They have all the bells and whistles, safety features, smooth edges and brightly coloured exteriors. No, it's not the latest fleet of luxury cars rolling off an assembly line but the huge variety of educational and special needs toys found in catalogues and shops.
Until recently, good quality educational toys were expensive and difficult to locate. However, increased competition and public demand means children may learn without financially breaking their parents.
The Education Show Ireland 1999 at the RDS last weekend revealed some of the choice now available.
The Magic Lamp, which claims the title of "Ireland's first educational toy catalogue", provides mail order delivery of 1,000 products with 150 suitable for children with special needs.
According to catalogue literature, "in prelaunch research we discovered that parents of special children, together with teaching and nursing professionals, have genuine difficulty sourcing suitable toys in Ireland. We responded to this challenge by providing 150 items designed specifically to assist motivation, co-ordination and concentration, while also providing play value."
Items from the 95-page catalogue may be paid for in full, or in weekly or monthly installments.
When purchasing from an agent, payments may be spread over 38 weeks or over 10 months by direct debit making them slightly less expensive. Therefore, when purchasing a Big Top Picnic Table directly, customers pay the full price of £54.99. Payment through 10 direct debits is charged at £5.49 a month, totalling £54.90 (plus bank debit charge), while 38 weekly payments are £1.44 each, totalling £54.72.
Delivery charges are another pleasant surprise. The catalogue vows: "No matter how large your order, we will endeavour to deliver to any address in the Republic of Ireland for £4."
Discounts are available for companies, schools, childcare facilities and hospitals. The Magic Lamp's customer service department provides advice on the most suitable toy for a child but if you cannot decide, gift vouchers are also available.
The downside is that some of the products may be more expensive than similar items found in retail shops. Although the educational value is questionable in products like Gooey Louie, whose brains pop out when the special gooey gets picked, most of the toys and games will contribute either to learning, entertaining, or distracting your children.
Catalogues are not the only option for educational products. Many retailers offer educational items - products designed for special needs children - or indicate mainstream toys suitable for certain disabilities.
Formative Fun in Blanchardstown offers an excellent "Formative Fun Special Needs Supplement". The brochure details developmental problems associated with specific disabilities and offers product suggestions. For example, a black and white foam product is helpful for both the visually impaired and young babies because they can only see high contrast patterns.
Since opening a shop here in 1996, Formative Fun has also sold directly to special needs schools and special interest groups while offering them a 10 per cent discount.
Owner Mr Brian Ingerald tries to make his catalogue user-friendly to consumers with special needs interests. "For example, baby products are things which can also be used by older children with disabilities. We notate such items in our brochure with `SP'," he said.
Despite such efforts by retailers and manufacturers, some special needs items are still more expensive than mainstream toys. "Anything with `special' stuck on it tends to be more expensive. Manufacturers should be looking at inclusive designs, toy designs for all," says Mr Donie O'Shea, manager of the National Disability Resource Centre on North Great George's Street.
For example, if a toy featuring a bell is redesigned to include a flashing light or vibration, then it suits hearing-impaired children.
Toys appropriate for special needs children featured in various catalogues and retail outlets include products with a variety of features, including colours, textures, movement and most importantly, low effort for large reward.
Touch and Tell wooden pegs and board with textures and colours suitable for the partially sighted is available form Formative Fun in Blanchardstown for £14.99.
The Pathfinder, which allows children to pull multi-coloured balls along a pre-set course, is good for development of hand/eye co-ordination and costs £29.99 from Formative Fun.
One of the most common items suitable for all children is a Loopie or Tubie that features a series of tubes attached to a wooden board. Children pass brightly coloured balls into them and watch them move through the tube.
The Helter Skelter Loopie is available for £96.50 sterling (#145) and Two Loopie Wall Panel is £150 sterling from Step by Step.
For advice on toys appropriate for special needs children, contact Mr Donie O'Shea or Ms Emer Lynch at the National Disability Resource Centre, 44 North Great George's Street, Dublin 2, (01) 874 7503, e-mail: nrbdrc@nrb.iol.ie.
