A baby jumper is a device that can be used by

infant An infant or baby is the very young offspring of human beings. ''Infant'' (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'unable to speak' or 'speechless') is a formal or specialised synonym for the common term ''baby''. The terms may also be used to ...

s to exercise and play in. The original baby jumper consists of a hoop suspended by an elastic strap. More elaborate baby jumpers have a base made of hard plastic sitting in a frame and a suspended fabric seat with two leg holes, often with trays holding toys. The door jumpers lack the tray. There are also mobile play centers (

baby walkers A baby walker is a device that can be used by infants who cannot walk on their own to move from one place to another. Modern baby walkers are also for toddlers. They have a base made of hard plastic sitting on top of wheels and a suspended fabr ...

), which look very similar to baby jumpers, but which have wheels.

History

The Jolly Jumper brand refers to a Native American origin, where mothers used

cradleboard Cradleboards (, se, gietkka, sms, ǩiõtkâm, smn, kietkâm, sje, gietkam) are traditional protective baby-carriers used by many indigenous cultures in North America and throughout northern Scandinavia amongst the Sámi. There are a variety ...

s to keep their

s in when travelling or working. When working outside, the mother could attach the cradleboard to a tree limb using its straps. By pulling the limb, thus causing a bouncing motion, the baby would be soothed. Jolly Jumper claims to have invented the baby jumper in 1910, using an axe handle for the spreader; however the baby jumper existed long before that. In the 1880s, various patents were granted for a “new and improved” baby jumpers, while in the 1930s, Goodyear foresaw the use of

latex Latex is an emulsion (stable dispersion) of polymer microparticles in water. Latexes are found in nature, but synthetic latexes are common as well. In nature, latex is found as a milky fluid found in 10% of all flowering plants (angiosperms ...

for baby jumpers.

Risks

Some professionals warn against potential safety issues when using a jumper for prolonged periods of time, claiming that it could cause muscle imbalance if the child is placed in a sitting position before they would be able to on their own. Choice, an Australian consumer organization, warns against the use of door jumpers because of the risk of the door clamps breaking. The Government of Canada also warns about the head injuries linked to the use of suspended baby jumpers.

References

External links

Definition of baby jumper on Wiktionary

Baby Jumper Activity Center on Parenthoodbliss
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baby Jumper Child development Physical activity and dexterity toys Play (activity)