they have a very short attention span.  Many of the Montessori Practical Life exercises have this calming effect and also promote self-help skills; you may want to look at a Montessori catalog to get ideas.

Sensory activities such as playing in a small dishpan (or large Tupperware container) filled with rice, beans, cornmeal, water, dissolving foam, etc. can assist with sensory integration issues (which are common in many children with RAD)--but should be done only under supervision (especially with children who have been neglected and have a habit of eating anything they can get in their mouth).  A great resource for sensory activities is "The Out of Sync Child Has Fun".  Creative art materials are also excellent for any child.  I always provide materials for collages--at home it is relatively simple to make a "collage box".  Simply put many different types of scrap materials (cloth, paper strips, random puzzle pieces, yarn, sequins, buttons, etc) in a pencil box with a small bottle of glue, and provide sturdy paper for the children to experiment with.  Of course, this activity is best done under supervision--again, it is a good one for keeping the child occupied when they need to be in your sight.

Painting of any sort is also an excellent activity for children with any neurological issues--finger painting promotes sensory integration, the motion of moving a paintbrush while painting on the easel promotes neurological connections, and painting with a small watercolor brush encourages precision and can increase attention span (try drawing shapes of various sizes on a piece of watercolor paper & asking children to fill them in without going out of the lines to promote this--though, of course, you will also want to allow time for creative expression).  Crayons and colored pencils are also great  (keep the tips somewhat dull if your child has aggressive tendencies, as being stabbed with a sharp pencil is no fun); markers can be used with supervision (Crayola Wonders markers are highly suggested, as they will write only on special paper and not on furniture, walls, or siblings). 

Vestibular motion is also key in re-organizing those neurological channels that have been disrupted through abuse or neglect.  A hammock swing is a great resource, I had one family who mounted one in their playroom despite their limited play area, and she assures me it is the best investment she has ever made.  You can often stop negative behaviors before they start by engaging a child in activities that promote vestibular motion (one reason why jumping jacks as a consequence works--though I don't promote this technique, providing a non-punitive activity like swinging works just as well).  Jumping on a small trampoline also helps some children--though I have found there are other children that are over stimulated by this activity.  I don't suggest use of a large trampoline, as I have found children are more likely to engage in aggressive play when given a large space (it is also very difficult to get the child off the trampoline if they are engaging in inappropriate behavior).  The "Playhut" tents and tunnels also encourage different types of movement, and are easy to store.  The tents can also be set up on the spot if your child needs a quiet place to be alone, while still remaining in your sight.

Simple board games or card games can promote turn taking--however I would limit these to use with you and your child (not two children together) until the child is familiar with the rules.  You want to avoid giving children with behavioral issues any chance of cheating or breaking rules with other children, then using "I didn't know" as an excuse for their behavior.   With most of the children I work with who have behavioral issues I have to supervise turn taking activities with peers for at least several months before I am confident in allowing them to engage in the activity without adult supervision.  Memory games can be great for increasing thinking skills.  I also like several of the board games made by Hasbro (Hi Ho Cherry-O, Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, etc).  When selecting games, consider your child's emotional age over chronological age--children with limited attention spans and behavioral issues are easily frustrated, and you want to promote success.  The focus is on building the relationship, not mastering the game.

 I avoid electronic toys whenever possible (or save them for special use), as these toys can often be over stimulating for children and typically do not promote creative play.  I do allow some TV (usually right after breakfast after the children are ready for school)--but no more than an hour a day, and I encourage children to do other activities while watching.  I use computer games for educational purposes, not primarily as a form of entertainment, and limit their use to 30 minutes maximum (15 minutes playing & 15 minutes watching).  I've found Leap Pads to be useful for times when I need to keep a child in sight & entertained, however I limit their use to 20 minutes per day.  One of the problems with TV/Video Games and the computer is the visual stimulation that comes from watching the screen--this is not a factor with the Leap Pads, and there is some content learning going on.  However, the Leap Pads do not encourage creativity or promote positive interactions, so limited use is best. Of course, it is even better if you can use the Leap Pads with your child, to encourage that positive interaction and increased attention span.  An electronic gadget can not be a replacement for an actively involved parent! 

When selecting toys always remember to choose toys that are appropriate for your child's emotional and cognitive age.  It is often appropriate to purchase toddler toys for a preschool-aged child, or preschool toys for a school-aged child, if they are on a lower emotional level.  Again, you want to select toys that will promote success and not frustrate a child. 

In conclusion, when purchasing toys for a newly adopted child and/or for Christmas/Birthdays, remember that quality is more important than quantity.  Many children with behavioral issues will be easily overwhelmed if you give them too many selections.  It is better to purchase a few high-quality toys than many toys that your child will quickly break.  This applies to children in general, but is especially important when purchasing toys for children with emotional challenges-if a toy can be broken, it likely will be!  Children do not need a lot of physical objects to constantly entertain them; a few quality toys combined with positive, loving interaction from parents and caregivers will provide ample stimulation and entertainment. 
 

Heather Rindlisbacher