Rehabmart offers many different types of Pediatric Assistive Technology Switches at discount prices. Visit our Assistive Technology Switches page to view the different products we have to offer!

Switch-adapted Fijit Friends for Special Needs Children

  

"PLAYING SHOULD BE FUN! In our great eagerness to teach our children we studiously look for 'educational' toys, games with built-in lessons, books with a "message." Often these 'tools' are less interesting and stimulating than the child's natural curiosity and playfulness. Play is by its very nature educational. And it should be pleasurable. When the fun goes out of play, most often so does the learning."   
                                                                                                     ~ Joanne E. Oppenheim, Kids and Play

Most of us learn from a very early age to explore our capabilities and our surroundings through the activities and experiences of play.  Toys not only teach us to have fun, but also to maintain our curiosity to continue learning. However, for many of our special needs children with limited fine motor skills and low muscle tone, having fun with the latest cool toy may not be an option.  Many of these special children cannot interact with battery-operated toys because the power switches are too small, and they may not have the strength and dexterity in their fingers to operate them.

Happily, these toys are now accessible to special needs children through the use of Switch Adapters.  A much larger switch can be plugged into the toy and become the toy's new switch, making it easier for the child to operate the toy.  Switch-adapted toys help our special needs children to bring play into their daily routine, and parents, therapists and teachers can build on the child's desire to experience fun by integrating these adapted toys into their therapy strategies.  Switch-adapted toys often have a very significant positive impact for developing strength, fine motor skills, range of motion, visual focus, cause and effect, and a better sense of control over environment.

Now your special child can enjoy one of the most popular toys of 2011:  Fijit Friends!  Rehabmart now offers these delightful and interactive Switch Adapted Fijit Friends Toys for children who can't handle regular on/off switches.  Intended for girls, Fijit Friends are electronic robots that dance, move, talk and respond to voice and touch.  There are four friends; Serafina, Willa, Logan and Sage, all complete with their own color and personality. Fijits stand 8.6 inches tall, weigh about 1.6 pounds, and have a uniquely soft and squishy body that make them the perfect friends to carry, cuddle, hug and tickle! Their bright and colorful faces light up when they're interacting with your child, and the elastic quality of their skin make their movements look natural...and fidgety.

  

When your child uses her adapted switch, her Fijit Friend comes to life and interacts through voice and touch. When first switched on, the Fijit will ask, "What do you want to do now?" This is called the 'home' mode and indicates she is ready to have fun and interact with your child.  Her belly button also lights up when she is in home mode to indicate that she is listening to your child. Being able to respond intuitively to your child is what makes the Fijit Friends so impressive.  Fijits can recognize 30 keywords and respond in a way that makes the conversation seem real and natural with over 150 phrases.  If your child says, "Do you want to chat?", the Fijit will reply with, "You betcha!".  And when your beautiful little princess says, "How do I look?", the Fijit will check her out and then answer, "Looking good!".

Fijit Friends always respond in a supportive and positive manner, helping to teach your child self-esteem and self-worth. Fijits also love telling jokes, interacting with your child on knock-knock jokes and they love to laugh.  They were also born to dance!  They each have a beat detection and will dance in rhythm to any external music when your child commands, "Dance with me."  They can wobble their heads and ears, twist and move in time to the music, even bowing when the music is over. In addition, they love to sing and come with four songs of their own.  Your child can ask, "Give me a rap," and her Fijit Friend will start rapping away! Fijits will also go to sleep when commanded, so your child can cuddle with her friend all night long.

Switch-adapted toys allow children with special needs to experience fun while they learn and play. And now they can enjoy all the cool toys that other kids love by using these adaptive switches.  Fijit Friends and many of the other toys that Rehabmart sells are permanently adapted, but switches are sold separately.  Be sure to check out the large, varied and delightful array of switches available at: Pediatric Assistive Technology Switches.

Carol Koenigsknecht, Medical Consumer Writer
and
Hulet Smith, OT
Rehabmart Team Leader & CEO