Cons: Shorter side wheelbase, difficulty rolling on high-pile carpeting
The Bottom Line: After researching and testing several different walkers, this is one of the safer ones on the market. The construction is simple, and the product is very flexible.
We purchased the Baby Trends Bear Walker for our 6 month-old. We have been using it for about a month now, and have been very pleased with its performance. Our son enjoys his newly found freedom – freedom to chase his siblings, me, the cat… He also loves the little bears and beads toy bar. When he catches sight of the bar, he gets this look in his eye of “must eat bears.” They have certainly been well-slobbered. Seriously, I think this walker has helped our son not only take safe first steps, but is also helping with his hand-eye coordination by having to reach out and grab the bears. This is quite a reach for a little guy. I have read brief reviews on this walker, and some parents feel this is a hindrance, but I think it is a good thing for baby. It is also teaching him coordination of his feet, and that you have to put one foot in front of the other to actually get somewhere. It took him a few days, but it wasn’t long before he was maneuvering the walker through the house like a pro.
This unit is certified by the JPMA (Juvenile Products Manufacturing Association), and has been rigorously tested for safety and durability. The base of the unit has warning and safety labels pre-attached, including stair, stove/oven, water and surface warnings as well as the requirements for use. The child should weigh no more than 30 pounds, and be able to sit upright unassisted. No height requirements noted other than the child’s feet should always be flat on the ground.
ASSEMBLY
Assembly of the unit took my husband approximately 10 minutes. The walker was mostly assembled with only the wheels and seat to add, and no tools were required. The wheels were easy to just pop into place, but the seat proved a little more difficult due to it being such a tight fit. The seat was placed into the top of the unit. The front part of the seat snapped into place with peg-type assemblies. The sides and back of seat had short nylon straps attached with square brackets on the ends. These brackets were then inserted into their corresponding slots and turned to be flush with the unit.
FEATURES
Extra Wide Base – The unit is wider at the front and back, but the sides are much narrower. I do have concerns of the possibility of my child grabbing objects outside the walker from the sides as he grows. The actual wheel base width provides a little extra space between baby and object, but as the child grows and becomes more dexterous, this will become a very real danger. But even with the side width issue, our son is still unable to open cabinets.
There are foam rubber guards located on all 4 wheel assemblies, which I believe act as “speed guards.” The front guards are larger, with 1/4” foam rubber padding on plastic extenders, which leave approximately the bottom 1/3 of the wheel exposed. I believe this helps control speed. The foam does come off; I speculate carpeting and baby’s weight are the culprits with this. It does easily go back into place, but I estimate it will eventually tear or wear off. The back wheel guards also leave 1/3 of the wheels exposed. They consist of two plastic extenders (approx. 3” in length) on each corner, for a total of 4. These guards also consist of 1/4” foam rubber padding. This padding also attaches to the unit, but I have not noted it to come off as easily, most likely due to weight distribution not being as great on the rear of the unit.
The walker does not roll well on carpet with high pile. I believe the cause of this is a combination of the very small caster-type wheels, the rubber guards, baby’s weight, and the fact the wheels extend from the bottom guards by only 1/3. I feel this combination may be a safety mechanism. I have been to the Baby Trends website (www.babytrends.com) to see if I could find any detailed information in this particular walker, but there is none pertinent to its construction.
Suggestion: Wear shoes around this thing! It hurts when baby rolls over your feet.
High-Back Padded Seat – This seat has the most padding of any of the walkers we looked at. We liked this one because we felt it would promote better posture and neck protection. The seat attaches very securely with both push-in snaps around the front of the seat, and 4 short nylon straps on the sides and back of seat which attach to the underside of the unit with metal buckles. When properly installed, the seat does not move or even wiggle. The seat is also reinforced with 1 1/4” wide nylon straps funning from both front to back of seat and across the crotch area. The seat assembly is not easily removable, and the cloth cover is non-removable.
The pattern on this particular unit is a navy blue background with little bears scattered throughout. The bear print coordinates with the bear toys on the toybar.
Dual Action Safety Lock and 3 Position Height Adjustment – This walker has a dual lock safety feature, is collapsible for easy storage, and has 3 height positions. To adjust the height, turn the rectangular knob (located underneath the tray) 1/2 turn counterclockwise, making it perpendicular to the adjustment mechanism. The pull the same knob toward the front of the unit to release the lock. Hold the knob while adjusting up/down, release the knob. When it locks into place, you can hear a slight pop. Push and pull on the top of the walker to make sure it is securely locked into place. Turn the rectangular plastic knob 1/2 turn clockwise. The knob should be crossways to the adjusting mechanism. This provides extra locking safety. This method is also used to collapse the walker for storage.
