Six Friends

LEARNING AND PLAYING:

manipulatives, toys, equipment, and craft supplies

  

Note: Most software products are listed in the Technology and Electronics.  Companies which sell only sports equipment or arts and crafts supplies may be located in Sports, Arts, and Recreation. Most products for science and math are located there.

 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Achievement Products
internet: http://www.specialkidszone.com/

All sorts of products for education and therapy, including manipulatives, assessment tools, furniture, and equipment.

Active People Toys
internet: http://www.activepeople.com/en/toys/toys/

The "bilibo" is a unique toy. It can be whatever the child wants: boat, step, hat, garage. Look at the video to see it in action. The "babal" is a ball-within-a-ball, that also gives the imagination room to experiment.

Adaptive Child
internet: http://www.adaptivechild.com/

Their "Q-Charms" are plastic squares with icon symbols printed on them that can be snapped onto a plastic wristband. If you call ahead, you can order the charms without printing, so that tactile elements or simpler pictures might be added by you.

Adaptivation, Inc.
internet: http://www.adaptivation.com/

Set of premade communication cards with real objects on them.

Alex
internet: http://www.alextoys.com

Art, craft, and educational supplies for children using many senses and motor skills. They sell only to schools and retailers; others call for a local dealer.

Aristoplay, Ltd.
internet: http://www.aristoplay.com

Their catalog is full of educational games which reinforce history, math, geography, literature, art, mythology, etc.  Most require vision.  Some can be played if one person reads the cards to others.  Maestro Parade has an audio cassette: side one has samples of 32 instruments with a spoken part about that instrument's history; side two has the sounds in random order to use with the accompanying "lotto" cards.

Arm and Hammer Division of Church and Dwight Co., Inc.
mail: 469 North Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ  08540  U.S.A.
voice: 800-524-1328

Will send out free a brochure on how to make "play clay" from their baking soda.

As Cute as a Button
internet: http://www.ascuteasabutton.com/index.html

Large collection of buttons for sale.

Association Valentin Haüy pour le Bien des Aveugles
mail: 5 rue Duroc, F-75343 Paris Cedex 07  FRANCE
internet: http://www.avh.asso.fr/

Sells folding meter sticks with raised dot and braille markings.

Attainment Company, Inc.
internet: http://www.attainmentcompany.com/

Their "Hands On Money Kit" has fake money that is quite realistic, to use for teaching.

Augmentative Communication, Inc.
internet: http://www.augcominc.com/book_details.html

They sell a talking photo album and books of ideas on how to use it to increase communication and literary.

B Independent
internet: http://www.bindependent.com/index.htm

They carry a line of dolls with adaptive equipment. There are available a white cane and a dog guide.

Beacon Ridge Products
internet:  http://www.beacon-ridge.com

Adapted P.E. equipment, dolls with disabilities, etc.

Braillle Gifts
internet: http://www.braillegifts.com/site/881220/page/45029

Toys which talk or make noises, including educational electronics.

Calloway House, Inc.
internet: http://callowayhouse.com/home.asp

Supplies for teaching, including manipulatives.

Cardinal Woods
internet: http://www.cardinalenterprises.com/darice_catalog.htm

Multitude of wooden shapes available, including circles, animal cutouts, small boxes, etc.

Childcraft
internet: https://www.childcrafteducation.com/

Catalog of toys, including: trampoline with grab bar; set of life-like snakes and lizards; miniature animals; mat with painted animals which makes their sounds when they're touched; Sticky-Wikki, string-like wax cords which temporarily stick to surfaces and can be used to make shapes, maps, etc.

Community Playthings
internet: http://www.communityplaythings.com/

Wooden toys and children's furniture.  Good stuff!

Constructive Playthings
internet: http://www.constplay.com

Their catalog has a large selection of toys, craft, and education supplies.  Of interest here are: colored glue (which dries colored), high-low domino blocks (the thickness of the ends are matched), rhythm instruments, wooden puzzles of disabled children (including one with glasses and one using a long cane), magnetic map puzzle of the U.S.A., sorters and stackers, etc.  Call for a catalog.

