Capitalize on the Power of Play with Accessible Toys in AAC Implementation

Hannah Foley -

Play is a powerful and often underappreciated tool in language development. For children with complex communication needs, the importance of play is magnified in the AAC implementation process. Accessible toys play a vital role in this process, providing children with the means to engage, interact, and communicate effectively.  

Play, combined with the right tools and AAC implementation strategies, can significantly enhance functional language and communication skills for those with complex communication needs.  

Play is essential for language development. Through play, children learn to understand the world around them, develop social skills, and practice language in a natural context (Han et al., 2010). Play provides opportunities for: 

  • Vocabulary Expansion: Interaction with toys and peers during play introduces new words and phrases. 
  • Sentence Structure Practice: Children practice forming sentences and using language to describe their actions and intentions. 
  • Developing Social Skills: Play encourages the practice of conversational turn-taking, an important aspect of communication. 
  • Developing Narrative Skills: Imaginative play helps children develop the ability to tell stories and sequence events. 

Accessible toys are those designed or adapted to be usable by children with varying physical or cognitive abilities. These toys can be operated with minimal physical effort and cognitive load, making them inclusive for all children, especially those using AAC. 

  • Accessible toys can be activated by switches (Bluetooth or hardwired) or inferred radiation coming from the individual’s AAC device.  

Implementing accessible toys with individuals who have complex communication needs has several benefits. Such benefits include: 

  • Promoting Independence and Confidence: Accessible toys empower children to play independently, boosting their confidence and encouraging self-expression. 
  • Encouraging Interaction: Toys often facilitate interaction with peers, promoting social skills and collaborative play. Children learn to communicate with each other, negotiating roles and activities, thereby enhancing their social and language skills.  
  • Stimulating Cognitive Skills: Toys that are accessible allow children to engage in imaginative play, helping them to develop storytelling and language skills. 

Accessible toys play a crucial role in helping children with complex communication needs understand the concept of cause and effect, which is foundational for autonomous AAC use as it demonstrates they can control their environment through communication (TechOWL, 2022). 

There are three overarching impacts of developing knowledge of cause and effect on functional AAC use (Creating Compassionate Kids, 2023), including: 

  1. Building Cognitive Connections: Understanding cause and effect is essential for using AAC devices, as children learn that activating a button on an AAC device will produce a specific word or phrase.  
    • This connection between action (pressing a button) and outcome (voice output) is fundamental for effective AAC use. 
  1. Encouraging Exploration: The engaging nature of accessible toys motivates children to explore and experiment. This exploration leads to a deeper understanding of how their actions influence their environment, fostering cognitive development related to cause and effect.  
    • As children explore the concept of cause-and-effect with accessible toys, they become more willing to explore and use their AAC devices. This willingness to experiment can lead to increased proficiency and confidence in using AAC tools. 
  1. Enhancing Engagement: Accessible toys that provide immediate and consistent feedback help maintain a child's attention and interest.  
    • This engagement is crucial for encouraging the consistent use of AAC devices, as children learn to focus on the interaction at hand and associate effective communication with positive outcomes.  

Forbes AAC is proud to offer a variety of tools and resources designed to support language development and sensory engagement.  

Forbes AAC’s Language Development Kits are designed to provide structured, engaging activities that promote language acquisition and use for those who have a WinSlate. These kits include: 

  • Ready-To-Use Pagesets: Vocabulary pages that focus on specific themes related to the interactive sensory toy of their choice which help children expand their functional language in engaging activities. 
  • Clinical Protocols: Learning plans and ideas of vocabulary to model that can be seamlessly implemented during playtime to facilitate language development. Goal banks and data tracking sheets are also included to monitor and enhance skill growth.  

Forbes AAC also offers a variety of accessible interactive sensory toys designed to cater to children’s sensory needs while promoting cause and effect learning. These toys often feature: 

  • Multi-Sensory Feedback: Lights, sounds, and movements that respond to a child’s activations on their AAC device, providing immediate and engaging feedback. 
  • Adaptability: Allow children with varying abilities to control and interact with the toys via touch, eye gaze, switches, or head pointing.  
  • Educational Themes: Incorporate educational elements, such as numbers, colors, and shapes, to reinforce learning through play. 

Interactive sensory toys not only support sensory processing and cognitive development but also help children understand cause and effect, a crucial skill for effective AAC use.  

An AAC tool is only as effective as the implementation strategies accompanying it: the same is true for accessible toys in relation to communication and language skill development. Here are a few tips to capitalize on the power of play: 

  1. Choose the Right Toys: Look for accessible toys that match the motivations and interests of the individual with complex communication needs.  
  2. Model Language: Model core and fringe vocabulary related to the activity, encouraging the individual to observe and practice. 
  3. Check out this resource on Modeling!  
  4. Encourage Peer Interaction: Facilitate playdates and activities where children with complex communication needs can interact with their peers. Peer support is a powerful tool for learning communication and language skills.  
  5. Implement Repetition with Variety: Repetition with variety is key to language fluency development (Erickson, 2003). Frequently engage the individual with complex communication needs in play sessions with high interest accessible toys while modifying target core and fringe vocabulary and targeting different communication functions each play session. 

The power of play in developing language and communication skills cannot be overlooked for individuals with complex communication needs. Accessible toys provide the means for all children to participate in meaningful, autonomous, engaging, and educational play. By integrating AAC into play-based activities, children not only learn to effectively use their AAC device, but they also develop essential language skills that will allow them to be active members of society. Strategically implement accessible toys to capitalize on the power of play in communication and language development of those with complex communication needs! 

References 

Creating Compassionate Kids. (2023, April 20). Cause and Effect Toys. https://creatingcompassionatekids.org/cause-and-effect-toys/#:~:text=In%20other%20words%2C%20Cause%20of,bubble%20or%20see%20it%20pop. 

Erickson, K. A. (2003). Reading comprehension in AAC. The ASHA Leader, 8(12), 6-9. 

Han, M., Moore, N., Vukelich, C., & Buell, M. (2010). Does Play Make a Difference? How Play Intervention Affects the Vocabulary Learning of At-Risk Preschoolers. American Journal of Play, 3(1), 82–105. 

TechOWL. (2022). Related Skills. AAC Community. https://aaccommunity.net/ccc/related-skills/#:~:text=Communication%20depends%20on%20each%20person,what%20someone%20does%20or%20says.