EMI Toys

The Blocks and pop-up enclosures are recommended play toys for the EMI. Similar toys with equivelant functions were used in its initial development. The normative data used for decision making represent children’s movement while playing with these toys. For purchase information view our EMI Toy Purchasing Information.

Toys were screened and selected based on their ability to engage children’s interest and evoke their movement skills. Additionally important criteria for selecting these toys included safety, common availability in child care settings, purchase availability, and suitability for use by the entire age range (birth to 3 years). Additionally, we rejected toys that did not meet these criteria (for example, too often evoked sitting and exploration rather than gross movement

Warning: Children will often explore toys by putting them in their mouth. So, it is always important to maintain close supervision of children (birth - 3 yrs) when playing with these and any toys to avoid potential choking hazards. Also, be sure to inspect all toys before and after they are used and discard broken, chipped, or loose pieces, torn or damaged material, and any other pieces with potentially harmful defects.

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Pop-up-style enclosures: These type of toys are typically made of a flexible nylon enclosure, similar to the bus and "Big Burger Drive Thru" on the right. Playhut and Time-to-Play offer several different styles of these enclosures. They are characterized by a door that children can walk through, and window(s) for them to explore inside and outside the enclosure. For safety reasons, there is no attached floor. In addition to crawling through, children may stand up in the enclosures, open and close the nylon doors, and look out the windows. Like the blocks, you may add balls to the house for children to roll/throw in and out of the enclosure,which encourages movement in and around the toy.

Blocks and Balls: Made by Step2, this set of blocks can be purchased with 40-65 foam rubber blocks of various sizes, colors, and shapes. Using these blocks, children will build structures, which they ultimately enjoy knockingdown by walking through them, using another block, or balls (sold separately). Add at least three balls of similar size (one small, medium, and large) to the blocks. Ensure that the balls can be easily cleaned with antiseptic wipes and that they are largeenoughto avoid a choking hazard. See the EMI administration instructions (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader) for additional information, including recommendations on how to use the toys during an observation, and how to modify the toys for children with sensory impairments.