Creative Adaptations for Learning
internet: http://www.cal-s.org

Sells "haptic flashcards" to learn the alphabet, counting, and shapes. Their new "Braille Caravan" is a set of block with moveable pins, enabling each to be any braille symbol.  Also, tactually embossed personal notes cards.

Creative Education of Canada, Inc.
internet: http://www.creative-edu.com/

Costumes for children.

Didax Educational Resources
internet: http://www.didax.com/

Educational materials and manipulatives, including: Omnifix cubes (like Unifix, but any side of one cube attaches to any side of another); Videoscope (microscope with large vertical screen instead of eye piece); geometric solids; Califone's Cardmaster, plus premade cards with pictures and sounds); curricula on audio cassette (Around the World Soundtracks has sounds like a Russian sledge and a Tibetan gong, Animal Sounds, Listen and Do, and others); and Earth-Moon-Sun model with rotation.

Discount School Supply
internet: http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Default.aspx

Their catalog is full of surplus items and many new ones: art supplies, manipulatives, hook-and-loop tape, etc.  Of particular interest are boards with cloth covers which will hold the hook tape, and come in many sizes.

Discovery Toys, Inc.
internet: http://www.discoverytoysinc.com/

Toys for babies through elementary school, in bright colors, including: a fabric cube with velcro animals, each makes it own sound and can attach to the outside, or be placed in the center hole; teether with five different textures; scented craft dough; 3-D pentaminoes; rhythm instruments; "engraved" plastic medals; and many others.  This address is for the main factory, which will send out a catalog and the name of your local distributor.  They also have home parties.

Dolls Like Me
internet: http://www.dollslikeme.com/

Multiracial dolls, puppets, and books.

Dowling Magnetics, Inc.
internet: http://www.dowlingmagnets.com/

Many magnets! "Wonderboards" are magnetic boards (9" x 12") which come with one of 17 differently themed magnet packs, flexible magnetic "puzzle" pieces: build-a-bug, make-a-snake, create-a-castle, etc.  They are a wholesale supplier, but they will sell to schools with orders of over $100.  Call to find out about a local retailer.

Dragonfly Toy Company
internet: http://www.dftoys.com

Toys for children with special play needs, including: adapted textured toys; accessible manual toys; switch adapted toys; adaptive art materials; adapted aquatic and gross motor equipment; speech and language materials; and books for families and professionals.

Educational Learning Games
internet: http://www.educationallearninggames.com

A wide variety of games and puzzles that help to develop the mind, including magnetic, wooden with chunky pieces, dry-erase, and high-contrast.

Enabling Devices -- a division of Toys for Special Children
internet: http://www.enablingdevices.com

Toys adapted with switches, lights, etc.

Exceptional Teaching Aids
internet: http://www.exceptionalteaching.com

Sells a curriculum for teaching and manipulatives for mathematics, has a braille reading curriculum, plus mobility devices, scented play clay, tactual coloring pages, etc.

Fiskars
internet: http://www.fiskars.com/

Among their school tools are textured plates (more than a dozen available) and rubbing tools to add textures to paper or foil.

Flaghouse, Inc.
internet: http://www.flagnouse.com

Has a catalog of special education materials/manipulatives, including "mini-beeper" sound source (for games etc.), beeping foam balls, rhythm instruments, jingle balls, heavy-duty tricycles, etc.

Folkmanis Puppets
internet: http://www.folkmanis.com/

Grand River Toy Company, The
internet: http://www.grandrivertoys.com

Catgalog and retail store with educational supplies, toys, and craft kits, including: "make your own" bath gel, body lotion, and lip balm; 50x microscope which works under water; parabolic microphone; Brio® toys; etc.

Great American Trading Company
internet: http://www.greatamericantrading.com/

Wooden editions of traditional board games, including chess, checkers, and mancala.  There are several other games which are 3-D (tactual).  Get a catalog!

