Therapy apparel (10) is provided to assist in therapy sessions with children diagnosed with sensory integration dysfunction and impaired motor development. The apparel (10) includes a fabric top (14) to be worn over the shoulders and trunk of a child (12), together with a cape (16) and close-fitting headgear (18). The top (14) has fanciful theme decorations (e.g., a beetle) and is equipped with a series of flexible elastic straps for the feet, knees and hands of the child (12) and which can be used during a therapy session. The cape (18) is likewise theme-decorated and includes handholds (84) allowing the child (12) to spread the cape during imaginative play. The headgear (18) is constructed using padded side and sections (104, 106) with flexible elastic sections (108) between the sections (104, 106), and a chin strap (110) allowing the headgear (18) to be drawn into close conforming relationship with the child's head. A series of individual accouterments (114) can be placed on the headgear at the discretion of the child.

A hugging toy includes a figure having flexible, sleeve-like limbs providing passages for receiving the arms of a person within the limbs to enable the figure to be drawn into juxtaposition with the person, with the limbs wrapped about the person, the passages each having an entry opening for receiving an arm of the person within the passage, and an exit opening for exposing a hand of the person so as to establish a simulated mutual hugging arrangement between the figure and the person.

Described is a child's toy that is useful for assisting a child in imaginative play. The toy of the present invention has two primary embodiments: a sock mounted embodiment and a shoe mounted embodiment. The sock-mounted embodiment comprises a sock and a sock-attachable foot. The shoe-mounted embodiment comprises a shoe harness and a shoe attachable foot. The sock (or shoe) attachable foot is preferably an animal foot (most preferably a pair of feet). Preferably, the sock attachable foot is a replication of a complete foot, but may only be a replication of a top portion of a foot section. The bottom of each sock-attachable foot is designed to attach to a topside of a sock or shoe-attachment harness to be worn, or is simultaneously worn, by a child. There are several preferred sock mounted foot designs, among which are duck's feet, dinosaur feet, monkey feet, chicken feet, monster feet, and the like.

The costume is representative of a character having a head, a body section, and at least two legs. The body section and the legs have a common interior space that is adapted to admit a wearer's lower body section and legs. A pair of false limbs is affixed to a rear of the costume so that they depend downward and forward toward a front of the costume when in use to provide an illusion that when donned the wearer is being carried by the costume character. The character's head is supported in an upright orientation against the wearer's chest with straps. The costume is also interconvertable between the costume configuration and a toy configuration wherein the interior space houses the legs and straps, and only the character itself remains visible.

A costume adapted to be worn by a person and including a garment made up, in part at least, by a top that extends from the shoulder of the person downwardly to at least approximately the waist of the person. The garment includes an outer area that is provided with a costume design while the top includes an interior area. Suspended within the interior area of the top is a bag lining. Disposed within the bag lining is a stuffing material such that when the costume is worn by the person, the stuffing material imparts a plump or extraordinary rounded appearance to the costume. Further, the top of the costume includes a neck opening and a pair of side areas. There is provided a side opening that extends from the deck opening downwardly through one of the side areas. At least one fastener, such as a zipper, is associated with the side opening that permits the side opening to be easily opened and closed.