Device for Teaching a Child to Walk

Abstract

A device for allowing a trainer to help a child learn to walk, comprising: a child vest adapted to be worn on the upper torso of the child, having a pair of shoulder portions covering a pair of corresponding shoulder areas of the child, when the child vest is worn; an adjustable trainer belt for securing around the waist of the trainer; and a pair of adjustable shoulder strap assemblies respectively connecting the pair of shoulder portions of the child vest to the adjustable trainer belt. The device allows the trainer, typically, an adult, to support the child without engaging the trainer's hands or the child's hands and allows the trainer to remain in a full upright position to avoid strain on the lower back.

1 . A device for allowing a trainer to help a child learn to walk, comprising:
 a child vest adapted to be worn on the upper torso of the child, having a pair of shoulder portions covering a pair of corresponding shoulder areas of the child, when the child vest is worn;   an adjustable trainer belt for securing around the waist of the trainer; and   a pair of adjustable shoulder strap assemblies respectively connecting the pair of shoulder portions of the child vest to the adjustable trainer belt.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the pair of adjustable shoulder strap assemblies are respectively connected to the adjustable trainer belt at the bottom inside edge of the adjustable trainer belt. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the adjustable trainer belt has a first end and a second end, and the first end and second ends can be selectively connected to each other for securing around the waist of the trainer. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the adjustable trainer belt has a hook and loop material for selectively and adjustably securing around the belt of the trainer. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the child vest is sized and shaped so that the toddler vest can be donned and removed in an over-the-head, pullover manner. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the child vest has a front portion and a back portion, each having side edges, the front portion and the back portion are secured together along an upper edge to form the left and right shoulder portions and a head opening. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein the front portion has a pair of upper body straps adapted to connect to the back portion for selectively and adjustably securing the child vest around the upper body of the child. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the pair of upper body straps and the back portion contain hook and loop material for selectively and adjustably securing the child vest around the waist of the child. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the child vest and adjustable trainer belt is padded. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein each of the pair of the adjustable shoulder strap assemblies has an adjustable shoulder strap, a connecting strap, and a strap loop;
 the adjustable shoulder strap has a first end portion and a second end portion, with the first end portion having an inside surface and a plurality of buttonholes, and the second end portion having a tip with an inside surface and a button fastener on the second end portion near the tip, hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the first end portion surrounding the plurality of buttonholes, hook and loop fastener material on the inside surface of the tip of the second end portion, the inside surface of the first end portion attaching to the child vest near the top inside edge, and the second end portion passing through the strap loop and fixable in length by securing the button fastener in one of the buttonhole and linking the hook and loop material on the inside surface of the first end portion to the hook and loop material on the inside surface on the tip the second portion; 
 the connecting strap has a pair of end portions, with one end portion passing through the strap loop, and the pair of end portions being attached together near the bottom inside edge of the adult belt, and 
 the strap loop joins the adjustable strap and the connecting strap. 
 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the connection between the pair of adjustable shoulder strap assemblies and the child vest is extended from the pair of shoulder portions to other portion of the child vest. 
     
     
         12 . A method of helping a child learn to walk by using a device of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 securing the adjustable trainer belt around the waist of the trainer;   securing the child vest on the upper torso of the child;   adjusting the pair of adjustable shoulder assemblies so that the trainer and the child are in an appropriate distance when the child walks together with the trainer;   walking with the child by the trainer, with the child being supported from the waist of the trainer, the child taking steps while the adult walking upright without holding the child's hands; and   upon finishing the walking, removing the child vest from the child's upper torso and the adjustable trainer belt from the adult's waist.   
     
     
         13 . The method as described in  claim 12 , wherein during the step of walking with the child by the trainer, the trainer and the child are both facing and walking forward. 
     
     
         14 . The method as described in  claim 12 , wherein during the step of walking with the child by the trainer, the trainer and the child are facing each other, with the adult walking backward and the toddler walking forward.