Upcoming workshop on designing innovative toys for people with special needs
“Toy Design and Inclusive Playâ€
Designing Innovative Toys for People with Special Needs
Invitation to join International Creativity Workshop in Bavaria, Germany
Play is crucial for all children, helping them to develop skills and to learn patterns of behaviour. Also for adults with special needs, materials for play and activity are an important aspect of everyday accomplishment, affirmation and interaction with other people.
The 17th International Creativity Workshop of the association Fördern durch Spielmittel e. V. (“Support and Challenge through Toysâ€) will be held from 28th February to 15th March, 2013, in Altdorf – Rummelsberger Dienste in Bavaria, Germany. The aim of the international and interdisciplinary Creativity Workshop is to develop new toys for children and adults who are in need of special assistance. Great emphasis will also be put on the development of toys and play materials for senior citizens.
For two weeks, participants will be in close contact with people with disabilities, learning directly and practically from their skills and needs, and in addition becoming inspired by this process so as to view the users as equal partners in future development processes. In close contact and communication with the children and adults it will be possible to develop wholly new toys, which bring pleasure, are adapted to various different needs and in addition assist in the development of sensory, motor and communication skills.
Designers, therapists, toy experts, teachers working with disabled children, architects, people with special needs and students are invited to apply to participate in the Creativity workshops. The workshops are co-located with live/work spaces of people with special needs engaging participants in direct observation and engagement, to then develop toys for these observed.
Participation is free, some travel grants are available. Deadline for application is 17.12.2012.
Application materials: in English – in German
Disclosure: The conference organiser is Siegfried Zoels who is the father of Experientia partner Jan-Christoph Zoels.
