PK Yonge’s robotics team hosts annual holiday “toy adapt-a-thon” event to make toys accessible to children with special needs

Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – This past week and weekend, the high school robotics team from P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School, FRC Team 4118: Roaring Riptide, held their annual toy adapt-a-thon event, where they successfully switch-adapted 26 new toys (up from 10 in the previous year) such as talking dinosaurs, Nerf Guns, My Pal Scouts, and bubble blowers. These toys will be provided to local schools, families, and children at UF Shands Children’s Rehab Center who may have difficulty interacting with the toys without the addition of adaptive devices.
As part of this event, the robotics team collaborated with the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences occupational therapy graduate program. Earlier in November, the high school team held a workshop with the graduate students to teach them how to build accessible “raindrop” switches, which were then paired with the toys adapted at the holiday event. During this holiday “toy hack” event, the high school students taught the soon-to-be occupational therapists how to use switches, headphone-style jacks, and large buttons to make off-the-shelf toys such as talking dinosaurs, Nerf Guns, My Pal Scouts, and bubble blowers into accessible toys.
Roaring Riptide: FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 4118 was founded in 2011 at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School in Gainesville, and though they’ve had many successes as a team, they’re most proud of their work in Assistive Technology.
Assistive Technology, also referred to as AT, is any device that improves the quality of life for people with disabilities. Students on the robotics team make the toys accessible using easy-to-press external buttons that connect to the toy via a headphone jack-style connection.

Adapting a toy requires the use of processes such as reverse engineering, 3D printing, and soldering to attach an external button or buttons to toys instead of relying only on the original, standard buttons or switches located inside of the toy, which some children may not have the dexterity to access. These toys can have a great impact on members of our community; without them, they may miss out on important parts of their education and early life.
Leah Carter, an occupational therapy student who participated in the “toy hack” event, said, “Play is fundamental to a child’s development, especially the aspects of social interaction and emotional regulation. Many of these children have never had fully-accessible interactive toys, so these toys are both incredibly special and beneficial to the children.”
Team Lead Joseph Santiago said, “My favorite thing about adapting toys and working on AT projects is seeing the look of wonder and excitement in kids’ eyes when they’re able to interact with their toys through the use of our accessible button switch AT solution.”

Since the launch of their #FIRSTwithAT initiative, the team has created over 20 individualized assistive devices, provided over 600 adapted toys, gained support and recognition from four local college student organizations, and is now a formal chapter of the international organization Makers Making Change. Through their AT work, students have contributed over 4,500 team hours to promote STEAM education and assistive technology outreach.
Funding to purchase supplies for the event, as well as new toys, gift wrap, and other items was supported by Florida Credit Union, Batteries Plus, 5-Star Pizza Gainesville, and Publix.