Part 3 in our series about one family's experience with the Explorer Mini. See part 1 & part 2.
Last week we looked at how the Explorer Mini promotes exploration, and in this last blog post in the series we're looking at how the Explorer Mini can promote development in young children. Click on the videos below to hear Mike's answer or read the transcript below that. All transcripts are edited for clarity.
Does the Explorer Mini only provide mobility?
Mike: When we first saw it, I was looking at this one dimensionally. I was thinking that the Explorer Mini is just about her getting around. When Sylvia got in the Explorer Mini and started interacting with it and with her environment, then I saw it three-dimensionally. That's when I was like, wow this is not just about moving. This is about her experiencing her home and her interacting with us. This is about her moving around and experiencing her world in a different way. This is when it really hit us about mobility and development being tied together. It was a big aha moment for us.
How does the Explorer Mini promote postural development?
Mike: We usually have her ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) which are little boots to keep her feet flat. We've adjusted the whole seat and tray, so she's actually able to start to lift herself up a bit. We're seeing her push down on her feet and try to push yourself up. If she's really engaged in something that is in front of her, she'll go towards it. You can see her trying to lift up and go to reach for it. She's only able to do this because of the different adjustments that you can do with the Explorer Mini. You can bring the tray up and then you can bring the seat down. You can get her into the right position where she can stand just a little bit and get herself up. It's pretty neat to see.
Will the Explorer Mini delay my child from walking?
Mike: Our hopes and dreams for Sylvia are for her to walk on her own independently. This is a big stepping stone to that. By giving her the opportunity to be independent of us and giving her the opportunity to see something that she wants and going towards that is a big part of her development. Giving her independence from us now when other kids her age have that is huge. It's a big deal to, to see that independence and to see her wanting to check out her environment. This is a big stepping stone to where we want to want to get her which is walking on her own.
