Go Baby Go Go GO!

Small children who have physical and cognitive impairments are often picked up or wheeled around in strollers. While they're a practical means of transport, they do not allow children active control over their own exploration.

There are electric wheelchairs available, but these are reserved for children over the age of three years. So, what about the developmentally important 18 to 24-month age bracket?

Cole Galloway, a Professor at the University of Delaware (also an infant behaviour expert) has redesigned mobile toys to help physically-impaired children to move about independently. And these toys come in the form of mini racecars!  How cool is that!

The professor started building power mobility robots allowing disabled children to explore their surroundings. But due to the high costs associated with production and the heft of the parts, these vehicles were inaccessible to families.

Galloway’s solution? After a trip to Toys ‘R’ Us, he decided he’d try modifying off-the-shelf toy race cars. And Go Baby Go was born.

The modified mini cars are suitable for children under three and offer the added benefit of providing custom physical therapy to their ‘drivers’.

For example, Xander’s (pictured) mini four-wheeler requires him to stand in order to move the car forwards. Thus, the cars are not only fun, they’re also powerful strengthening tools.

The kids are also able to socialise with their friends more easily.

And let’s not forget the sense of independence these mini cars present and the sheer exhilaration of scooting about when previously restricted! Any car fan can relate to the pure joy of an open road and the limitless possibilities ahead.

Galloway believes that exploring one’s surroundings at a young age is crucial to developing cognitive progress.

“The drive for exploration through movement and mobility is a deep part of being fully human,” he said.

“The same joy and excitement experienced by every dancer or musician, astronaut or athlete can be seen in newly mobile children,” he added.

Galloway has travelled extensively across the USA to educate people on his products and posted a number of YouTube videos. He hopes others can learn from his work.

What about if students built their own mini race cars? Not a bad task for a teacher to set hey?