NEVER ATTEMPT TO ADJUST WALKER WHEN BABY IS IN IT! The sliding adjustment mechanism is very sensitive to pressure, and it does not take much to completely collapse.
Snack Tray and Removable Toy Bar – The toy bar is a one-piece unit that requires no assembly other than to snap onto the tray. The bar is relatively easy to put on, however removing it is a different story. There is no easy way to remove it other than rocking back and forth to unsnap from the sides of the tray. Use caution while removing toy bar as it can pinch fingers and break fingernails. Never attempt to remove the toy bar with the child in the walker. With the way you have to remove the toy bar, I question the durability of this part of the unit. I believe the plastic that attaches it to the tray will eventually weaken and break.
This toy bar consists of a wavy, flexible bar with 5 flat plastic “beads” in different shapes and colors that move and spin easily across the bar. On each end of the wavy bar is a flexible textured post with a colorful hard plastic bear on top. The toy bar is flexible and adjustable, meaning you can move the snaps on the sides around on the tray to make the bar closer or farther away.
Remove the toy bar for snacks. With the bar removed, the tray is ample sized, and is approximately 3/4” deep, and wraps slightly around the sides.
CLEANING
Cleaning the plastic and metal parts on this unit really require only a damp cloth/sponge and maybe a little mild soapy water. I also like to sanitize the tray and chewy bear parts (entire toy bar) with Lysol wipes, as I do with just about anything else he puts his mouth on. The plastic on the walker’s base and tray is a smooth, glossy and hard plastic, which is very easy to wipe clean, and there aren’t a lot of little nooks and crannies that can accumulate filth. The toy bar consists of that brushed look plastic, and of course there are lots of areas that accumulate dirt. The toy bar is submersible and can be soaked in the sink, washed and air-dried if needed.
Cleaning the padded seat might prove to be a little more difficult, since neither the seat nor covering is removable. We try to clean the seat with a damp cloth/sponge before anything dries on to it, but sometimes we miss things. Most food particles can be flicked off, then wiped, but sometimes we find areas of dried spit-up. For this, we use a scrubber sponge with a little mild soapy water (just a few drops of dishwashing liquid), scrub the area clean, pat any excess water and let air dry. It isn’t a bad idea to Scotch-Guard the seat about 24 hours before assembly. This will help cut down on staining, and fabric/padding breakdown. Every once in a while, we also spray the seat with a little Febreeze to keep it fresh. Be sure to let this dry at least overnight.
CONCLUSION
Most pediatricians do not recommend the use of walkers. The decision to use a walker should be made most responsibly. Ask yourself:
* Is my home walker-friendly?
* Is my child ready both physically and mentally?
Research the choices out there for all safety features, and don’t purchase one until you’ve had your hands on a demonstration model to test our yourself. Shake, push, pull, and roll the walker. Turn it upside down and look at the construction, height adjustment and locking mechanisms. Test them out, too. Each child’s and each household’s needs are different. Make sure the walker you purchase fits all the requirements for your child and home setting.
We chose this particular walker NOT for the price (which is VERY reasonable – we lucked out at $29.95), but because it met all of the requirements we set before we began looking for a walker. This particular walker rolls perfectly on our textured ceramic tile floors, and rolls fairly well on our carpeting. The width accommodates movement from one room to another, but not into places such as the laundry room, bathroom, or bedrooms (narrower doorways). We have been very pleased by our son’s reaction to it, dexterity improvements he’s made in both his upper and lower extremities, and the flexibility of the product. We feel we made the right decision for us.
I would like to include some extra information I feel is very important for parents to know when considering a walker for their child. This information was taken (not totally verbatim) from the JPMA website (www.jpma.org).
* NEVER leave baby unattended in a walker. Most baby walker accidents happen when baby is left unattended.
* Choose a sturdy walker with the correct recommended height and weight of the baby.
* Select a walker with a wheelbase longer and wider than the frame of the walker itself to ensure stability.
* Coil springs and hinges of walker must have protective coverings.
* Only use a walker on smooth and level surfaces.
* Remove all throw rugs when baby is in walker.
* Keep stairways blocked with a gate or enclosure (this also applies to kitchens without doorways).
* Keep doors closed when possible (especially those to the outside).
* Keep child away from ranges, radiators and fireplaces.
* NEVER carry walker with a baby in it.
* Look for the JPMA Certification Seal.
The following manufacturers carry JPMA Certified walkers:
Baby Trend, Inc.
Chicco USA
Delta Enterprise Corporation
Dorel Juvenile Group
Graco Children's Products, Inc.
Kolcraft Enterprises, Inc.
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