The Challenge
We first designed the Sit ‘n’ Ride back in the 2000s when families were unable to find products built especially for young children with restricted growth, sometimes referred to as dwarfism.
Some members of the team had attended a Restricted Growth Association convention in 2006 where we heard lots of feedback from parents who were unable to find toys that fit their children’s smaller stature.
We wanted to create a toy that could be used by children aged 18 months – 36 months to encourage early years mobility play.
“I am very pleased – before, I would have had to hold him on his sister’s bike and push him around. Now he can do it alone. There is no toy that I’ve found which he could play or ride until now.”
Our Design Process
Our team set about designing the Sit ‘n’ Ride in close communication with families who had a child with restricted growth. One of our main aims was to ensure that this kind of toy would benefit as many children as possible.
Once we had built a prototype, we loaned out three to children to try out and test.
The design went through several iterations before we got it just right. Our main adjustments included a better seat, brighter colours and better stability, to reduce the risk of the trike tipping forwards.
Benefits and Features
- Fully adjustable seat height (from approx. 150 mm to 230 mm)
- Adjustable distance between seat and handlebars