Children's user-friendly podium

A child's podium comprising:

• at least first and second generally rectangular box-like units, each of said box-like units having a pair of generally parallel side panels spaced a predetermined distance apart, a front panel, and a rear panel spaced a second predetermined distance apart from said front panel and being generally parallel thereto, said side panels being operatively coupled to said front and rear panels and generally perpendicular thereto for forming said hollow, four-sided, box-like units, said first box-like unit being dimensioned greater than said second box-like unit for telescopically receiving at least a portion of said second box-like unit slidably therein;
• means operatively disposed on the opposite sides of said first and second box-like units for manually selecting the depth to which said second box-like unit is telescopically vertically received into said first box-like unit and thereby selectively varying the vertical height of said podium depending upon the height of the user standing thereat;
• and
• permanently fixed facial feature means operatively carried by at least one of said front and rear panels of said podium for imparting a friendly character-like image to at least one of the audience and the speaker for relieving tension, apprehension and fear.

A podium for teaching children to be unafraid of speaking before groups comprising:

• a plurality of telescopically nested, generally rectangular, box-like means disposed upon one another such that each box-like means has interior dimensions and an upper box-like means has interior dimensions substantially greater than the next lower adjacent box-like means such that said upper box-like means may be slidably received over said next lower adjacent box-like means;
• height-adjustment means operatively carried by at least two of said plurality of box-like means for selecting the vertical height of the podium for each individual speaker;
• decorative facial feature means operatively carried on at least one of the front and rear surfaces on at least one of said box-like means for relaxing at least one of the speaker and the audience;
• arm means supporting a substantially flat platform means for positioning objects in plain view of the audience, said arm means being manually adjustable between a fully extracted use position wherein said platform means is supported in a substantially horizontal position and a fully retracted storage position wherein said arm means is housed within the hollow interior of one of said box-like means and said platform means is disposed flush against the sides of said box-like means in and out-of-the-way storage position.