By mixing engineering with community service, the Toy Adaption Program: Connection for Expansion is a group of engineering students that provides modified toys for children with special needs.
While most toys you will find at Wal-Mart or Target are designed for the common child, some children with special needs are unable to operate a given toy because of physical impairment. By making a few modifications, such as changing a switch to a button, TAP makes toys that any child can play with.
Elizabeth Riter, program manager and founder of TAP, said the program arrived on campus in 2013 after a former student of hers contacted her about the idea, which sprung from a similar organization — Replay for Kids in Medina, Ohio. The former student had gone through a toy adaptation workshop with Replay for Kids and proposed bringing it to OSU with the purpose to apply engineering outside of the classroom, Riter said.
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Each Tuesday is EducationTuesday here at Adafruit! Be sure to check out our posts about educators and all things STEM. Adafruit supports our educators and loves to spread the good word about educational STEM innovations!