EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT GAME

An early childhood training and development game apparatus and method are shown involving a body with a top surface formed therein and multiple compartments. Multiple incentive objects are formed on the top surface and are positioned so that each incentive object is adjacent to a corresponding compartment. Each incentive object includes a progress tracking region having one or more achievement marks and a removable cover. A reward object is placed in each of the compartments. When a child has earned a progress token for each achievement mark in the progress tracking region for an incentive object, then the child is permitted to remove the removable cover to disclose and release the reward object in the corresponding compartment.

BACKGROUND

Young children are often highly receptive to incentives in return for desired behavior. As a result, a system of incentives can sometimes be utilized to engage the interest of children to change their behavior.

For example, a particular behavior, such as toilet training or learning to count, can be identified for modification and a incentive given to a child for performing or refraining from the particular behavior. For instance, a sticker chart can be provided and sticker given to a child to incentive the child's behavior.

Currently, parents and caretakers can find it difficult to provide an attractive, interesting system to encourage behavior modification or development in young children.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention, in an example of an apparatus for an early childhood training and development game, the game has a body with a top surface formed therein and including a plurality of compartments. Multiple incentive objects are formed on the top surface, where each incentive object is positioned adjacent to a corresponding one of the compartments and includes a progress tracking region and a removable cover. The game also includes incentive objects, where each incentive object is contained in a corresponding compartment.

In some examples, a shape of the progress tracking region and a shape of the removable cover for each incentive object are selected to produce a shape of the incentive object that can be relevant to an intent of the game. In certain examples, the shape of the incentive object can be an image of a toilet.

In other examples, an image is formed or provided on the removable cover for each incentive object. In particular examples, the image formed or provided on the removable cover for each incentive object can be a cartoon image. In specific examples, the cartoon image can be a farm animal, a vehicle or a dinosaur. In yet other examples, each of the incentive objects corresponds to the image formed or provided on the removable cover for each incentive object.

In still other examples, the compartments are formed in the body. In other examples, the compartments are formed in a substrate that is enclosed within the body.

An example of a method for early childhood training and development in accordance with this disclosure involves providing a game apparatus having a plurality of compartments. Each compartment has a reward object disposed therein and an incentive object, where each incentive object has a removable cover that covers an opening formed in the compartment and the incentive object has a progress tracking region with one or more achievement marks. For each of the incentive objects, progress tokens can be provided to a child as a reward for an action by the child, who affixes the progress token to an achievement mark in the progress tracking region of the incentive object. When each of the achievement marks for the incentive object has a progress token affixed to it, the child can remove the removable cover from the incentive object to open the compartment and reveal the reward object.

In another example of an apparatus for early childhood training and development, the apparatus includes a plurality of compartments, where each compartment has a reward object disposed therein and a plurality of incentive objects, each incentive object having a removable cover that covers an opening formed in a corresponding one of the compartments and the incentive object having a progress tracking region with one or more achievement marks.

In certain examples of this apparatus, a shape of the progress tracking region and a shape of the removable cover for each incentive object are selected to produce a shape of the incentive object that is relevant to an intent of the game. In certain examples, the shape of the progress tracking region and the shape of the removable cover incentive object form an image of a toilet.

Further, in particular examples, an image is formed or provided on the removable cover for each incentive object. In some of these examples, the image formed or provided on the removable cover for each incentive object is composed of a cartoon image, such as farm animal cartoon images, a plurality of vehicle cartoon images and a plurality of dinosaur cartoon images.

Note that the same numbers are used throughout the disclosure and figures to reference like components and features.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples are discussed herein of an early childhood training and development game that involves incentive objects, such as toys, contained with compartments. Incentive objects are formed or provided on a top surface of a body of the game, where each incentive object includes a removable cover that can be removed to open one of the compartments to reveal a toy.

In certain examples, each incentive object includes a progress tracking region for tracking a child's progress. Each time the child successfully completes an act, such as using a toilet, the child receives a tracking token, such as a sticker, that can be applied to a progress marker in the progress tracking region. When tracking tokens have been applied to each progress marker in the progress tracking region for an incentive object, the child can be permitted to remove the removable cover for the incentive object and reveal the toy contained in the corresponding compartment.

A shape of the incentive objects, such as the shape formed by the progress tracking region and the removable cover, can be selected in accordance with the intent of the game. For example, the shape can be a toilet in a game intended for toilet training for a child.

Images, such as cartoon images, can also be provided on the removable covers to interest the child. The cartoon images can be selected to relate to a theme of the game, such as farm animals, vehicles, or dinosaurs. The incentive objects can also be selected to relate to the theme of the game, such as toy farm animals, vehicles, or dinosaurs.

The compartments can be formed in the body of the game or in a substrate, such as plastic blister packs, enclosed in the body.

In an example of a method for early childhood training and development in accordance with this disclosure, a game apparatus us provided having a plurality of compartments. Each compartment has a reward object disposed therein and an incentive object, where each incentive object has a removable cover that covers an opening formed in the compartment and the incentive object has a progress tracking region with one or more achievement marks. For each of the incentive objects, progress tokens can be provided to a child as a reward for an action by the child, who affixes the progress token to an achievement mark in the progress tracking region of the incentive object. When each of the achievement marks for the incentive object has a progress token affixed to it, the child can remove the removable cover from the incentive object to open the compartment and reveal the reward object.

