BABY TOY

Abstract

An improved baby toy is described. The toy is a bib-shaped garment that may be adapted to be worn by a carer for a baby. The garment comprises a main portion that may cover the chest of the carer and neck portions that can be wrapped around the neck of the carer and detachably fastened at the back of the neck. The garment also includes one or more toy fixing structures that are integral to the main portion and that allow toys to be attached to the garment in a way that they can subsequently be removed, if required. There may also be a reflective element on the rear face of the main portion. In addition to being worn by the carer, the garment may alternatively be worn around the waist of the baby or be attached to an object such as a table, car window or cot rail.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of UK Application No. 1003369.4 filed on Mar. 1, 2010. The application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/311,720, filed Mar. 8, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Travelling with babies can be difficult because of the need to keep them happy and stimulated for an extended period of time whilst they are being held or are sitting on someone's lap. Even when the baby is able to sit unaided, they are often still required to sit on a carer's lap for safety reasons and because babies and small children are not allocated their own seat. A common problem is that the baby drops the toy that they are playing with on the floor and this is often a repetitive action. In the cramped confines of an aeroplane or whilst out in a restaurant, for example, repeatedly picking up a toy can prove awkward and if the floor is dirty, it may not be possible to give the toy back to the baby.

Simple toy ties exist that enable toys to be attached to a pushchair or car seat and that prevent the toy from being dropped on the floor or lost. However, such ties are not suitable for use where the baby is being held by a parent or other carer (e.g. when the carer is out with the baby) because of the absence of anything to attach the tie to.

The embodiments described below are not limited to implementations that solve any or all of the disadvantages of known baby toys.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 show schematic diagrams of examples of an improved baby toy;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of examples of toy fixing structure; and

FIGS. 4-9 show schematic diagrams of further examples of an improved baby toy.

Common reference numerals are used throughout the Figures to indicate similar features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the invention are described below by way of example only. These examples represent the best ways of putting the invention into practice that are currently known to the Applicant although they are not the only ways in which this could be achieved. The description sets forth the functions of the example and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the example. However, the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different examples.

An improved baby toy is described in several embodiments and examples. In one embodiment, the toy is a bib-shaped garment that is adapted to be worn by a carer for a baby. The garment comprises a main portion that covers the chest of the carer and neck portions that can be wrapped around the neck of the carer and detachably fastened at the back of the neck. The garment also includes a number of toy fixing or attachment structures that are integral to the main portion and that allow toys to be attached to the garment in a way that they can subsequently be removed, if desired. In this disclosure, the terms “fixing” or “fixing structure” are used to describe features related to the removable attachment of an object onto a garment. The objects such as toys may or may not be fixed to the object, such as sewn or fixed in a manner that makes it difficult to remove. The objects such as toys may be removably attached by different fastening, attachment or fixing means including but not limited to Velcro™, button/hole, removable snap button, hook, or other devices or components configured to removeably attach an object or toy to the garment. There may also a reflective element on the rear face of the main portion. In addition to being worn by the carer, the garment may alternatively be worn around the neck or waist of the baby or be attached to an object such as a table, bed, chair, car window or seat, or cot rail.

In one embodiment, a bib-shaped garment is provided as a garment adapted to be worn by a carer for a baby, the garment comprising: a main portion arranged to substantially cover the chest of the carer; two neck portions attached to the main portion and arranged to fit around the neck of the carer, the neck portions comprising fixing structure sized and shaped to detachably fasten the two neck portions together around the neck of the carer; a plurality of toy fixing structure provided integral with the main portion, each toy fixing structure being arranged to enable a toy to be detachably fixed to the main portion; and a reflective element attached to a rear face of the main portion.

The bib-shaped garment may further comprise additional fixing structure adapted to fix the garment onto an object. The additional fixing structure may comprise suction cups attached to the rear face of the garment. The additional fixing structure may comprise elongate elements and fastening structure adapted to be fastened to form a loop around the object.

In use, the fixing structure on the neck portions may be hidden from the baby.

The toy fixing structure may be sized and spaced with respect to one another to prevent toys from tangling and/or to accommodate different orientations of the garment when in use.

The garment may further comprise at least one toy detachably fixed to the main portion using a toy fixing structure. The at least one toy may comprise at least one of: a necklace element, a stuffed toy and a teething surface.

