Fun-filled adventures for families with special needs
Back in 2015, when Things to do with Kids “materialised” I noticed, mainly on twitter, that there was some activity from another account with a dedicated focus of bringing adventure ideas to families and kids, but in this case specifically for families with children with special needs. Their name was “Warrior on Wheels”- it sounded amazing! So, after another two years, Deirdre and I finally met over a cup of coffee at Century City in Cape Town, in the gym of all places.
In our fourth year at university (slightly longer ago) we had specialisation subjects and I chose “special needs”. I learned so much during this time and if there is one thing that will always remain, it is the knowledge that every person with special needs differ from the next and that there really was no “standard protocol” for treatment and exercise therapy. I was delighted to find an organisation who had the know-how and was willing to take on these challenges to organise adventures for families with special needs. Though our search criteria includes “wheel friendly”, we have only really touched on entertainment for kids with ADHD, with behavioural problems and so forth by means of guest posts and we have not found a business catering exclusively for special needs adventures until now. So, do read this article from Deirdré- the co-founder of Warrior on Wheels and get in contact with her team for your next adventure. Regards, Tanya.
Warrior On Wheels Foundation – Deirdré Gower
Childhood is a time of exploring, experiencing, learning and discovering. Eager minds and growing bodies develop through a child’s interaction with the world, the friendships they make, and the stories they live through the adventures they have. If we all think back on our own early years, hopefully they were filled with climbing trees, digging in dirt, searching for grasshoppers and tadpoles, or skimming stones across a pond. Perhaps they included horse riding lessons, family camping trips, canoeing on a tranquil river, or braving the waves on a boogie board; and I’m sure we all want the same for our children. The innate need to explore the world around us is not exclusive to able-bodied children. On the contrary, a lot of the frustrations children with disabilities exhibit could be attributed to an active and inquiring mind restricted by the constraints of their physical challenges.
As special needs parents, we need to remember that our children can’t go out into the world and experience it the way able-bodied children can. We need to be proactive in creating opportunities that spark their curiosity and imagination, stimulate their senses, help them stumble upon their unique interests, and build friendships along the way. Some children love being in water while others take to the thrill of the sky; some develop a passion for horses, and others simply enjoy being out for a quiet amble in nature. It is no different for the differently-abled child, and it is our vision to see more children living and loving life and realising their dreams and potential.
The survival routine
For families of children with disabilities sometimes life can become a survival routine from school to therapy, and one doctor’s visit to the next – and it’s easy to get stuck focusing on the daily schedule of managing an illness or disability, that we forget to let our kids be kids. I consider myself a lucky mom in that my son’s disability has taken me on an extraordinary journey, introducing me to amazing people and experiences, and encouraging me to find different ways of doing things. Over the years we have shared many adventures, and we nurtured the dream of sharing these with other children and their families living with disabilities and in 2015, together with my fiancé, Warrior On Wheels Foundation was born.
Exploring Cape Town together with kids with special needs
With a wealth of activity opportunities in our city and province, we are forging partnerships with service providers within the tourism industry to give the gift of adventure to children with disabilities and through this, promoting universal access in tourism, changing perceptions of ability, and bridging the gaps in lifestyle between able-bodied and differently-abled communities. We are seeing children who are usually excluded from what are seen to be ‘extreme’ activities engaging in thrilling experiences that many able-bodied people have not yet experienced, such as ziplining, river rafting, helicopter rides, motorbike sidecar trips, surfing, horse riding and even the iconic Cape Town Cycle Tour towed in buggies by superhuman cyclists.
Family time together
Our aim is to create a safe, inclusive, and stimulating environment in which our families can experience the joy of outings that the entire family can participate in together. A number of parents have expressed that being a part of Warrior On Wheels Foundation has given them courage to allow their differently-abled children to try new activities and to face the world with confidence rather than the fear of being excluded or ‘stared at’. Service providers have shared their appreciation for the opportunity to change the way they do business, and our volunteers for the rewarding experience of using their abilities to make possible for others what we take for granted. Over and over we get to experience the kindness and generosity of the human spirit and a genuine willingness to adapt the way we as society do life so that no person, regardless of limitations, is excluded.
-Deirdré
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How can you help, volenteer or join?
Here is a short clip of their adventure at Ceres Zipslide Adventures
