Courage Kenny Rehab Center Receives Large Donation of Adapted Toys
A longstanding tradition continued at Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. Volunteers with Cummins, Inc., dropped off more than 700 toys adapted for kids with mobility needs.
Cummins adapts off-the-shelf toys in a variety of ways, most commonly with a larger button that makes it easier to use interactive features.
“We want every kid to be able to play,” said Matthew White, an occupational therapist. “By adding a button to the toy, that lets the kid have fun, be able to practice cause and effect, and just be a kid.”
Toys can range from “Despicable Me” minions to light displays. White said there are new surprises every year.
White presses the button designed to activate this minion toy. He said adapted toys make play more accessible and has therapeutic benefits.
Most of the toys are meant to go home with patients. White said the team will begin giving toys to kids throughout December and January. As for the remaining toys that don’t go home with patients, White said they have different community partnerships that ensure every toy finds a kid.
“It does make a difference in a kiddo’s life. We’ve had tons of feedback, where parents will say, ‘Hey, my kid had so much fun playing with this toy. But what it ended up doing was advancing their therapy and skills they need for life,'” White said.
Cummins staff adapts the toys and then repackages them. That way, kids can open them just like any other toy off the shelf.
White said adapted toys can typically be very expensive, so this eases another expense for families.