The garment may further comprise at least one of: a bean bag (or hacki-sack), a plurality of tags and a fringe element.

The reflective element may be removably attached to the rear face of the main portion.

At least a front face of the main and neck portions may be covered in a pattern in white, red and black. A region on the rear face may be covered in a striped pattern and this region may be located around the reflective element.

A second aspect provides a toy for a baby comprising: a bib-shaped garment comprising a main portion and two neck portions: fixing structure attached to the neck portions and sized and shaped to detachably fasten the two neck portions together around a neck of the carer; a plurality of toy fixing structure provided integral with the main portion, each toy fixing structure being arranged to enable a toy to be detachably fixed to the main portion; a reflective element attached to a rear face of the main portion; and at least one toy detachably fixed to the main portion using a toy fixing structure.

The various features may be combined as appropriate, as would be apparent to a skilled person, and may be combined with any of the other features of the invention as well as other features of like products.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of an improved baby toy 100 that is a shaped like a bib or wrap. The toy is a garment that can be worn around the neck of a parent or other carer 202 or alternatively, the garment can be worn around the waist of the child 203 or attached to an item such as a highchair table, kitchen table, car window 208, car head rest, aeroplane seat 204, cot or play pen rail 206, or buggy (also known as a pushchair or stroller) handle. The garment comprises a main portion 102, two neck portions 104, 106 comprising fixing structure 108, a plurality of toy fixing structure 110 and a reflective element 112 (which may also be referred to as a mirror) on the rear face of the main portion 102.

When the garment is worn by a carer, the main portion 102 (which may also be referred to as an apron portion) covers all or part of the chest of the carer. The two neck portions 104, 106 are shaped so that they fit around the neck of the carer and can be fastened together behind the neck, using fixing structure 108. The fixing structure are sized and shaped to detachably fasten the two neck portions together and in the example shown the fixing structure comprises a release buckle on an adjustable strap, with one part of the buckle being attached by a first strap to the first neck portion 104 and the other part of the buckle being attached by a second strap to the second neck portion 106. Use of an adjustable strap enables the garment be adjusted to fit comfortably (e.g. around the neck of a carer or waist of a child) and also enables the garment to be adjusted to other uses (e.g. when fixed around a car head rest it may be adjusted to be at a suitable height for the baby according to their position in a car seat). Other buckles or fasteners may be used and examples of other suitable fixing structure include snap fasteners (also called poppers or press studs), buttons, ties, hooks and eyes, and hook-and-loop fasteners, such as Velcro (trade mark).

The entire garment or a portion of the garment (e.g. the main portion 102) may be covered in highly contrasting patterns. In an embodiment, the patterns may substantially be in red and black on a white background, as these are colours that are the first to be recognised by small babies as their eyesight develops and these colours provide important visual stimulation for small babies. Research has shown that at birth, the structures of the eye are not sufficiently developed for a baby to perceive colour, but they can see contrasting patterns. Visual stimulation is important to a baby in the early months of life (e.g. in the first four months) in order that the eyes develop to the point, at around eight months old, when vision is as good as in an adult. Without such stimulation, development of the eyes does not occur properly and this can lead to subsequent problems with hand to eye coordination. Studies have shown that visual stimulation of young babies can be achieved by exposing them to highly contrasting colours such as black and white or black, red and white.

The toy fixing structure 110 are integral with the main portion 102 and enable toys to be detachably fixed to the garment. In some examples a toy may be detachably fixed to the main portion using a single toy fixing structure and in other examples, more than one toy fixing structure may be used to fix a single toy, e.g. a string of toys resembling a necklace may be fixed at each end using a toy fixing structure (e.g. as shown in FIGS. 6-9). In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the toy fixing structure 110 are shown only on the front face of the main portion; however in other examples, toy fixing structure may also be located on the rear face of the main portion (e.g. as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9). Examples of suitable toy fixing structure are described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

The toy fixing structure may be arranged in any manner, however in some embodiments, the toy fixing structure are sized and spaced with respect to one another to prevent toys from tangling, to provide different configurations for interest and/or to accommodate different positions of the garment when in use, e.g. when the carer is in a seated or standing position or when the garment is attached to different objects such that it is horizontal (e.g. on top of table) or vertical (e.g. hanging from a car seat headrest). Where the garment is designed for a young baby (e.g. 0-4 months), the placement of the toy fixing structure and/or the placement of toys attached to the toy fixing structure may be adapted to provide a flat, toy-free area central to the main portion. This enables the young baby to rest their head comfortably against the garment when they are still unable to support the weight of their own head.

