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If you are planning to buy a scooter for your child but don’t know where to start, this buying guide is for you. We have compiled a list of features that you need to consider in order to choose the right scooter for children.
Scooters for Children Buying Guide
Check Out the Handlebar
You will also have in mind on how high the scooters handlebars are. Most of the scooters for children have handlebars which can be adjusted. This ensures that the scooter can be used by your child as they grow.
However, you should be sure that the handlebar of a standing scooter reaches your child at their waist. They will not be required to hunch over during their ride and at the same time should not be over their waist. The scooter is steered in a way dependent on the handlebars. What do you prefer for your toddler? Turning the handlebars to steer as if they are turning a bike or the common lean and steer scooter model?
Handlebars of the lean and steer scooters are not movable hence easier and safer.
Toddlers therefore have a solid gripping place as they fearlessly enjoy their ride. This scooter model accommodates gradual turns through leaning on the direction they want it to take. It’s conclusively the best option for toddlers.
If you want to prepare your toddlers for future bike use, starting them with a scooter with turning handlebars is of preference. However, the decision is fully yours alone.
Height of the Handlebar
Many handlebars can be adjusted. You can therefore enlarge the height when your child outgrows one. You can choose a toy that have this ability if you have a concern of the toy being outgrown by your kid.
Go for a height which reaches your kids waist in order to get a comfortable ride. They shouldn’t hunch much since their balance will be affected. However, a very high one will be hectic to maneuver and control.
Steering Mechanism on a Scooter for Children
The toy is steered through lean and steer. The rider leans on the left for it to turn left and when he leans right, it turns right.
This is a factor in toddler toys only. It’s designed to be more supportive to the kid and their sense to direction develops fast.
In the handlebar steering cases, handlebar is used for steering purposes just as it is on regular toys. This steering mechanism has no negative impact. It will instead prepare your kid for riding on a two wheeled toy which they will use later in life.
However, the choice of a steering mechanism method is a personal preference. Being a parent, you clearly understand your child well and so you should make a choice that you feel will give your kid smooth, stable and smooth rides.
Choosing the Right Wheels
To begin with, children’s scooter have three wheels. Two of the wheels are at the front and under handle bars. The other wheel is at the back.
This set up has a meaning to the rider that he or she can carry out multiple activities at the time they are riding their scooter.
This means that they can control the speed and keep the scooter moving, ensure they are balanced on the deck, control the steering and also keep the scooter balanced and upright.
The two front wheels on the scooter of a child are very important. They offer extra support to your small toddler.
This ensures that the toddler will have no business balancing the scooter at the time they are learning on how to ride it. This does away with some difficulties and ensures that it’s easy for the kid to scoot.
The tough PU material is what makes toddler wheels always. You will therefore need not to be worried of a punctured tire in case your toddler scoots over a sharp object. When compared to small rider’s air tires, these have a better stability.
However, you will need to customize on the wheel size. This is an important aspect when deciding on the scooter that will best suit your toddler.
In order for your toddler to have a smoother ride, the scooter wheel should have a larger diameter. Search for wide wheels which are of 120 mm and above for best rides.
Rear wheel may not necessarily be that large but make sure that it’s wide for stability increase.
3 Wheel AND 2 Wheel Scooters
Riding on a two wheeled toy is an idea to many when they think of a toy. Various scoot on games for babies and toddlers have got three rollers.
The extra wheel is positioned differently depending on the model. However most of the models have two tires located at the front because toddlers requires extra stability and support when pushing it. Normally, the wheels are made from materials that are tough such as the PU.
Some toys which have two wheels can also accommodate a third one. This is a good toy if you are interested in having a toy that grows with your baby. When your baby manages to balance the toy, he/she can proceed to a two wheeled scoot.
Consider the Scooter Weight
Your other concern is the scooters weight. A toddler may not have enough strength to keep a heavy toy moving over long time.
The weight of older toddlers may not allow them ride on scooters designed for young toddlers.
You should also have in mind that with toddlers, you may end up being the carrier of the scooter around the yard, park, sidewalk or whatever place you are in. You will therefore like one whose transportation is easy during such moments.
For these reasons, choice of the right weight of a scooter comes along with considerations of scooters weight capacity. For a child whose age is three and below, a scooter of five pounds would be okay since it should offer support of up to thirty pounds.
If your child is of over three years of age and you prefer that the toy grows with the kid even past five years of age, choose one which is able to withstand over 40 or even 50 pounds.
Some scooters for children can withstand even up to 100 pounds. If your wish is that your child ride their scooters even at school age, go for a heavier scooter but on condition that your child has the ability of riding it currently.
Consider the Scooter Deck
The scooter decks of a toddler are different from the traditional ones. They are wider in order to give room for the entire foot stand on the deck and at any given angle.
This offers more stability to the toddler when they ride as they stand. It also provide room to pick up the kicking cruise and foot as they ride on using their two feet on the deck.
This deck is lower to the ground and so your toddler feels safer. For your toddler to have right stability, a short and wide deck suits best.
You will also need to consider if you wish your toddler have seated option on the scooter. Toddler scooters with attachable seats are available.
These seats can get off later giving room for your kid to ride as they stand. You can as well find seat in scooters for toddlers. In any of the cases, go for the sturdy plastic which will ensure that your toddler is stable and comfortable during their rides.
Pricing
Baby and toddler games are affordable. They are also easily available even below $30. Expensive ones are also few but available. The kid will outgrow them at a point and that’s why many parents will go for the cheaper ones.
Nevertheless, if your budget can allow, go for the high quality since they may be used by your other kids.
Safety
Always ensure that your toddler puts on a helmet when they are scooting despite the scooter type that you chose.
Taking off the scooter even for a blink or under cautious pace may lead to serious damage. A helmet is therefore essential in the protection of the head in case of a bump that was not in expectation.
Helmet
This is a must have. Always encourage your kid to scoot safely and always carry their helmet.
Folding mechanism
It is wonderful to have a foldable scooter. It occupies less space in your car. Some folds small enough and therefore fits in your pushchair’s shopping basket. Also ensure that it collapses easily and also sturdy such that it can withstand multiple folding and unfolding.
Seat
We tested some scooters and noted that a seat can be added. This is a handy feature for a kid who tends to get tired easily. Older kids would like to proceed to ‘proper’ scooter quickly. If you’d like to learn more about scooters for kids, check out this post.