In another example of an apparatus for early childhood training and development, the apparatus includes a plurality of compartments, where each compartment has a reward object disposed therein and a plurality of incentive objects, each incentive object having a removable cover that covers an opening formed in a corresponding one of the compartments and the incentive object having a progress tracking region with one or more achievement marks.

These examples are provided for purposes of illustration only and do no limit the scope of the disclosure.

FIG. 1is a schematic diagram that illustrates one example of an early childhood training and development game100according to certain aspects of the present invention. In this example, the game100is configured for toilet training a child by tracking each time the child utilizes a toilet using progress tokens attached to the game and progressively incentivizing or rewarding the child with objects, such as toys, that are sealed in compartments in the game using a removable cover, such as a tear-away film, cardboard or an adhesive film.

In the example ofFIG. 1, a body102has a top surface104. Body102can be a box, such as a plastic or cardboard box, that can be composed of subcomponents or include subcomponents. For example, a plurality of side panels and a back panel of body102can be composed of cardboard and top surface104can be composed of plastic that is adhered to side panels of body102. Many variations can be utilized with departing from the teachings of the disclosed approach.

A plurality of incentive objects110are provided or formed on the top surface of game104. Each incentive object110can include a progress tracking region112and a removable compartment cover116, which can include a decorative symbol or image118, such as a cartoon image of an animal or a vehicle, rendered on the removable compartment cover116.

Progress tracking region112can include one or more achievement marks114. When a child performs a task, which is the successful use of a toilet in this example, the child is incentivized with a progress token, such as a sticker or a badge, that is applied to an achievement mark114to track the child's progress. The symbols for each achievement mark can include a variety of shapes, such as circles, triangles or squares, and colors, such as red, yellow or blue. The progress token, in certain examples, can be a star-shaped or circular sticker.

The number of achievement marks114in a progress tracking region112for an incentive object110can also vary. For example, incentive object110A has one achievement mark114A in its progress tracking region112A. Similarly, incentive object110B has one achievement mark114B. The number of achievement marks in the progress tracking of an incentive object can be progressively increased to challenge the child. For example, incentive objects110C-J each have two achievement marks in their corresponding progress tracking regions112while incentive objects110K-N each have three achievement marks in their corresponding progress tracking regions112.

FIG. 2is a cross-sectional side view diagram of the body102that illustrates one example of a plurality of compartments120formed or provided in the body102for each of the incentive objects110that contain reward objects122in accordance with the early childhood training and development game ofFIG. 1. Each incentive object110has a corresponding compartment120that contains a corresponding reward object122and is sealed using removable cover116. For example, incentive object110A has corresponding compartment120A positioned in body102such that removal of cover116A opens compartment120A to reveal reward object122A, such as a toy. The removable compartment cover116covering a compartment120containing a reward object122can be opaque to conceal the reward object, transparent to reveal the reward object, or translucent to pique the child's interest without completely revealing the reward object.

In one example, the compartments120are formed as blister packs in a plastic substrate that includes top surface104. In another example, the compartments120are formed in a separate substrate, such as a formed plastic tray, that is enclosed in body102and adjacent to top surface104.

When the child has marked all of the achievement marks114in a progress tracking region112for an incentive object110, then the child can be permitted to remove the corresponding compartment cover116for the incentive object110to open a corresponding compartment120containing a reward object122, such as a toy, for the child.

FIGS. 3A and 3Bare schematic diagrams that further illustrate the example incentive object110A ofFIGS. 1 and 2.FIG. 3Aillustrates a progress token130, which is star-shaped in this example, that is given to a child to incentivize or reward an action, e.g. using a toilet, learning a new word, counting, etc. Examples for progress token130can include a sticker, a pin, or a badge that can be affixed, as illustrated at132inFIG. 3A, to achievement mark114A in progress tracking region112A for an incentive object110A.

When all of the achievement marks114in the progress tracking region112of an incentive object110have had a progress token affixed to them, then the child can be permitted to open the compartment120for incentive object110A by removing the removable cover116A for the incentive object110A, as illustrated at134inFIGS. 3A and 3Balong with removed cover116AA. Removal of cover116A reveals a reward object122A, which can be removed by the child, as illustrated at136inFIG. 3B, where reward object122A is taken out of compartment120A as demonstrated by removed reward object122AA.

The example illustrated inFIGS. 1, 2, 3A and 3Bis directed toward an early childhood training and development toilet training game100. As a result, the shape of incentive objects110, which results from the combination of the shapes of region112and removable cover116, is selected to represent a toilet seat. In early childhood training and development games directed toward different types of training, the shape of the incentive objects110can be configured to represent other types of objects that can be related to the intent of the game, such as learning native or foreign language words, spelling, counting, or sharing.

Similarly, the images118presented on the removable covers116can vary, such as to illustrate vehicles, dinosaurs, or other subject matter of interest to children. The images118can be coordinated with the nature of reward objects122, such as showing farm animal images118in connection with farm animal toys122. The images118and reward objects122can also be selected to relate to the intent of the game. In another example, the images118and reward objects122can relate to learning a new word in a native or foreign language.

All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and/or were set forth in its entirety herein.

The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the specification and in the following claims are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “having,” “including,” “containing” and similar referents in the specification and in the following claims are to be construed as open-ended terms (e.g., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely indented to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value inclusively falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention and does not pose a limitation to the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to each embodiment of the present invention.