KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Riding a bike is such a fundamental part of being a kid, but some kids just need a little help learning the fundamentals of riding a bicycle.
iCan Shine's iCan Bike program helps build those skills in children with disabilities.
iCan Shine says over 80% of people with autism and 90% of people with Down's syndrome never learn to ride a bike.
The program helps break that cycle, and it's why the Overland Park community worked so hard to bring in the program for local kids.
Camp hosts Lauren Holmes and Addie Aadland saw a few dozen kids come through the program this week.
"Individuals with disabilities oftentimes just think a little bit differently," Holmes said. "It's not an issue, it's not that they're better or worse, they just need a different approach to things. Having people who specialize in this area and also people who just truly care for these individuals is really critical to set them up for success.”
It's a five-day program, and roughly 80% of kids learn to ride by the end of the camp.
“That also sets them up for success because that gives them the confidence to be able to go do other hard things," Aadland said.