The reflective element 112 attached to the rear face of the main portion 102 comprises a rigid or pliable mirror. The reflective element 112 may be permanently attached to the rear face or may, alternatively, be removable (e.g. so that the garment can be washed in a washing machine). In an example, the reflective element 112 may be located within a sealed envelope or pouch 113 that the baby cannot get inside in case the reflective element has any sharp edges. The envelope may be permanently sealed or the envelope may be sealed such that the baby cannot remove the reflective element but such that the reflective element can be removed from the pouch by an adult, e.g. using hook-and-loop fasteners (such as Velcro (trade mark)). The envelope may be fixed to the main portion such that it cannot be removed or the envelope may be detachably fastened to the rear face of the main portion. In an example, the envelope may be detachably fastened along one edge using toy fixing structure (e.g. poppers) such that the reflective element can be flipped up and down, further toy fixing structure may be provided (e.g. one on an opposite edge) to optionally prevent movement of the envelope. The envelope may be at least partially formed from a transparent material or may have an opening so that the reflective element is visible.

Through its location on the rear face, the reflective element 112 enables stimulation of the baby through playing ‘peek-a-boo’. This game teaches the baby that objects still exist when they are out of sight and this learning can help reduce separation anxiety when the baby gets older. Additionally, mirrors help children develop a sense of “self”. Other features may be provided on the rear face, in addition to or instead of the reflective element 112 in order to provide stimulation through playing ‘peek-a-boo’. Another example comprises a distinctly patterned portion, such as a striped portion (e.g. in red/black and/or white) and in an example, this striped portion may be positioned around the reflective element (e.g. as shown in FIG. 7).

In use, a number of different toys can be attached to the bib-shaped garment and the garment can be worn by a carer. A baby who is being held by the carer, who is sitting on the carer's lap, or who is playing with the bib while it is attached to a high chair table top or car window, or hanging from a cot is stimulated through playing with the toys and the toys are securely fastened to prevent them falling on the floor. In addition to stimulating the baby through different textures and sounds, the garment promotes bonding between the baby and the carer and can be used to promote ‘tummy-time’ in order to strengthen the neck muscles of very young babies (0-4 months approximately) e.g. by lying the baby on the carer's chest and allowing the baby to play with the toys on the garment.

As all the toys can be removed, the garment is very versatile. Different combinations/arrangements of toys can be attached using the toy fixing structure, dependent on the preference, nature, age and/or stage of development of the baby. Additionally the ability to remove all the toys from the bib-shaped garment has the effect that the garment can be machine washed.

The garment can be folded up into small form, such as a square or triangle, making it highly portable and compact—many toys and activities can be fitted into a small bag and the toys cannot fall out and get lost. In an example, it may be folded around a rigid reflective element 112 (or a pliable reflective element mounted on a rigid backing), as indicated by the dashed lines 114 shown in FIG. 1. The folded garment may then be placed in a waterproof drawstring bag and can be carried around in a carer's baby bag or in the basket under a pram. This will keep it clean and dry, and neatly folded up. In another example, the garment may be stored within a pocket that is integral to the garment itself. This pocket may, for example, be formed within the bib lining.

The combination of the shape of the garment and the nature of the fixing structure that detachably fastens the two neck portions together enables the garment to be safely and conveniently worn by a carer and additionally, they enable the garment to be safely worn around a baby's waist. Furthermore, as the fixing structures are located behind the neck of the carer, they are not visible to the baby in use that prevents the baby from fiddling with the fixing structure and releasing them manually.

In addition to acting as a toy for use in many different situations, the garment additionally protects the carer's clothes from stains (e.g. from milk, dribble or vomit) and by making the neck portions wide (as indicated by arrow 116 in FIG. 1), the degree of protection provided is increased. Furthermore, the garment may be adjusted such that it covers any necklace that is worn by the carer and prevents the baby from playing with it. This avoids the risk of the baby injuring themselves or the carer on the necklace (e.g. risks of choking or strangulation).

