Many children go out on trips from their nurseries each day, but one woman has invented an innovative new product to help ensure that they do so in safety.
Elaine Stephen, a primary teacher at Buchanhaven School in Aberdeenshire, has already won several awards with the Walkodile, a simple safety device that operates as the UK's first walking system for groups of children.
'When parents hand over their child to me at the school gates in the morning, they're giving me the most precious thing in their lives to look after and it is a tremendous responsibility. I wanted something that would ensure their safety,' says Ms Stephen.
She consulted a range of early years professionals including nursery staff and nursery teachers in schools before designing the product.
Ms Stephen then designed the prototype of the Walkodile which, she says, looks unlike the current model. Many months later, after numerous meetings with designers, lawyers, manufacturers, and supported by her husband John, the Walkodile was launched in November 2006. It won first prize in the Shell Safety Exchange competition 2005/06.
In harness
So how does it work? 'It's like a friendly green wiggly crocodile,' says Alex Hofert, manager of Leapfrog Day Nursery, based in the city of London.
'Children put on harnesses which are then securely clipped to the main frame. It's easy and secure to use.' She says the Walkodile is suitable for her nursery because of its location in the city of London with busy roads and heavy congestion.
The innovative walking system consists of a strong flexible main frame to which up to six children from three to seven years of age can be clipped using secure two-way nylon safety connectors. It allows freedom of movement, and keeps children secure and together. Once a high visibility lightweight harness is slipped on to each child, they hold on to a handle and away they go.
What if a child falls over? Will that destabilise the frame? No. The Walkodile has undergone a series of safety tests at the Ergonomics and Safety Research Institute in Loughborough. They found that a falling child will not lead to the rest of the group falling over too.
The walking system is flexible and strong. It allows significant freedom of movement and has been designed to move sturdily allowing a group to go up and down the stairs.
Happy talk
While the Walkodile was devised with safety in mind, there have been other benefits. For example, the reassurance that children are safe within the frame reduces tension, anxiety and worry among nursery staff. Although staff remain vigilant while out with the children, more time is spent talking to children and each other and commenting on the many interesting things happening around them, according to Una Todd, nursery manager of Kindergarten Nursery in Aberdeen.
She says, 'It allows staff to talk more freely to the children. For example, they point out different colours of things around them, or count the number of cars they see as they stroll along the road.'
Ms Stephen finds the Walkodile makes a certain impression on road users.
She says, 'Cars give us the respect we are due. They do not come up close behind us and give us lots of space and time to cross roads safely.'
How do children feel about walking in such an unusual frame? Have they cried or refused to be harnessed? 'Initially, there was a little reluctance. But this was soon overcome as children got used to it. Now they look forward to going out in it and tell parents "We've been out in the Walkodile".' NW
Further information
* see www. walkodile.com.
