Children who have trouble getting around on their own need special assistance and attention. Disabled children want to get around and be as independent as other children, and now they have the opportunity thanks to the GoBabyGo! program aimed to help them. Children are at a particularly crucial time in their young lives, and it’s important that they have as many opportunities as possible to develop at a healthy rate.

Cole Gallagher, a designer and researcher who specializes in children, realizes the importance and that’s why he started the GoBabyGo! program back in 2006 at the University of Delaware. In collaboration with Sunil Agrawal the program has become a success and has continued to grow as Cole Gallagher continues to collaborate with other designers and engineers.

The Importance Of Having Fun

Cole Gallagher wanted to make sure that the GoBabyGo! program was fun for the children participating. So it was important that he found a way to combine engineering and design to create a fun and stimulating experience for the children. He started with developing devices driven by robots so that the children can first get their taste of getting around on their own. Because the devices are being controlled by robots this enhances the safety for the children, so that they can’t crash or run into other objects.

Once this objective was achieved Cole Gallagher moved on to his next goal, which was to customize toy race cars that can be taken off the shelf and used to help kids who struggle with mobility problems. This can be potentially life changing for children who feel like they’ve previously always been left on the sidelines, because of their inability to be mobile on their own.

With the GoBabyGo! Program, these children can experience what mobility feels like while still in significant years of their development. This can give children a sense of self-esteem and confidence that they previously may have been lacking. These devices can help children in every aspect of their life, helping them get around:

On the playground

In the home

In daycare facilities

When playing with other children

Children can engage in activities in ways they previously have not been able to do, increasing their quality of life and development. And, most importantly to Cole Gallagher, these children will also be having fun while taking part in the GoBabyGo! program and not feeling bored or frustrated.

And Gallagher stresses that fun isn’t just an added benefit of the program, but an important goal that the GoBabyGo! program had to meet. When children, and people in general, are having fun, the child’s development, problem-solving skills, and social interaction skills are stimulated. These are part of the child that may have been underutilized because of the mobility issues that the child had been struggling with previously.

Types Of Obstacles Children Face

Perhaps only parents with disabled children can truly understand how much mobility makes a difference in the quality of a person’s every day life. There are many types of disabilities that children can suffer from that can inhibit mobility, whether it’s cerebral palsy or an accident that left someone disabled. The result is that the children need special attention to overcome the physical and emotional barriers placed before them. GoBabyGo! is aimed at helping these children find ways to thrive and lead full and happy lives.

Besides the devices aimed at helping them become more mobile, GoBabyGo! is also researching ways to help disabled children improve their upper-body mobility and strength. This can help children become stronger and able to compete in physical games with the use of their upper body. The GoBabyGo! team seems determined to keep innovating exciting and new ways to help children with disabilities thrive despite their barriers.

photo credit: Facebook