1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for helping toddlers learn to walk. More particularly, the present invention is a push toy that moves freely as the child walks normally, yet provides firm support if the child falters and loses his balance.
2. The Prior Art
As a child begins to walk, he needs support to maintain proper balance. Typically, this support begins as a parent's guiding hand helping the child take those first steps. Later, as the child gains more confidence, the support may take the form of furniture or walls.
In some cases, the child may attempt to utilize one of the many commercially available push toys for support as the child walks. Unfortunately, most push toys provide little, if any, support if the child falters and loses his balance. Should the child lean or apply weight to the push toy, the toy typically moves away from the child, and the child falls. Furthermore, existing push toys do not provide a way for the child to pull himself up once the child has fallen and is on the ground.
Walkers have been developed to assist in training children to walk. Generally, these walkers contain a forward set of wheels and a rear set of nonslideable support members. In order to move the walker, a child must lift the rear support members and push the walker forward on its wheels. If the child should lose his balance, the rear support members engage the ground and stop any movement of the walker, thereby providing a firm support for the child.
While such walkers would initially appear to meet the needs of most children, these child walkers have several significant drawbacks. Chief among them is that the child must lift the handle in order to move the walker and walk. Because such walkers are generally heavy with a high center of gravity, it is difficult for a young toddler to constantly lift a handle in order to walk. Moreover, lifting a handle is an additional burden placed on young children learning to walk who already struggle to balance and walk simultaneously. Such lifting is not a function of the natural walking "skill" which the child is attempting to learn. Furthermore, constantly lifting on a handle inhibits the child's proper posture and balance development.
In addition, existing child walkers are generally not aesthetically pleasing. They tend to be large and bulky. As a result, such walkers do not entertain the child or hold the child's attention. Consequently, the child avoids using such walker.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that what is needed in the art is a child walker-trainer which does not require the handle to be lifted by the child when used.
Additionally, it would be a significant advancement in the art to provide a child walker-trainer which rolls freely during normal walking, yet provides firm support if the child loses balance.
It would be a further advancement in the art to provide a child walker-trainer which is in the form of a push toy which will be enjoyable for the child and which will hold the child's attention.
The foregoing, and other features and objects of the present invention are provided by the invention which is disclosed and claimed herein.