Wheelchair Toys : Gift Idea for Both Able-Bodied and Disabled Children

Recently I posted about wheelchair armrest pets a fun gift idea for a wheelchair user. But that got me thinking about other toys for wheelchair users. I discovered that there were quite a few wheelchair toys especially designed for wheelchair users and able-bodied children alike.

What kind of toys are there? There is a Barbie Doll, named Becky "Share A Smile". Becky is a wheelchair using doll, who looks alot like Barbie, except of course she is in a wheelchair. Becky did not come without controversy. For example, Becky's wheelchair did not fit into the Barbie House, a situation which many wheelchair users are all too familiar with.

Other toys for wheelchair users include Playmobil Wheelchair with patient and a child in a wheelchair. There are also simple toy wheelchairs which a child can use to push around their doll.

These toys are not exclusively for children in wheelchairs. They can also be giving to able bodied children whose classmates or siblings are wheelchair users in order to make them more sensitive or understanding of the life of a wheelchair user.

Not everyone is in agreement with toys with disabilities. According to an article published in the NYTimes

It might be a harder sell than the toy company thinks. "The name makes me want to gag," said Leslie Heller, who has cerebral palsy. Nadina LaSpina, who had polio, said, "It shows they can make money off of us.