YBike

Product Description

Sensory 3

Skills

• Children can feel the proprioceptive input on their joints when they push on the ground with their feet to propel forward on the YBike. This can help children gain control, organize thoughts and help them focus on cognitive tasks presented after.
• Visual processing takes place as children ride the YBike and are aware of their surroundings and when and where they need to stop riding (e.g. at a street corner, at the end of the driveway, if there are people blocking them, etc.).
• Children learn balance reaction as they shift their weight using their legs, feet and torso to maintain balance. 

Play Ideas

• Ride the YBike on different surfaces such as, grass, concrete, asphalt, poured rubber and gravel to experience different sensory input.

Adaptation Ideas

• For a child with limited vision, use the YBike on a sidewalk with grass on both sides. Make sure there are no obstacles in a child’s way. This can enable a child with visual impairments to feel the forward movement, but remain in control with her feet, rather than pedals.

Social/Emotional 3

Skills

• Waiting, patience and negotiation are worked on as children take turns riding the YBike.
• Confidence is built as children use their feet on the ground to propel forward on the YBike. As their confidence grows, they begin to experiment more with gliding and balancing on the wheels of the YBike.
• Independence is promoted as kids get to explore new areas while riding the YBike. 

Play Ideas

• Create a starting line and have the child push off and coast. Mark where the child ended with masking tape or chalk. Have the child try to beat his distance. Have children work together by having one child ride and the other mark. Then switch.
• Play “Simon Says” using the YBike. Give instructions such as, “Simon says go forward three sidewalk squares.” Or “Simon says, ride to the bushes and back.” This game also incorporates listening, auditory processing and receptive language skills.
• Pretend you are a motorcycle policeman. Pull up next to your friend who is riding in a play car. Explain why you pulled him over and issue a pretend ticket.

Physical 2

Skills

• Balance is targeted as children propel forward by using their feet on the ground and pushing. As children practice, they become more confident in riding and balance and can raise their legs up and “coast.”
• Children can feel the proprioceptive input on their joints when they push on the ground with their feet to propel forward on the YBike. This can help children gain control, organize thoughts and help them focus on cognitive tasks presented after.
• Gross motor skills and coordination can improve as children learn and ride the YBike.

Play Ideas

• Create obstacle courses for children to ride through on the YBike. You can alter the distance and difficulty based on a child’s skill level and abilities.
• Have children “walk” while sitting on the YBike. This allows them to maintain balance with their feet as they gain confidence in movement.

Adaptation Ideas

• Add rubber grippers on the handlebars to assist grasping.
• Add a raised end cap on each handlebar. This will help stop a child’s hands from slipping off the end of the handlebars. Rubber table leg caps available at hardware stores may work well. Or wrap duct tape around the end to enlarge the end.