RePlay for Kids provides adapted toys for children with disabilities

RePlay for Kids believes every child deserves to play with toys fit for their abilities — and at a recent event co-hosted with the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities, 189 adapted toys and 60 switches were given away to help children in our community do just that.

Medina-based RePlay for Kids is a nonprofit with a team of volunteers who repair, adapt and distribute toys and assistive devices for children with disabilities throughout 11 counties in Northeast Ohio. Its services are offered at no cost for organizations that provide medical, educational or recreational resources.

Representatives from different Stark County agencies, mostly therapists and teachers, attended the event in November and selected adapted toys appropriate for the students they work with. They chose from plush toys, remote controlled cars, action figures and musical or light-up toys that had all been adapted by volunteers.

Many service organizations purchase specially adapted toys and assistive devices to aid children with disabilities, but due to the limited market, these items are significantly more expensive than their mainstream counterparts.

These agencies have limited resources and often cannot afford to replace broken toys or assistive devices, lack the personnel with technical knowledge and do not have the time to modify and repair these devices. RePlay for Kids provides the organizations with free toys and repair and modification services, increasing the number of functioning toys and assistive devices available for children.

Most volunteers are involved with the organization in three ways:

• In toy adapting workshops, volunteers of any skill level are taught how to adapt mainstream, battery-powered toys by placing a switch cable in parallel with the original switch — allowing the toy to be operated by a variety of alternative switches that can be plugged into the added cable.
• In toy repair workshops, volunteers provide free repair services for agencies, replacing external switches, broken wires or corroded battery terminals to bring toys, assistive devices, communication aids and educational devices back to life. 
• In the RePlay Ride-On Program, volunteers adapt ride-on cars, like Power Wheels, for children with disabilities so that the foot pedal is replaced with a more accessible option, like a large plate switch on top of the steering wheel that the child can push to make the car go. These adaptations also involve installing safety supports like a seat belt, trunk support and side rails, all allowing the child to experience independent movement, increase cognitive skills and improve socialization.

For one family, the Ride-On Program gave brothers — one with a disability and one without — the chance to play together.

After first using a ride-on car during therapy at the Cleveland Clinic, a patient’s mother purchased a Power Wheels car for them to have at home. RePlay for Kids adapted it with a large button and added supportive seating, allowing her one son the option of safely controlling the car himself. His brother loves joining the fun — helping steer with a remote and cruising around together.

Young children learn through play and social interaction, which teaches them to relate to others and interact with their environment. For many children with disabilities, playing with toys is a critical step in learning alternative communication skills and cause-and-effect relationships. Limitations in strength and coordination often prevent them from using mainstream toys, and adapted toys are often incorporated into their physical therapy treatment plans.

“A child’s occupation is play,” said Kristen Quicci, Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities director of early intervention and nursing. “The availability of these adapted toys helps grow the personhood of children with disabilities through their enjoyment and interactions.”

In 2025, RePlay for Kids has hosted nearly 92 workshops, involved 1,674 volunteers and adapted or repaired over 2,600 toys. Overall, its services have saved agencies and families over $1,433,000 in the past 10 years.

The organization is always accepting donations of battery operated toys and AA and AAA batteries. Businesses or community groups interested in hosting a workshop to adapt toys can contact Natalie Wardega, RePlay for Kids director of operations, at natalie@replayforkids.org or visit www.replayforkids.org.