The garment allows a baby to feel comfortable with new carers by providing a familiar bridge between the wearer and the baby. For example, where a babysitter or nursery care provider wears the child's personalised bib (with their favourite toys added) and picks up the child for the first time, the child will feel more at ease as the bib gives them a sense of familiarity.

The bib-shaped garment may be considered as a bulletin board for attaching a baby's favourite toys and this assists wearers who are less familiar with how to entertain and play with a baby: the toys are easily to hand and may be personalised by the main carer.

Although the garment is described as having a front and rear face, the garment is reversible and may be worn or used with the rear face to the front (i.e. towards the baby). This provides increases the versatility by providing more variety to the baby particularly in playing games such as ‘peek-a-boo’.

FIG. 3 shows examples 301-303 of toy fixing structure, although other toy fixing structure may alternatively be used. The first two examples, 301-302 provide attachment points for toys using split ring style toy clips (which may also be referred to as plastic loop rings), as indicated by the dotted outlines 304. The first example 301 comprises a tab 306, that is fixed to the main portion along dotted line 307, with a circular aperture (or eyelet) 308 through that the toy clips can be fastened. The second example 302 comprises a loop of fabric that is fixed to the main portion along dotted line 309. The third example 303 comprises a folded strip of fabric 310 that is formed into a loop. One end 311 of the strip is fixed to the main portion and the loop is formed using a snap fastener 312. The snap fastener 312 enables the loop to be attached around a toy. In many embodiments, the toy fixing structure may be selected such that the toys can be attached and detached by an adult but not by the baby playing with the toys.

Although the toy fixing structure described herein are primarily intended for detachably fastening toys to the garment, one or more of the fixing structure on the garment may alternatively be used to fix a dummy (also known as a soother) to the garment. This prevents a clean dummy from falling to the floor and requiring sterilisation before it can be used again. Similarly, one or more of the fixing structure may be used to attach a baby's favourite little blanket or other comforter (some of which have integral clips).

FIG. 4 shows further examples of an improved baby toy that is a shaped like a bib. The first example 400 additionally comprises one or more tags 402 along an edge of the bib, such as around the neck (as shown in FIG. 4) or along an edge of the main portion. The second example shown 401 also comprises a fringe 404 along an edge, although it will be appreciated that the garment may comprise tags and/or a fringe and/or the tags or the fringe may be integral with a toy (e.g. as shown in FIG. 9 that comprises a bean bag 609 with fringe 404).

Another embodiment may comprise at least one other type of fixing structure in addition to those shown in the Figures described above. These additional fixing structures may be adapted to fix the garment onto an object, such as a flat surface or a cot or playpen rail. In a first example 501 shown in FIG. 5, the garment comprises additional fixing structure adapted to fix the garment onto a cot or playpen rail. The fixing structure comprises two elongate elements 510, 511 each fixed at one end to the rear face of the garment. These elongate elements may comprise strips of fabric, with fastening structure 512, 513 at each end of the elements, such that the fastening structure 512 at one end connects to the fastening structure 513 at the other end to form a loop around an object, such as a cot rail. In an example, snap fasteners may be used. The two elongate elements 510, 511 may, in some examples, be made from an elastic material.

In a second example 502 shown in FIG. 5, the garment comprises four suction cups (or suckers) 521 attached to the rear face of the garment, for fixing the garment to a surface such as a kitchen table, car window, highchair table or a table on an aeroplane or train. The suction cups 521 are shown in a symmetrical arrangement that assists in fixing the garment securely to a vertical surface; however, other numbers and arrangements of suction cups may alternatively be used. The suction cups may be machine washable and fixed to the garment (e.g. sewn onto the garment) or alternatively they may be detachably fastened to the garment, e.g. using toy fixing structure located on the rear face of the garment. In another example, the suction cups may be mounted on a substantially rigid plate that may be detachably fastened to the garment (e.g. using an envelope arrangement in a similar manner as for the reflective element 112) or may be detachably fastened into depressions (or sockets) on the rear face of the garment. A push-fit socket (e.g. fabricated from a rubber material or a combination of a rubber material and ball-bearings) may be used.

