The Kid in KidRunner - Shared DNA

At KidRunner, "Great.Together." inspires everything we do. KidRunner was invented and designed for parents AND their kids. We knew from the start that great sports equipment for parents had to include a great experience for their kids. Without both, we knew the goal of high performance running and freedom was impossible. There are three core reasons why KidRunner's patented design and performance innovations improve the experience between parents and their kids - 

Visual Contact - Unlike traditional jogging strollers, KidRunner keeps kids in constant visual contact with their parents. "There is a connection between the two brains, infant and adult, with the eyes providing the physical link. This visual connection [...] provides a combination of chemicals that increases the baby’s alert capable state. This unique visual connection both calms and organizes the baby." 

“Visual Experiences and Socioemotional development” found in Affect Regulation and the Origin of the Self (l994)

That's the science and there is a lot of it that says the same thing. Most of us as parents intuitively know that anyway. It's why we love looking at our kids and they love to look back. But until KidRunner, there was no anecdotal evidence of the benefits of kids being able to see their parents while running. Now there is. A lot of it! As KidRunner parents rack up thousands of shared running miles together, some of the most common experiences are - 

• "KidRunner Time is Nap Time"
• "It's the first time I've been able to do a full, uninteruped run for longer than a few miles or minutes". 
• "My child loves to see me and we talk while I run. He can always see me and it creates a sense of security and interaction." 

Cosy, Secure Cockpit - "Your child’s enjoyment of tight corners and special spaces begins with the early security of being held closely to you. And this love of small [...] spaces continues through toddlerhood. 'A nine-month-old loves to sit in a box; at 12 months, he’ll love to crawl through a tube; at two, he’ll enjoy sitting under the table,' says child psychologist Dorothy Einon. It's part of the appeal of retreating somewhere small and cosy, where you feel safe..." 

Junior Magazine, UK

KidRunner's three US patents focus on materials and design. But our cockpit was one of the most challenging and intentional aspects of our design criteria. It had to be big enough to accommodate a wide range of kids' sizes. It had to be extremely safe and durable. And we knew it had to be cosy and secure for kids so they'd love being in it and feel comfortable joining their parents for runs and adventures. These goals informed everything we did with the cockpit design; the color, the window sizes, the size of the opening, the materials. And it works! Every week, we get pictures and videos of parents running, racing and crossing finish lines with their kids smiling or asleep in what many kids call, "my KidRunner". 

Autonomy - "Autonomy granting is increasingly associated with academic achievement, fewer behavior problems, and psychological health." 

Motherly.com

KidRunner's unique design enables kids to interact directly and autonomously with it including getting in and out of the cockpit themselves. The interaction at, "their level" empowers their relationship to the experience and bonds them more closely to the equipment. It's common for KidRunner parents to tell us that their kids go to the KidRunner, get in themselves and simply sit in it; with our without running. The low to the ground design enables another positive factor in childhood behavior; a sense of choice. Children can put themselves in KidRunner and they love doing it. 

Example in Action - 

"By age two, most children are capable of climbing into their own seat. By age five, most children can buckle themselves securely and safely. This “chore” allows children to feel incredibly accomplished. The first time they properly secure that five-point harness, their smile will light up. It also allows the parent more time." 

Motherly.com

Eye Contact, Physical Security and Autonomy; all three are embedded in KidRunner's and childrens' DNA. It's why almost all of our customer reviews include a comment about their children's positive experience instead of just the performance and product attributes. And we love it! KidRunner has always been about more than innovation and technology. It's about the relationships we love with our children, our freedom and our goals.