The Makers Making Change holiday toy hackathon was back in full swing this year thanks to our good friends at MakerspaceNYC and Second Chance Toys. Through the generous donation from Second Change Toys, we were able to adapt 15 toys and counting that were delivered to local public school students.
Toy adapting is the process of modifying a toy or game to be accessible to people with physical, cognitive, or sensory disabilities. This can include adding tactile elements, changing colors, or making the toy more durable. Adapted toys can help to promote social inclusion, boost self-esteem, and provide a sense of accomplishment for those with special needs. During our hackathon, we modified the toys to support switch access and managed to build a few 3D-printed switches to accompany the toys.
This year we had a wide range of volunteering organizations from Henry Viscardi, MakerspaceNYC members, Girl Scout Troop 2663, Adelphi University, and the NYU Ability Project.