FIG. 6 shows another example of an improved baby toy that is shaped like a bib. A front elevation 601 and a rear elevation 602 are shown. The garment comprises many features shown in the previous examples (and described above), including a main portion 102, two neck portions 104, 106 comprising fixing structure 108 (which in this example comprise hook and loop fasteners), a plurality of toy fixing structure 603-604 and a reflective element 112 on the rear face of the main portion 102.

The bib-shaped toy also comprises a plurality of tags 402 along edges of the bib and additional fixing structure, as described above with reference to FIG. 5. In this example, the garment comprises both elongate elements 510, 511 and suction cups 521, although it will be appreciated that a further example may comprise one of tags or suction cups or may comprise alternative additional fixing structure. As described above, the elongate elements 510, 511 are suitable for forming loops for fastening the toy onto a cot or playpen rail and the suction cups 521 are suitable for fastening the toy onto a substantially flat surface such as a highchair table. In the example shown the suction cups are sewn onto the rear face of the bib; however in other examples they may be detachably fastened to the toy.

Two different types of toy fixing structure are shown in the example of FIG. 6: sewn eyelets 603 (e.g. as also shown in example 301 of FIG. 3) and popper buttons 604. A split ring style toy clip 605 is shown attached to one of the sewn eyelets and may be used to attach a toy to the garment. The popper buttons 604, which may have a fabric trim, comprise one half of a snap fastening. The other half of the snap fastening is attached to a toy that can then be detachably fastened to the popper buttons. In the example, a necklace element 606 is attached at each end to the popper buttons 604. The necklace element 606 has one or more wooden toys 607 and/or bells 608 attached to it.

The bib-shaped toy shown in FIG. 6 also comprises a hacki-sack (which may also be referred to as a bean bag) 609 and a squeaker pillow 610 that may be integral to the main portion. The hacki-sack (which may contain beans, grains or other granular substance) may be removable to enable the carer to play catch with a small child. Where the contents of the hacki-sack are not machine washable, the hacki-sack itself or a pouch inside it containing the non-machine-washable ‘beans’ may be removable for washing. In some examples, the hacki-sack may not be integral with the main portion and may, for example, be detachably fastened to the garment using toy fixing structure. Although not shown in FIG. 6, in some examples the hacki-sack may have a fringe attached to it (similar to the fringe 404 shown in FIG. 4). The squeaker pillow, which may be located under a logo 612 or other distinctive patterning, provides both aural and tactile stimulation for the baby and where it is located under a logo, it provides an association between the toy and brand and fun/play time. In other examples, a squeaker pillow may be provided inside a toy (e.g. a stuffed toy) which is fastened to the garment using a toy fixing structure.

The region 614 around the reflective element 112 may be patterned distinctively, to further optically stimulate the baby when playing ‘peek-a-boo’. In an example, this region may be patterned with black and white stripes.

Although FIG. 6 shows detailed dimensions of the bib-shaped toy, it will be appreciated that these are provided by way of example only and the toy may be of different dimensions or of a different shape (e.g. more rounded and/or with wider neck portions, similar to the examples shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5).

FIG. 7 shows another example of an improved baby toy and this example includes a plurality of toys attached to the toy fixing structure. A front elevation 701 and a rear elevation 702 are shown. The plurality of toys in the example comprises:

• • A teething surface 704, which may, for example, have formed ridges on one side, and raised dots on the other side; and
  • One or more stuffed animals 706, 708.

The stuffed animals 706, 708 are removable from the garment and may be used as a separate toy. Each comprises a small fabric loop sewn onto the back top of toy to allow it to be hung from a stroller, a buggy or play mat (e.g. using a split-style ring).

In the example shown in FIG. 7, the toy fixing structures comprise popper buttons 710. The necklace element 606 in FIG. 7 has a number of different toys 607 and a bell 608 attached to it. In an example, these toys 607 may include circles that turn and that help develop a baby's hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. The first stuffed animal 706 comprises a reflective element 712 and the second stuffed animal 708 has portions (in this example, the wings) that are fabricated from a material that makes a crinkle noise when touched and may also include a squeaker pillow. In addition to toy fixing structure with toys attached, additional toy fixing structure may be provided. These may be used to attach a baby's favourite toys.