Guidecraft U.S.A.
internet: http://www.guidecraft.com/

Wooden toys, including: puzzles (parts of the body, jigsaw, shapes), "boxed food" for the "kitchen", jointed dragon pull toy, bird house with one clear plastic wall, three "sound lotto" games, and small building blocks.  All come in bright colors.

Hart Enterprises, Inc.
internet: http://www.harttoys.com

"Squiggle Ball" is self-propelled, rolls straight until it bumps into something, "Moon Shoes" are miniature trampolines which strap onto the feet.

Hearth Song
internet: http://www.hearthsong.com

Their catalog is full of quality games, toys and crafts kits for lots of hands-on fun.  Most of the items could be enjoyed by children of limited or no vision.

Heirlooms Wooden Toys
internet: http://www.heirloomwoodentoys.com/home.php

A large selection of wooden toys and games for all ages.

Hoyle Grips
internet: http://www.hoylegrips.com/

Grips to put on your pencil or the handles of tools for daily living.

International Playthings
internet:
http://www.intplay.com/

Toys and educational materials for preschool and early elementary years, including: plastic peg/mosaic kits; magnetic puzzles; unique wire and bead craft kit; chenille; wikki stix (plus a "playboard" to use to draw pictures with them); scented play putty; and wooden knob puzzles.  Sells only to retailers.  Call for a local dealer.

Janie's Learning Pillows, Etc.
contact: Jane Kronheim
mail: P.O. Box 345, Greenfield, NH  03047  U.S.A.
voice: 603-827-3859

"Learning Pillows" are tactual with high visual contrast and have stories which can be acted out on them; "Visual Hand Display", black and white stripes on one side and face on the other for visual tracking exercises with infants; and "TG Pillow" (tactile graphics), a large nyloop pillow with velcro items to attach.  Book Mr. Bug Goes for a Walk which has tactile illustrations without print or braille.

Judy Dixon's Collection of Braille and Tactile-writing Slates
internet: http://www.brailleslates.org/

Here is a large collection of photographs of braille slates from many countries, along with information on the many uses of the different types.

Kaplan Early Learning Company
internet: http://www.kaplanco.com/

Catalog of education toys/manipulatives/equipment, including animal puzzles with fuzzy pieces, scented "play-dough", boards with grooves to aid in learning to print, musical mobiles, multi-ethnic dolls, play equipment, outdoor gym pieces, etc.

Kids Like Me
internet: http://www.kidslikeme.co.uk/

Their line of dolls of various racial groups can be outfitted with glasses, hearing aids, white cane, dog guide, wheelchair, crutches, or leg braces. There are books for children whose main characters have disabilities.

Kids on the Block
internet: http://www.kotb.com

Puppet programs representing various challenges for public awareness and education.  The puppets and accompanying scripts need to be purchased (are rather expensive).

KinderMark
internet: http://www.kindermark.com/index.html

General site for toys and school equippment and furniture. Of particular interest are "Duplo Wall" (for playing with Duplo blocks on a vertical plane) and a "Giggle Mirror", like they have in funhouses.

Kling
internet: http://www.kling.com/index.html

Magnetic paint will transform any wall nto a surface that magnets will stick to. There are also magnetic playing cards. This company will custom-make magnets to your order.

Lakeshore Learning Materials
internet: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/home.htm

Teaching supplies for the preschool through elementary classroom.  Of interest here are dolls with visual impairments (and other disablities) in the 15" and "wood blocks" sizes, "Disability Awareness Kit" (props with lesson plans for introducing disabilities, including a small long cane), wipe-off tracing kit, incubator for chicken eggs with a clear cover, "food pyramid" (made of wood, vertical, with plastic food to place in their correct places), miniature plastic animals, multiracial dolls, math manipulatives, etc., etc.

Leap Frog
internet: http://www.leapfrog.com/

Their "Fridge Phonics" are alphabet letters in a magnetic base with speech built in to teach the letter's name and sound.

Lego
internet: http://www.lego.com/en-US/default.aspx

All their products are available from their catalog, including Lego and Duplo brands.

