Toys that look like everyone

I was scrolling through Facebook marketplace today and up popped the old Little Tikes house. If you lived in the 90s you know the house I am talking about. I didn't have the big version growing up but I had the smaller grandma's house that went with the set. What got me thinking was the listing today included the wheelchair and ramp for the house. I happened to have that add on as a child. I also had wheelchair Barbie. See my mom worked as an independent living coordinator when I was little which meant she helped people with disables work to make sure their house was accessible. Disability awareness was something my mom was thinking about.

But thats the thing, so many kids are not playing with toys like that.

While toy wheelchairs make Jillian smile because they look like her, which is great for self estimate, it shouldn't only be kids like Jilli who have these toys.

Parents of kids with special needs often talk about how uncomfortable it is to go into public and get stared at. At this point it doesn't bug me unless you are also staying something you shouldn't... because I get the staring is something kids do when something is different. It is a natural human thing to do, things that are different should make us wonder, that is appropriate.

But how awesome for these kids if seeing my child in a wheelchair in the store wasn't their first time seeing someone in a wheelchair because then they would have the tools to know how to interact. If you are a parent of a typically abled child, this would be giving them tools in their social tool box! I think most parents would agree that they want to raise well rounded kids but often that's not as easy as it sounds but this is one way that could help! It also fosters community, when wheelchairs are not weird thing then people are going to advocate more for our environment being friendly to all people and that is something we all benefit from.

So if you have a typically abled child I encourage you to buy them toys that include people that don't look like them.

Here are some places you can find toys that show different medical needs:

-American Girl sells wheelchairs, arm crutches, and diabetes play kits
-WWE wheelchair for action figures
-Walmart 18in doll wheelchair
-Playmobil wheelchair
-Kaplan Toys set of figures of different abilities
-Lego mini figure in wheelchair
-Older versions of the Little People bus comes with a wheelchair
-Duplo people with a wheelchair
-Calico Critters   wheelchair
-Batgirl
-Build A Bear wheelchair
-Etsy for dolls with different needs
-Hearing Aid for dolls
-VTech GOGO wheelchair 



I also encourage you to not only have toys where it is elderly people depicted in wheelchairs, kids use wheelchairs too!