Christmas Toy Drive

'Tis the season! Join us this Christmas season in giving back to the community. 

Birth to 3 is a federally funded program to support families of children with disabilities under the age of three.  Kennady had an occupational therapist that came to the house weekly to take part in creative play, stretching, and sensory stimulation.  She helped us create unique ways for Kennady to play since many of the "age appropriate" toys were too heavy or out of reach.  This therapy helped  decrease the risk of contractures(joint shortening) that can result from SMA.  Since SMA does not affect the brain, we were able to stimulate Kennady's brain to develop appropriately despite some of her physical limitations.  These therapists often spend their own money to bring joy to the children they care for. Each week Kennady would get a new toy, brought by her therapist, as "homework" to stimulate her body and brain in a new way.

Help fill our Santa bag with toys to benefit the children of Birth to 3.  Be creative!  Here are some suggestions for toys that benefited Kennady:

- Toys that are light weight

- Cause-and-effect toys to stimulate the mind

- Toys with music & lights

- Art supplies (coloring books, paints, markers)

- Stickers

- DVDs (Tangled was Kennady's favorite.)

- Vibrating toys (These can be used to stimulate muscles in the arms/legs.)

- Beanie babies (Small stuffed animals that can be creatively used for positioning.)

- Books

- Toys with scents

- Toys with different textures ( These stimulate the senses and brain.)

- Playmats

- Play gyms

- Rubber balls

- Fisher Price laugh and learn puppy

- Crayola Glow Dome

- Animal toys ( Like cat toys, these often have various textures and are light weight.)

- Gift cards to use towards shopping for special toys (Examples of places we have gotten special toys are: Target, Walmart, Kmart, Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Kohls, Walgreens, Michaels, etc)

If you would like to participate in our Christmas Toy Drive for Birth to 3, gifts can be dropped off at our back door anytime of the day, or sent in the mail. We will be dropping toys off Friday, December 23. Thank you all for your continued support!

For more information on Birth to 3, please visit this website: Birth to 3 

*We ask for toys to be new and unwrapped so they can be distributed appropriately. Thank you!

Any questions can be sent to erin@kennadysdream.org