FairPlay
About FairPlay
Welcome to FairPlay, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to making play accessible for children with disabilities.
We know that most toys on the market aren't accessible, and those that are can be financially out of reach. As a result, many homes, classrooms, clinics, and other spaces lack the accessible play options needed for all children to be included in playtime.
FairPlay is working to solve this problem. Our multidisciplinary team of healthcare workers and engineers adapts toys to be accessible for children with disabilities and provide free training to help others do the same. We believe in the transformative impact of play, and we’re committed to ensuring that every child has access to toys that can help them develop and grow.
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Programs
Our Adaptive Toy Libraries provide children with disabilities the opportunity to experience the joy of independent play. Typically including 3-10 switch-adaptive toys, our toy libraries are a vital resource for child-focused facilities such as schools, clinics, and daycare centers. Our toy libraries are available at-cost or at no charge, removing financial barriers so that every child has the opportunity to learn, play and grow. Since 2020, we have provided over 50 facilities with a variety of accessible toys. Reach out to our team to learn more about how we can support your facility here.
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Through our Toy Accessibility Workshops, we seek to teach parents, educators, and clinicians the skills needed to adapt off-the-shelf toys. By teaching participants how to adapt toys themselves, we provide an affordable alternative to purchasing pre-adapted toys. Our workshops are offered both in-person and online via Zoom and are open to participants across the globe. Join us in our mission of making play more accessible by signing up for a workshop.
History
FairPlay was born out of necessity when our founder, a speech-language pathology graduate student, realized that pediatric clients at Vanderbilt University's therapy clinic were in need of accessible toys. With the help of several local engineers and assistive technology professionals, she and her colleagues set out to create an accessible toy library for Vanderbilt's pediatric clients to use, and hosted a workshop for parents, clinicians and students to learn how to adapt toys to be accessible to children with disabilities. Quickly realizing the need for accessible toys extended well beyond Nashville, TN, FairPlay was founded to tackle this issue on a larger scale. Today, we continue to expand our reach and impact, offering a variety of programs and initiatives to empower children through play.
Impact
Since 2020, FairPlay has provided over 50 facilities with a variety of accessible toys, providing accessible play for over 3,200 children per year. Having hosted 15 workshops and partnered with several universities, our team has taught over 300 individuals around the world the basics of toy adaptation.
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