Autism and Discovery Toys: Jessica's Story
Four-year-old Jessica, a child with autism, usually wanders around her preschool classroom darting from one activity to another. She doesn’t really play with any toy for very long. Today, however, her preschool teacher brought in a new toy from Discovery Toys called Hammer Away. Jessica was immediately interested in this new toy and began exploring it. Knowing her usual play habits, Jessica’s teacher didn’t expect her to play with the toy for long, but to her amazement Jessica sat with the little boat and continued to hammer the colorful balls into it’s holes for almost 25 minutes!
It’s because of improvements in children like Jessica that Discovery Toys has formed a partnership with the Princeton Child Development Institute. As a result of this partnership effort, The Autism Support Program has been formed. Children with autism often have difficulty with socialization, play, and language skills, among other things. Discovery Toys has created products that will strengthen your child’s development in these areas. Some of the many benefits of these toys are:
• Develop independent play with some limited instruction
• Create opportunities for children to talk about their play experience
• Promote sustained engagement
• Build skills for cooperative play
• Encourage pretend play
If you’d like to see a catalogue with pictures and detailed descriptions of these new toys, or if you’re interested in hosting a Discovery Toys party, please contact Michelle Wagner at 740-262-1614 . You can also view a catalog online at www.discoverytoysinc.com and contact Michelle to place an order.