Lekotek
internet: http://www.lekotek.org/

Toys for students with special needs.

Light Bright Books
internet: http://www.lightbrightbooks.net

"Light Bright Books produces children's stories which are printed on transparencies and operate on a light box. They are specifically designed for children which visual impairments." These books have large, simple pictures. The text is simple, but is in small print and is intended to be read TO the visually impaired child BY a sighted adult.

Lillian Vernon
internet: http://www.lillianvernon.com/lv/index.asp

This catalog has carried many toys and educational equipment which can be used with visually impaired children.  Ask for their latest catalog.

Michael Olaf's Essential Montessori
internet: http://www.michaelolaf.net/

Catalog of products and curricula for Montessori programs, containing many good items for children with visual impairments, from birth through elementary school age.

Molloy Toys
internet: http://www.real-kidz.com/

"Real Kidz" are rag dolls with bi-racial features.

Music From the Heart
internet: http://www.jeffmoyer.com

Jeff Moyer does motivational speaking, using music to emphasize the positives in disability issues.  He has produced several albums of his music.  We're People First has songs which each emphasize a different topic, and the accompanying curriculum guide lists classroom activities to accompany them.  Special Ed Ranger is a concert album, meant to celebrate children, parents, teachers, and administrators.

National Braille Factory
location: Vancouver, BC CANADA
internet: http://www.braillefactory.com/

Braille coloring books.

Northwest Nature Shop
internet: https://www.northwestnatureshop.com/department/Games_and_Puzzles/Board_Games/index4.html

Their "Touch Game" has lots of objects that have to be found by touch.

Ohio Center for Deafblind Education
internet: http://www.ssco.org/ocdbe/

Their booklet Hold Everything shows how to make a variety of play areas and equipment, all with parts that "stay put" while a child plays with them. The PDF versions are available here in English and Spanish.

Onion Mountain Technology
internet: http://www.onionmountaintech.com/

Supplies and materials for instruction, including colored overlays, magnifiers, pencil grips, writing guides, etc. They have a large selection of children's books with matching CDs or audio cassettes.

P C I Education
internet: http://www.pcieducation.com/

Curricula, reference books, and manipulatives for all special education programs.

Pamela Drake, Inc.
internet: http://www.woodkins.com/index.html

Their Snakes and Things catalog includes wooden, jointed snakes, lizards, and fish (either prepainted or in a kit with paints).  Some of the paint glows in the dark.  Some of the kits come with corresponding coloring books about the animal.

Peppy Parents
internet: http://www.peppyparents.com/

Their "Piggy Platter Multi-Purpose Placemat" is clear plastic with a raised edge and small tray for utensiles. Pictures can be placed under it (buy theirs or make your own).  They also carry play balls without latex, a balance bike, and crawling tunnels.

Playworks
internet: http://www.playworks.net

Sells toys which are meant for visually impaired children.  There is a good selection.

Pleasant Company
internet: http://www.pleasantco.com/

"American Girl" dolls are 18" high (girls only) from six eras of U.S. history.  Each one has available proportionally sized furniture, clothing, and accessories.  Books (in regular print) describe the girl's life.  The "American Girl of Today" comes in 20 different racial variations.  Glasses and white cane are available, as is a wheelchair.  These dolls are relatively expensive.

Pocket Full of Therapy
internet: http://www.pfot.com/

Catalog for occupational therapists, with a collection of toys to develop motor skills, sensory awareness, etc.  "We specialize in unique, motivating, and hard-to-find items."  Too many good items to list here.

Reb Magnetics
internet: http://www.rebmag.com/

Many types of games for the blind (including chess, checkers, backgammon, bingo, Scrabble, and some proprietary), magnetic braille instructional equipment (e.g., letters, numbers, boards), sweatshirts and t-shirts with braille symbols, and some daily living aids.

Rifton for People with Disabilities
internet: http://www.rifton.com/

Has a catalog of products for persons with physical disabilities, such as standers, balance boards, and positioners.  Most of these are part of the program promulgated by MOVE International.

