The Bugzi and Switch Adapted Toy team (previously MERU) designs and manufactures products with the help of dedicated volunteers. The team work with families, individuals, health and social care professionals and other organisations to ensure that all their products are designed for purpose.
Switch Adapted Toys
The Bugzi & Adapted Toy team adapt battery operated toys so that they are accessible to children who use push button switches as a means of access. Switch adapted toys provide a motivation for children to learn about cause and effect and develop motor control skills. The switch-adapted range includes a wide variety of age-appropriate toys like unicorns, llamas and penguins, plus multiplayer toys such as Scalextric cars which allow children to play alongside siblings or other family members.
Ready-made products
The Bugzi & Adapted Toy team produce a range of ready-made disability products that are all inspired by requests received from families. The range includes the Groovz arm guides and the versatile Flexzi mounting range. Flexzi mounts position iPads, switches, cameras, and now Xbox Adaptive Controllers for optimal access, attaching easily to wheelchairs, desks, and beds.
The income we receive from the sale of our ready-made items is used to fund our free charitable services and to develop new product designs and services.
Adapt your own toys
Got a battery operated, much-loved toy you want to adapt? Our team can do that for you.
Our toy adaptation programme is aimed at making simple toys that help very young children to learn about cause and effect more accessible. It may seem like a small thing for a child to be able to press a button and make a toy sing or perform some other action, but the first realisation that ‘if I do this, then this happens’ is a crucial part of development, and accessible toys brings big smiles to tiny faces.
Bugzi Loan Scheme
Bugzi gives very young disabled children the chance to move independently – often for the first time – and is an excellent learning tool for acquiring control and cause and effect skills. We manufacture Bugzi, a small powered wheelchair suitable for children under 5 that we loan out for free across the UK. We work with partners around the UK to provide Bugzi assessments close to home.