As described above, the region 614 around the reflective element 112 may be patterned distinctively, and in this example the region is patterned with black and white stripes. The remainder of the rear face of the bib-shaped garment is a single block of colour (e.g. red or white) whilst the front face is patterned and in this example the pattern comprises a plurality of representations of birds formed using a simple colour palette, e.g. red, black, and white.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show further examples of an improved baby toy. The example in FIG. 8 shows the bib-shaped garment without toys attached and the example in FIG. 9 shows the same garment with toys attached. These examples comprise an apron portion 102 and two neck portions 104, 106 and include many of the features described above, such as: fixing structure 108, toy fixing structure 110, a reflective element 112, tags 402, elongate elements 510, 511 for fixing the garment onto an object such as a cot rail, suction cups 521 and a squeaker pillow located under a logo 612. In this example, the fixing structure 108 comprises a release buckle on straps that are adjustable in length. As in previous examples, the region 614 around the reflective element 112 is covered in a distinctive pattern, such as stripes in black and white.

The example of FIG. 9 also comprises a plurality of toys: a necklace element 606 with toys 607 (which may be wooden) and/or bells 608 attached to it, a bean bag 609 and two stuffed animals 902, 904 which in this particular example are a cow 902 and a butterfly 904 but may alternatively be other types of animals. The cow 902 has a reflective element 906 and a teething surface 908 attached to it. As described above, the teething surface may, for example, have raised patterns on it (e.g. dots on one side and ridges on the other). All these toys are detachably fastened to the bib-shaped garment using toy fixing structure. In this example, the reflective element 112 in its pouch 910 is also detachably fastened to the rear face of the main portion 102 using toy fixing structure 110 (poppers in this example).

It will be appreciated that the arrangements shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 show just two possible examples that include toys and different arrangements and collections of toys may alternatively be attached to the toy fixing structure. For example, other stuffed toys may be used instead of the zebra 708 and butterfly 706 (shown in FIG. 7) or cow 902 and butterfly 904 (shown in FIG. 9). Other examples of toys that may be attached include:

• • A stuffed toy that is attached to the garment with a pullcord, that when pulled causes the toy to vibrate whilst the pullcord retracts;
  • A rattle;
  • A whistle;
  • A small baby book;
  • Other noise/texture exploration toys; and
  • A toy in a pocket, so that the baby's manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination can be improved through inserting the toy into the pocket and removing it from the pocket.

The plurality of toys attached to the toy fixing structure may be selected to provide optimum stimulation for a baby of a particular age and toys may be changed as a baby develops. The toys may be selected to improve a baby's hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Additionally, the colours used to decorate the bib-shaped item may depend upon the age of the baby or small child to whom it is directed. For example, a primary or pastel colour palette may be used for an embodiment that is intended for use by older babies (e.g. babies over 6 months in age), instead of the red/white/black colour scheme described above.

A further embodiment of the improved toy may also comprise a pocket on the front or rear face of the garment. This pocket, which may be fabricated from a mesh material, may be used to store useful items for the baby (e.g. dummy, wipes, toy, nappy, muslin square) or may be a storage pocket for the garment itself when folded into the pocket.

The materials used to manufacture the garments described herein, including the plurality of toys, may be selected to provide a range of textures to the baby and thereby increase the tactile stimulation the garment provides. For example, the toys 607 attached to the necklace element 606, shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 9, may be made of wood and the teething surfaces 704, 908, shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, may be made from a plastic. Different fabrics may be also used, e.g. fabric with a pile (e.g. velvet or velvet-like materials), fleece material, synthetic fur fabric, shiny fabric (e.g. satin or satin-like materials) etc to provide a variety of different textures. The design and/or fabrics may also be selected to provide visual stimulation to the baby, e.g. through the colour scheme used, as described above.

In addition to providing tactile and visual stimulation, the garment may also comprise elements to stimulate the baby through noise exploration, e.g. crinkly, squeaky, rattling sounds. For example the garment may comprise a portion, or a separate toy, which makes a crinkle noise when handled by the baby (e.g. the wings of the stuffed animal 708 shown in FIG. 7) and/or a squeaker pillow (e.g. the squeaker pillow 610 shown in FIG. 6). A portion or toy that makes a crinkly sound may, for example, be formed from a fabric covered piece of thin plastic, such as is commonly used in packaging (e.g. a wipes package).

