Representation Station: Disability Inclusive Children’s Toys
By: Rebecca Kuntz
Continuing with our Representation Station series, today we bring you three kids toys and brands that have the representation of disability to help show kids that disability is natural and part of everyday life. We hope if you have a child, or are a teacher, that you would check out these toys and consider adding them to your home or classroom!
Hot Wheels Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham
In 2018 the big name brand Hot Wheels unveiled the first ever wheelchair toy, sized the same as a matchbox car, the first of its kind. From the widespread success and love for the adaptive toy, in 2022 the company released a remote-controlled wheelchair toy based on the sports icon Aaron “Wheelz” Fotheringham. Aaron is a five-time Wheelchair Motocross World Champion and Paralympic athlete and is most well known for his daredevil flips and tricks in his green and black wheelchair. The Hot Wheels Wheelz toy can bring adaptive fun into your living room doing wheelies and catapulting off the ramp replicating Aaron’s high-flying jumps.
Image Description: An image shows a controller, the green packaging, and the the figure of the Hot Wheels Remote Controlled Aaron Wheelz Wheelie Chair toy.
Enabling Devices
For the last 45 years Enabling Devices has been creating sensory and adaptive toys for use at home, school, and in the community. They sell a wide range of toys ranging from colorful light up bubble tubes, sensory rocking chairs, to AAC supports, to switch adapted singing Mickey and Minnie dolls. Their toys allow children with disabilities to meaningfully play and engage with their siblings and peers due to their adaptive nature. Any item from Enabling Devices would be a great addition to a home or classroom to provide play opportunities to all children and students.
Image Description: A child sits on a clear, inflatable, rocking chair with navy blue accents.
Lego Friends
In 2022 the world renown company Lego conducted a study where they surveyed over thirty thousand parents and over twenty thousand children aged 5 to 12. This survey resulted in an overwhelming desire for more representation in play and discussion on diversity and inclusion. Thus, a new Lego Friends series was created. This new series includes a Pancake Shop with a wheelchair using employee, a city bus that has a wheelchair ramp and character who uses a mobility scooter, a super cool skate park including a wheelchair-using athlete, and a grocery store that features a shopper who has a prosthetic leg. By placing these disabled characters in popular Lego sets, the company is showing children that disability is a natural part of daily life.
Image Description: A Lego play set that includes an accessible city bus and bus stop is set up. A character using a scooter gets off of the bus's ramp as another waits to get on, and another fills the bus with gas.
For more in our Representation Station series, check out our posts on children’s and adult tv shows, adaptive clothing for children and toys that represent disability.
About the Author: Rebecca Kuntz is currently The Nora Project’s Program Coordinator and has been working on TNP’s curriculum and programs for the last five years. She is the mom to two disabled children and wife to a pediatric physical therapist and enjoys connecting families with inclusive resources.
Never miss a post! Subscribe to the Nora Notes blog and get the latest delivered straight to your inbox weekly.