Having fun when exploring how to use a powered mobility device : (conference keynote)

Giving children with disabilities opportunities to explore how to use a powered mobility device is important for their development and learning. Encouraging and supporting exploration of how to set a device in motion and how to use it, has to be performed in harmony with each child and their abilities, needs and motivation. The experience of self-produced movement gives bodily feelings when actions make the device move, combined with sensing the changing view-points of the environment. Continual experiences of making the device move around in space support the child’s development of tool-use understanding, a growing consciousness of self and relationships to the physical and social environment.The “F-words” framework in childhood development is based on the ICF components which are related to each other as follows: Fitness/ Body structure & function; Functioning/Activity; Friends/Participation; Family/Environmental factors; Fun/Personal factors. The “F-words” highlight important aspects involved in setting up a situation for exploring self-produced movement in a powered mobility device. Choice of situation and device need to be tailored and suitable for the child’s Fitness – abilities, and Fun – motivation. Awareness of the child’s understanding of the tool-use guides how to enable the activity with Functioning by giving “the just right level of challenge”. Involving Family and Friends in co-constructing activity and situation enhances opportunities for participation, social interaction, communication, and possibly brings Fun to all engaged in supporting the child’s exploration of a powered mobility device. However, exploring how to use a powered mobility device involves both experiences of frustration and success when the child passes through the phases in the learning process. Knowing what it is possible to achieve but being unable to repeat a successful action is frustrating, however finding out how to do the right actions gives feelings of fun and enjoyment. Every little problem-solving or success can raise fun not only in the child but also in those being close to the child – family, friends, therapists and carers.Exploring how to use a powered mobility device is about learning how to use your abilities to make something happen, developing a sense of self, interacting and communicating, understanding physical and social relationships and overall learning about how to be active and participate in the surrounding world. The experiences gained by the child impact their Future by stimulating their exploratory behavior and exciting expectations of being able to expand their abilities to act to cause effects, to influence and make an impact by their own actions.My hope is to inspire you to provide children with opportunities to explore how to use a powered mobility device which is tailored for a child’s Fitness and Functioning, carried out in an activity and situation co-constructed together with Family and Friends, and using a facilitating approach that gives Fun and enjoyment. Such opportunities may have a major impact on children’s learning of tool-use understanding and influence their Future development and growing consciousness of the world.