The document compares the VTech Chomp & Count Dino and VTech Pull & Learn Alphagator toys. It finds that both toys receive high ratings of 4-5 out of 5 for durability & safety, engagement, and mobility, with Alphagator receiving a slightly higher mobility rating of 5. Both toys receive a resilience rating of 3. The document also reviews literature on factors like durability, engagement, mobility and resilience in selecting developmentally appropriate toys.

1. Vtech Toy Comparsion
Emileigh Juda & Marissa Donovan

2. VTech Chomp & Count Dino (Ages 12 months - 3 years)
Equipped with 130+ songs, melodies, and phrases
Stimulates conversation with built-in questions and responses
Five shape buttons
Introduces colors
Provides eight vibrant food pieces to feed the dino

3. VTECH Pull & learn Alphagator (Ages 12 months - 4 years)
● 26 letters of the alphabet teaches letters
and phonics
● Numerous learning activities that show
words, animals, and sounds
● “Silly Sentence Game” teaches alliteration
● Pull string activates light up tail & moves
his head
● More than 125 sounds, phrases &
melodies

4. Evaluation matrix
Dino Alphagator
Durability & Safety 4 4
Engagement 5 5
Mobility 4 5
Toy Resilience 3 3
Evaluated on a scale of 1-5: 1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest.

5. Engagement level
● Effects of an experimenter-delivered
choice-making procedure. Three
nonambulatory and partially
ambulatory preschoolers were given
access to six teacher-nominated
preferred toys in two conditions: child
choice and interventionist choice.
● Results showed that children were
comparably engaged with the toys in
both conditions.
● Results are discussed in terms of
implementing choice procedures with
very young children with severe
disabilities.
(Liso, 2009)
Durability & safety
● If a toy is going to be used heavily by many
children, the material that they toy is made of
has a major impact on durability &
appearance
● Important to pay attention to testing
information if it is available on the toy
● Strong woods, sturdy fabrics, heavyweight
plastics, quality hair on dolls, industrial quality
casters, & baked-on finish on metal parts
(Neugebauer, 1997)
● Does the toy fit with the child's size and
strength? Does it have moisture resistance?
Are the toy and its parts sized appropriately?
Can it be washed and cleaned?
(Toys R. US, 2017)

6. Toy resilience
mobilityCan be used for years in a lot of different
ways
The child can use the toy to discover textures
and be able to explore/manipulate the toy
& its parts
When a child is older, they will be able to use
the toy in ways where the toy can adapt to
their changing development
(Neugebauer, 1997)
Does it have adjustable height, sound
volume, speed and level of difficulty?
Will the toy be easy to store? Is there space
in the home? Can the toy be used in a
variety of positions such as side-lying or
on a wheelchair tray?
Does the toy respond with lights, sounds or
movement to engage the child? Are there
contrasting colors? Does it have a scent?
Is there texture?
(Toys R. US, 2017)

7. Sources
● Neugebauer, R. (1997, May). Guidelines for Purchasing Educational Toys. Retrieved March 7, 2017, from
http://teachers.olatheschools.com/jwilcoxsonhlc/files/2008/09/Guidelines-for-Purchasing-Educational-
Toys.pdf
● Liso, D. R. (2009). The Effects of Choice Making on Toy Engagement in Nonambulatory and Partially
Ambulatory Preschool Students. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education,30(2), 91-101.
doi:10.1177/0271121409344354
● US, T. R. (2017). Tips for Buying Toys. Retrieved March 07, 2017, from
https://www.toysrusinc.com/corporate-responsibility/parent-resources/tips-for-buying-toys