Right Start, The
internet: http://www.rightstart.com

Products for a safe and happy baby.  They have an assortment of black-and-white-and red, visually stimulating items (mobiles, etc.), a car booster seat, a crib vibrator, and many other good things.

Sammons Preston Corporation
internet: http://www.sammonspreston.com

Adaptive toys and P.E. equipment, including bowling ball ramp, slanted reading board, multisensory "busy-box", puzzles.  Their catalog is geared towards professionals, and for many items parents will want to consult with one before ordering.  Enhancements catalog has adaptive products for daily living for persons with physical limitations.

Sax Arts and Crafts
internet: http://www.saxarts.com/

This art supply company carries a wide variety of items, including paper punches, scissors with patterned edges, and stamps with large handles.

Schweizerischer Zentralverein für das Blindenwesen
mail: Zentralsekretariat, Schutzengasse 4, CH-9000 St. Gallen  SWITZERLAND
internet: http://www.szb.ch/de/index.php

Sells rulers and tape measures with raised dots and/or braille.

Slater Software, Inc.
internet: http://www.slatersoftware.com/

Sells board books adapted with removable "props" on each page.

Stokke
internet http://www.stokkeusa.com/tabletop.htm

Their "Table Top" is a see-through placemat made of solid plastic with a raised edge. It can come with various inserts, showing alphabet letters and other educational categories, which appear to be in large print. It will also take custom-made inserts.

T F H  U.S.A., Ltd.
internet: http://www.specialneedstoys.com/usa/

Their three catalogs cover toys for child and youth with special needs, adults with special needs, and books on disabilities for all ages.

TACK-TILES® Braille Systems
internet: http://www.tack-tiles.com

Makes and sells the Tack-Tiles Braille System, unique connectable blocks with large braille dots on them (similar to and can be snapped onto Legos® blocks).

TAP Plastics
internet: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=14&

They sell all sorts of shapes in clear acrylic.

Teachers' School Supply
internet: http://www.teacherssupply.com/

Among the many items here for classrooms, there are several laminators and their film.

Textol Systems
internet: http://www.textol.com/textol.asp

This company sells supplies to manufacturers, including a variety of Velcro(R) and Velcoin(R) hook-and-loop products, including continuous "tape", circles, chevrons, and fabric.  They also carry two styles of self-stick circles that are sized for the inside of CDs.

Therapy Shoppe, The
internet:
http://www.therapyshoppe.com/

Sells loop scissors, Wikki Stix, therapy putty, and other similar items.

Totally Unique
internet: http://www.all4birds.com/parts7.htm

They sell all sorts of shapes made of differing materials.  While their intended use is to assemble toys for pet birds, the loose parts can be used for tactile diagrams, sorting, and general learning needs.

Toys to Grow On
internet: http://www.toystogrowon.com/

High-quality toys which teach, including: "See-in-the-Dark Glasses" (which has two light beams on the frame); magnetic jumbo blocks; and many others.

Tree Hollow Toys
internet: http://www.treehollowtoys.com/usamade.html

Toys made of wood and fabric, sturdy and eco-friendly.

Trend Enterprises, Inc.
internet: http://www.trendenterprises.com/home.cfm

Catalog of basic elementary teacher's "stuff".  Many of the bingo games and vocabulary cards have large, simple, color photos.  Their selection of "stinky stickers" is large.

Wolf Products, Inc.
internet: http://www.mathwindow.com/wolf_products_website_001.htm

They have sets of magnetic numbers and math symbols that come with a framed board. There are sets with braille or large print available, including an add-on for algebra problems.

Wood & Shop, Inc., The
internet: http://www.woodnshop.com/wooden_craft_parts.htm

Wooden shapes, pieces, etc.

Woodworks, Ltd.
internet: http://www.craftparts.com/

Wooden shapes, pieces, etc.

World Research Company
internet: http://www.worldr.com/

Individual-sized chalk slates and dry-erase boards for students to record their responses.

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This page was last updated July, 2008.