Hasbro, Inc., known as the creator of the beloved Mr. Potato Head, Play-Doh and Connect 4, is releasing a series of online videos and other tools to help children with disabilities effectively engage with toys--and with other children.

The project, “ToyBox Tools”, “is designed to help kids learn what each toy is all about, how to put the item together and presents children with alternative ways to engage independently or with peers,” according to an article on DisabilityScoop.com.

“Hasbro’s fundamental mission is to bring joy and play to children and their families around the world,” said Hasbro’s official website. “But for some children play can be challenging. For children with a developmental disability, play isn’t always accessible out of the box, relegating countless toys to the back of the closet or the donation bin. More importantly, the joy and benefits that play can bring, the connection between peers, siblings and other generations may be lost.”

The initiative, the article said, “emerged from employees at Hasbro concerned that kids with developmental disabilities were losing out on valuable opportunities to connect with others through play, the company said.”

“Believing that we could do more, a passionate group of Hasbro employees from across the Company, came together to team up with Autism Project – a long term philanthropic partner of the Hasbro Children’s Fund, to figure out a way to help,” said Hasbro’s site.

The team, Hasbro said, “learned that many classic Hasbro toys were being widely used by teachers and occupational therapists working in the field and that they were creating their own supportive play tools which provided structure that is critical to the way certain children manipulate concepts to help them understand play.”

The program is available online for free, and “Hasbro officials described the effort as a pilot program and said they will continue to refine the tools.”

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Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor