Whether you’re setting up a new classroom for children with special needs, or just updating your existing classroom, the possibilities are endless! Enabling Devices offers everything you need to outfit you with the highest quality, most innovative adapted toys, electronics, and communication devices. But before you order, there’s so much to know. We hope this post — the first in a series of informational blogposts about special education classroom necessities — will help you to determine what best meets your teaching needs and the needs of your special students. This week’s focus? Toys that teach cause and effect.
The Basics:
Learning about cause and effect — the relationship between one action, behavior or event to another — is crucial for understanding how things work and ultimately, for making one’s way in the world. Toys that teach cause and effect help children to develop intentionality and a sense of control over their environments, which in turn, increases self-esteem. Understanding cause and effect also helps children in academic pursuits such as reading, math and science. For children with motor challenges, toys controlled by capability switches are wonderful vehicles for teaching these skills. Enabling Devices has many adapted tabletop toys that can be used with or without switches. Here are five of our favorites:
 The Five Function Activity Center (#510) Children learn cause and effect by activating any of this toy’s five functions: Press the bright yellow plate to play its built-in AM/FM radio, the red plate to feel vibration, the wooden roller to sound a buzzer, a pull ball to turn on the music box and the orange one to turn on the light! In addition, this toy helps children to develop sensory awareness and improves eye-hand coordination.
The Drumbourine (#872) Just activate your switch and the striker will hit the tambourine, playing a strong steady beat. Release the switch and the music will stop. The radiant light graphics on the instrument attract all children.
The Twirling Bead Chain (#6470) Press the bright red gumball switch and the carousel will twirl while lively music plays and lights sparkle. Release the switch and the carousel stops. Great for teaching cause and effect, this toy also encourages reaching, and provides auditory and tactile experiences.
Shooting Stars (#2001) teaches cause and effect by rewarding the child with flying stars, music, lights, and vibration when he or she pushes its textured oval. Added benefits include auditory, visual and tactile stimulation.
Our ATL Bundle (#4089) will go a long way toward outfitting your special education classroom and teaching your students about cause and effect. This carefully assembled classroom kit contains five of our newest and most popular adapted toys and five of our bestselling switches.
Nothing says cause and effect like a jack-in-the-box. Students will adore this switch activated Curious George Jack-in-the-Box (#614) that brings to life the beloved literary character.
