AblePlay Blog

How to Play on Thanksgiving Day

Posted on November 24, 2015

Here are some ways to play that you can gobble up during this autumn holiday. Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated mostly in the United States and Canada, and it generally is celebrated with copious amounts of food, family, and football. This Thanksgiving, we have put together a list of festive ways to play:

Lekotek and NAPPA Celebrate 10 Year Anniversary

Posted on November 24, 2015

For the past 10 years, the National Lekotek Center has joined together with the National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) in their combined mission to get attention for the toys that they believe deserve recognition. Here is a bit about our partnership and why our collaboration has been such a success.

Fall Fidgets: Top 10 Products

Posted on November 18, 2015

Fall is a time for playing in the leaves and enjoying the cool breeze and warmth of the sunshine before winter weather hits. Unfortunately, there are some times when you just can’t get outside to enjoy the changing colors and fresh air. Here are a few fidget toys that can help kids maintain focus and attention without disruption. These fidgets are great for school, car rides and bad weather.

Where is the Checkout?

Posted on October 28, 2015

You have unleashed your inner Sherlock Holmes during your search; every button has been clicked, every page has been visited, but it’s still not there. Where is the checkout? Every part of your brain says it should be there, up in the corner or down at the bottom, but your eyes cannot find it. After all, how can there be a website full of toys that does not have a shopping cart? It seems inconceivable! Welcome to a website full of toys that does not have a “check out”.

Light Up the Night 2015

Posted on October 27, 2015

At Lekotek, toys are in our name. "Lek" is Swedish for toys and "tek" means library. The toys displayed before you as centerpieces at the 6th Annual Ambassador Ball are a selection of some of the new toys we are most excited about. All of these toys have been graciously donated to Lekotek by our partnering organization, Toys“R”Us, to celebrate our fundraiser and help “Light Up the Night.”

After dinner and dancing is over, all of the centerpiece toys are set to go into our lending libraries, where they are eagerly anticipated with open arms by the children Lekotek serves. Once in our inventory, these toys will be available for family play sessions and will be checked out by families to take home for the month, enabling children to use the toys to reach their fullest potential through play.

We wanted to share them with you before we share them with our families, so you can get a glimpse into the toys we are most excited about, and hopefully you can get excited too!

You are Invited to Chicago Toy & Game Fair

Posted on October 27, 2015

The National Lekotek Center is proud to collaborate with the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTAG) -- the premier destination for a hands-on experience of the hottest toys and games of the holiday season - -to host a special event for families who have children with special needs. The Lekotek Super Power Sensory Hour will take place from 9am-10am on Saturday, November 21st and Sunday, November 22nd. ChiTAG will take place at the Navy Pier Festival Hall. For questions not answered by the flyer, contact Ahren Hoffman at 773-528-5766 ext.401 or [email protected]

Six Developmental Toys for Your Child’s First Toy Box

Posted on October 27, 2015

Welcoming a new baby into your life is an exciting and sometimes confusing time full of equal parts laughter and late nights. Preparing for a child involves a lot of logistics, including baby furniture, clothes, various baby products ranging from tubs to teethers, and of course…toys. One aspect that is not to be overlooked is play products for young infants. Why does a child need to play? Source: Friendship Circle Special Needs Resource Blog, October 2015

Out with the Old, In with the New

Posted on October 21, 2015

Kids are not the only ones who have to clean up their rooms. Twice a year the National Lekotek Center rolls up our sleeves, flexes our muscles, puts down our toys and well…we pick up more toys. We do all of this because we want to share with our Lekotek affiliates across the U.S.A. and it just might be the most fun heavy lifting in the history of humanity!

10 Halloween Safety Tips for Children with Special Needs

Posted on October 20, 2015

Halloween can be a fun time, but it also has an element of scariness about it for both kids and their parents. Here are ten tips to make sure your child enjoys this holiday and stays safe at the same time.

Toying With Learning

Posted on October 9, 2015

It’s that time of the year again! Kids are back in school. Backpacks are zipped, pencils are sharpened, but there is one more thing that needs to be added to the shopping list. Toys! Toys can help children develop basic skills upon which almost all early childhood education rests; skills from reading and math, to social awareness and manners. These critical areas will set your child up to not only thrive inside the classroom, but enjoy learning too! Source: Parenting Special Needs, September/October 2015

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