These things are immortalized on this board as a post rank title named "Beware the Bars of Death." Best practices for using these things include:
1. Ages 6 and under - because of the height of the icewalker, it doesn't help taller/older kids
2. Skate with the traffic
3. A parent/guardian should stay with the skater
Of course, best-laid plans and all that ... The rink doesn't always know who the parents intend to put behind these "bars of death." Little kids get tired after 15 or 20 minutes, so the walker gets abandoned on the ice, in the doorway, or placed in a corner for a second round after a cocoa break.
At that point, the older kids take control. Our frames are perfect for racing, bumper cars, run-and-ride (really great for the rental blades, too) and knocking down unsuspecting skaters as the 'drivers' careen around the rink.
I've seen kids try to share the walker, too. The biggest kid sits on the front while the youngest one (who allegedly couldn't skate) pushes. Or, two little ones get dragged sideways while the biggest kid flies down the ice, leaving them sprawled behind. Or, one kid holds onto the front and skates backward in a spiral while another pushes and does a spiral. Love watching that duet go into a cluster of public skaters with their backs turned.
Yesterday, I saw a family of four do something different, which I liked. The two kids each had a frame and they were fine. The parents stayed with them while they went round and round the rink, and had a great time. At one point, the dad's feet hurt, so he sat out for a bit. The mom had the two kids make a train and she pushed them along the side. I have to admit, it was cute. The way the frames are sized, they don't fit together snugly, so the kid in front had room to glide without getting squished. They were making chugging noises and having a great time.
It got me to wondering how these can be used well, but I know I'm not the only person who has seen the abuse. Anyone else have something to share about these skate trainer / skate walker / skater frame devices?