deWaonderer
Exploration Beyond Sight
Walker for Visually Impaired Toddlers
User Experience
Inclusive Design
2023
Birch Plywood
American Walnut
340 x 320 x 460 mm
deWaonderer is a toddler walker designed as a push cart for the visually impaired. It helps develop tactile and aural senses through psychomotor play, inciting participation and involvement beyond visual capabilities. The chassis of deWaonderer features a revolution clicker, allowing a visually impaired child to associate frequency of noise to a new understanding of distance, each revolution of the axle produces a click noise. Additionally a magnet strip is attached to the front that is intended to be played with various magnetic geometric-shaped wood blocks that encourages exploration around a play area while learning about shapes through feel. The entire walker is designed to be flat-packed and easily assembled.
deWaonderer is a playful fusion of wanderer and wonderer—a name born from nostalgic reflections on the joy of childhood exploration. Inspired by images of my own toddler years, where curiosity guided every step and imagination shaped every discovery, this project channels that same spirit. It’s designed to invite visually impaired children to engage with their surroundings through sound, touch, and movement, turning each journey into an opportunity to wonder, wander, and grow.
Design Documentation
Key considerations in the development include designing for sensory stimulation, encouraging safe independence, and fostering confidence in visually impaired toddlers. Through prototyping, material testing, and user observation, the project addresses the importance of tactile feedback, audible cues, and intuitive form in creating a product that goes beyond play, supporting developmental growth through thoughtful design.
Drawing from early developmental milestones, the product integrates playful interaction with purposeful functionality. From the gear-based clicker that builds spatial awareness through sound, to the magnetic shape blocks that encourage exploratory movement and tactile recognition, every detail was designed to nurture confidence, mobility, and curiosity. The final design also prioritises accessibility and usability — it flat-packs for convenient assembly and features a chassis system that is both sturdy and intuitive to construct.