Although the examples shown in the Figures and described above show garments that are symmetrical in shape and have neck portions of equal length, these are presented by way of example only. In a further embodiment, one neck portion may be longer than the other neck portion so that the neck portions are fastened together at the side of the carer's neck. It will be appreciated that the exact shapes shown in the Figures show just some possible examples and the garment may be modified in shape.

Whilst the description above refers to a front face and a rear face of the garment, some embodiments will be reversible such that they can be worn (or attached to an object) with either face towards the baby.

The term ‘baby’ or ‘infant’ is used herein to refer to a child who is approximately under the age of two years; however, it will be appreciated that the toy described herein may also be used by children who are older than this and any reference to use by a baby is not intended to limit the application of the bib-shaped toy. As described above, the bib-shaped garment is versatile as toys that are attached can be removed and replaced with toys to suit the user's age and interests.

The terms ‘parent’ and ‘carer’ are used interchangeably herein to describe the person who is playing with the baby and who is wearing the bib-shaped toy. The toy is also referred to as a bib-shaped garment. It will be appreciated that although the toy is designed to be worn by a carer, it can also be attached to other objects (e.g. cot, highchair table, kitchen table, car window, etc, as described above) instead of being worn.

The examples described above provide tactile, visual and aural stimulation; however it will be appreciated that an embodiment may be arranged to stimulate any combination of one or more senses.

It will be understood that the benefits and advantages described above may relate to one embodiment or may relate to several embodiments. The embodiments are not limited to those that solve any or all of the stated problems or those that have any or all of the stated benefits and advantages.

Any reference to ‘an’ item refers to one or more of those items. The term ‘comprising’ is used herein to mean including the elements identified, but that such elements do not comprise an exclusive list and an apparatus may contain additional elements.

Aspects of any of the examples described above may be combined with aspects of any of the other examples described to form further examples without losing the effect sought.

It will be understood that the above description of a preferred embodiment is given by way of example only and that various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art. Although various embodiments have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, or with reference to one or more individual embodiments, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A garment comprising:

a main portion configured to be worn over the chest of a carer;

two neck portions attached to the main portion and arranged to fit around the neck of the carer, the neck portions having a fixing structure configured to detachably fasten the two neck portions together around the neck of the carer;

a fixing structure provided integral with the main portion and configured to removably receive a toy.

2. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising a reflective element attached to a rear face of the main portion.

2. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising additional fixing structure adapted to fix the garment onto an object.

3. A garment according to claim 2, wherein the additional fixing structure comprises suction cups attached to the rear face of the garment.

4. A garment according to claim 2, wherein the additional fixing structure comprises elongate elements and fastening structures adapted to be fastened to form a loop around the object.

5. A garment according to claim 1, wherein, in use, the fixing structure on the neck portions is hidden from the baby.

6. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fixing structures configured to receive objects or toys and spaced with respect to one another to prevent toys from tangling.

7. A garment according to claim 1, wherein fixing structure sized and spaced to accommodate different orientations of the garment when in use.

8. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising at least one toy detachably fixed to the main portion using a fixing structure.

9. A garment according to claim 8, wherein the at least one toy comprises at least one of: a necklace element, a stuffed toy and a teething surface.

10. A garment according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of: a bean bag, a plurality of tags and a fringe element.

8. A garment according to claim 1, wherein the reflective element is removably attached to the rear face of the main portion.

11. A garment according to claim 1, wherein at least a front face of the main and neck portions are covered in a pattern in white, red and black.

12. A garment according to claim 1, wherein a region on the rear face is covered in a striped pattern.

13. A garment according to claim 12, wherein the region on the rear face is around the reflective element.

14. A toy for a baby comprising:

a garment comprising a main portion and two neck portions:

fixing structure attached to the neck portions and sized and shaped to detachably fasten the two neck portions together around a neck of the carer;

a plurality of toy fixing structures provided integral with the main portion, each toy fixing structure being arranged to enable a toy to be detachably fixed to the main portion;

a reflective element attached to a rear face of the main portion; and

at least one toy detachably fixed to the main portion using a toy fixing structure.