The NATIONAL therapeutic
LEKOTEK CENTER
offers
PLAY -based family sessions for families of
children with disabilities structured to help children learn, develop and thrive in a world that presents them with many unique and complex challenges.
TOYS and PLAY
are the vehicles used to provide
children with an understanding of and an ability to relate to the world around them.
PLAY
is also utilized to increase interactions within the
family, especially between siblings, and the community as a whole.
“When a child enters the realm of play, he also enters the realm of potential and possibilities. ”
www.lekotek.org • 773.528.5766 • lekotek@lekotek.org
TOP TEN QUESTIONS about Lekotek® 1. You guys make a big deal out of PLAY… why? Play provides the building blocks for children to reach physical, cognitive and social goals. The play experience nourishes the family by relieving stress and forging important emotional bonds.
2. Don’t all kids naturally know how to PLAY? Theoretically all children have an innate impulse to play, but it is often road blocked for a number of reasons. Children with disabilities often have to struggle to overcome physical, mental or social barriers to engage in the play experience.
3. Do you think PLAY sessions can offer more than traditional therapy? Our play sessions are not meant to take the place of traditional therapy but to enrich, enlarge and encourage the goals set forth for the child. Our play specialists often work very closely with other therapists in achieving developmental milestones.
4. Why involve the whole family in a PLAY session? Involving the whole family is a cornerstone of the Lekotek philosophy because the family unit has such great impact on the child. We are all social creatures by nature and it has been established that social health has significant effects on the physical, mental and emotional well being of the child.
5. Are you guys from Sweden? We are not Swedish, nor do we all have blonde hair, but you are right that the Lekotek concept is from Sweden. It was started there as a highly effective tool used in early childhood development. In 1980 two women visiting Sweden were so impressed with this therapy model that they brought it back to the U. S.
6. We heard you guys have a Toy Library, what is that? As one of our founders stated, “We fit the toy to the learning needs of the children just as a physician prescribes a specific drug for a patient.” Lekotek involves empowering families to continue to utilize toys and play after a play session. Some of the adaptive toys we lend out are very expensive and this is a great economic relief to families.
7. Where did you get the name Lekotek? Again, we need to go back to our Swedish roots. ‘Lek’ is Swedish for toy and ‘tek’ means library.
8. Is your organization national? Over our 32 year history, Lekotek has overseen over 60 national affiliates and conducted over 1.5 million play sessions in 8 states. The Lekotek model operates independently and also within other structures such as hospitals and community health organizations.
9. What other things does Lekotek do?
In addition to our advocacy and educational efforts, we also offer family support, professional toy lending and training. Lekotek is also a resource for companies interested in reaching children with special needs through our consulting and product evaluation services.
10. What can I do to help?
We are a nonprofit 501(c)3, so monetary or in-kind donations are tax deductible. Any toy donations from companies allow us to pass these along to our affiliates. Volunteers, interns and fundraisers are valued and appreciated AND we appreciate YOUR time in learning more about us!!!