DISABILITY CATEGORY                 RATING (1-5)
Physical                                      **
Sensory                                      ***
Communicative                             ***
Cognitive                                     ****

No parent wants to get their child a toy he won’t like or play with, but for parents of children with special needs toy shopping can be especially difficult.

A not-for-profit Web site, www.ableplay.org, looks to help those looking for a gift for a child with special needs. Parents can log on and search for toys by product category, age range, type of disability, brand and product name.

Each toy is rated on a scale of five stars in the physical, sensory, communicative and cognitive disability categories with detailed reviews under each category. The site also provides links for where to buy each rated toy.