Go Baby Go
In the earliest stages of a child’s life, the brain is developing at its most rapid rate. The ability to move independently is integral to brain development and lays the foundation for a child’s ability to live the best life possible in the future. Through a program known as GoBabyGo, we give young children the gift of mobility so that they can move around their world independently—it’s a low-cost solution with high-impact rewards.
The GoBabyGo cars are customized so that a child with mobility challenges can learn how to move which allows them to participate in play and social interactions they would have missed otherwise. Their curiosity to explore is the motivator that they need to work on skills like learning to crawl, walk and move on their own. For some children, it lays the foundation to master wheelchair skills in the future.
Children learn and grow by exploring when they are independently mobile. This program requires the support of KidsAbility’s diverse team. The Technologist takes the commercially available ride-on toy and customizes it so that it can be powered by a button, sensitive to a child’s touch. Harnesses, strapping and supports are added to the cars so that a child who cannot sit up alone can be seated safely. Our Physiotherapist and Occupational Therapist help the child to sit upright in the car and how to make the car move. Social Workers often play an integral role with families as they are coming to terms with the needs of their child and the potential solutions available.
Through GoBabyGo, a child learns how to make the car move and for the first time, experiences the joy that comes with being independently mobile.