Rehabmart offers many different types of stimulus reward toys at discount prices. Visit our pediatric stimulus reward switch toys page to view the different products we have to offer!

 

Cause and Effect Happiness with a Stimulus Reward Toy


Positive reinforcement is one way to motivate children, and most people in general, to achieve a specific goal.  This is a cause and effect type of operation, or more specifically, Operant Conditioning or Skinner's Principles of Reinforcement.

Basically, operant conditioning is a form of learning in which a physical act can come to be controlled by a consequence.  It happens all the time in everyday life, for example, going to an ATM machine, punching in a code, and money appearing through a slot.  It feels so good you want to do it again.  Another example is pushing the 'On' button on the TV remote and the television turns on to the football game.  A person learns that by pushing a certain button (physical act), it will reward them with being able to view a football game (the positive consequence).  The same goes for pushing a certain code into an ATM machine which will produce the desired outcome, money.

Operant conditioning can also be a negative reinforcement, for example, driving a car over the posted speed limit can bring a consequence of receiving a speeding ticket, or worse. 

Operant conditioning is used in many different ways and by many different companies and organizations, especially within the world of children.  Like snowflakes, every child is different.  They look different, they act different, they sound different, and they learn at a different pace.  Sometimes children need to be stimulated or rewarded so they can continue to be attentive and feel good about themselves. 

A child in Kindergarten will receive verbal praise from the teacher when using paste and paper the correct way.  A 2nd grade child will get a gold star on his forehead for a deed well done and a 6th grade child can take home his report card full of 'A's' because of his diligence and study.  Some younger children or children with some learning disabilities will enjoy the immediate gratification of pushing a button and enjoying the response to their 'work' of button pushing.  RehabMart can offer schools and homes a way to start children on the path of learning can be fun with a number of interactive pediatric positive stimulus reward toys.

Bubbles, bubbles everywhere!  It can be so with the Switch Adapted Cartoon Bubble Blower Toys!  Let the child activate the capability switch, or push a big button, and thousands of bubbles will be blown about by their favorite characters of Dora, Diego, and Sponge Bob. 
                      From library.rehabmart.com            From library.rehabmart.com
 
These toys can work with or without a pediatric stimulus reward capability switch and come with special character bubble wands and four ounces of bubble solution.
 
Sometimes bubbles can be just too exciting for children when it is time to take a nap, especially when a child doesn't want to take a nap, but this can change with the Sleepy Dreams Dora Adapted Switch Toy .  When a child presses the stimulus reward capability switch, Dora will sing a lullaby and also recite bedtime phrases in both English and Spanish.  
         
From library.rehabmart.com
 
This Dora doll is soft and cuddly and when she lies down to take a nap with the child; Dora's eyes will also close.  Dora also brings her own hairbrush and "My Bedtime Adventure' book to the naptime.
 
After naptime is over, it is time to get stimulated again and a good way to do that is with a police car!  For a naptime well done, a nice reward would be to learn what happens to the Switch Adapted Spin and Go Police Toy car when a green button is pressed on a large, easy to use remote device.  
                 
From library.rehabmart.com
 
When the button is pressed, the police car will go in the direction that the policeman faces.  The child will also learn that the police car will stop when the yellow button is pressed.  The toy can also be used with a pediatric stimulus capability reward switch.
 
After all of the excitement of playing cops and robbers, now is the time for the child to learn to relax again.  This can be done with the LED Cube Switch Activated Toy.  
           
From library.rehabmart.com
 
This mesmerizing toy works by pressing and holding a capability switch whereas the child will be rewarded with 64 LED lights in an animated 3D light show with music.  The ever changing patterns are both mesmerizing and engaging.

Many of these toys work with or without a capability switch.  These capability switches allow the physically challenged user to activate these toys and some of the switches contain special cause and effect options such as lights, vibration, and/or music.

So by the simple act of learning a requested physical act (pushing a button), a child will enjoy a positive experience, or consequence, and will want to do it again.  This learning process can start with these types of toys and then advance from there.  As a child grows into adulthood, he will face many types of negative reinforcements during his life but while in the days of naps and games, a little positive reinforcement can go a long way.

To view the more than 170 other reward toys, place the computer mouse and push the mouse button over the Pediatric Stimulus Reward Switch Toys page and be rewarded with many different and fun toys.


Bill Stock
Library Editor for Rehabmart
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO