3D-printed Toddler Mobility Trainer: MakeGood introduces open-source mobility aid for children

At Formnext 2025, the US organization MakeGood presented a 3D-printed mobility aid for toddlers. The Toddler Mobility Trainer, or TMT for short, is designed for children with limited mobility and aims to promote their independence, coordination, and social development. The project is particularly interesting for the 3D printing community because it is completely open source and tailored to common desktop printers.

The design is an open-source project. MakeGood provides all 3D models, assembly instructions, and accompanying teaching materials on its own website and on the MakerWorld platform. The files are optimized for a Bambu Lab A1, but basically any FDM printer that can handle PETG and TPU will suffice. The TMT is intended for children aged approximately one to eight years and is low to the ground so that users remain at eye level with their peers.

The material requirements are deliberately kept simple. Eight to ten spools of PETG are required for the frame and most functional elements, depending on the color scheme. In addition, two to three spools of TPU are needed for upholstery and straps, for example. A few additional purchased parts such as screws, nuts, washers, two front and one rear swivel casters are also required. Almost the entire cart is created on the 3D printer. Production of the parts takes about a week on a single device, but multiple printers significantly reduce the manufacturing time.

The TMT was developed from an earlier wooden design that was manufactured using CNC. The starting point was a Reddit post by MakeGood founder Noam Platt, who was looking for support in completely switching to 3D printing. This led to the formation of an interdisciplinary team from the fields of design, architecture, and manufacturing. The participants analyzed the system in hundreds of individual steps and checked each component to see if it could be printed without compromising its function. Test families received early versions and provided feedback on durability, handling, and assembly, which was incorporated into many detailed improvements.

Platt emphasizes that the supply of assistive devices should not be left to the market alone. In his view, it is the responsibility of designers, engineers, and maker communities to develop barrier-free products. The release of the TMT on MakerWorld shows how 3D printing and open designs can be used to close this gap in supply to some extent.