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Grand Kiddy Walker

ByBruce Sharp

Inspired by a Grand-daughter

Rites of passage require Grandma and Grandpa to stay overnight and be responsible parents again. We were responsible for a wondrous darling  born at just 25 weeks, but now 20 months old, crawling with a formula 1 ego and on the brink of walking. Revisiting parenthood for 24 hours was a reminder of just how hard parents work!

Back at home, the day after, the inspiration of this little wonder just won’t leave my head. I want to do something for her. Here is her walker.

Kids grow so fast that a toy is just for a moment. For, the next moment they will be too old for it. As with so much work like this, function is more important than pretty.

Construction

The whole toy is fabricated from recycled hardwood. These were scraps from a dismantled shop fitting that was riddled with screw, nail and bolt holes. Marking out the pieces was a jigsaw puzzle of avoidance and concealment. Only a few of the holes remained visible and I turned the most obvious on the front into places to tie bells and bits.

My plan is that its mass gives it enough inertia to increase stability while she gets herself organised for walking adventures.

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