Kids' scooters can look similar but are far from the same. There are many types of scooters thanks to innovation and creativity in the industry. Today, kids enjoy encountering and using regular kick, pro, and electric scooters.
Like balance bikes, a good scooter helps kids learn how to balance, turn, and brake, allowing them to easily navigate through the neighborhood and safe streets while enjoying the fun.
Virtually every kid in the world would be happy to receive a scooter as a birthday, Christmas, or random gift. Therefore, if you consider gifting your child a scooter, you should not hesitate. Buying a scooter for your child will ensure they have great fun and exercise vigorously while at it.
If you are wondering how to choose the best scooter for kids, we outline some of the most important aspects, features, and qualities to consider to find the best bike scooter for your child. Thanks to our review, you can skip all this information and head straight to choosing the best three-wheeled kids' scooter.
What to Consider When Buying a Scooter for Your Child
With many types of scooters on the market, it is difficult for you to choose one for your kid. Nevertheless, it is something you have to do if you want your child to have a scooter that will give them a fun, safe, and trouble-free scooter experience.
In this section, you will discover everything you need to consider about scooters to buy an excellent scooter for your kid. By considering the different scooter elements below, you should be able to choose a scooter that is suitable and fun for your kid to use.
1. Type of Scooter
The first thing you will need to consider when buying a scooter for your kid is the type of one you want to buy. There are different types of kids' scooters on the market, and they all have pros and cons. Therefore, it is wise to find out as much as possible about each type before deciding which one will be appropriate for your kid.
Kick Scooter
The most common type of kids' scooter is the regular kick scooter. This scooter is designed for recreation in skate parks. For this reason, it is also known as a skate park scooter. This scooter is usually faster than other types of kids' scooters, and this is because it is designed to glide faster and provide that exciting adrenaline rush. You should purchase a kick scooter for your kid if you are looking for a scooter that they can use in a typical skate park. You should also purchase a kick scooter if you don't know much about scooters and you are not sure of what to buy.
Stunt Scooter
The second most common type of kids' scooter is the trick or stunt scooter. The typical trick scooter looks almost exactly like a standard kick scooter; the only difference is that its wheels have a metal core. The metal core wheels aim to ensure the scooter is strong enough to withstand tough tricks and stunts. Despite having metal core wheels' stunt scooters are usually very lightweight to enable the tricks. You should purchase a stunt scooter for your kid if they want a fast and rugged scooter for stunts.
Street Scooter
The third most common type of kids' scooter is the street scooter. A typical street scooter will look slightly different from a typical kick scooter. This is because it is meant for use on the streets; hence it will typically have big wheels and be slightly wider than normal for better balance. The best street scooters for kids are relatively fast, stable, and energy efficient (you don't need a lot of energy to move over great distances). You should purchase a street scooter for your kid if they want a fast scooter for school or general street use.
Other Types of Scooters
Other common types of scooters include three-wheel scooters, four-wheel scooters, kickboards, and parent-handle scooters. Three-wheel scooters have three wheels instead of two (as with most kids' scooters). They are considered more stable than typical scooters for kids, and Four-wheel scooters are even more stable than three-wheel scooters. They are the perfect scooters for kids because of their stability and safety. You should purchase a three-wheel or four-wheel scooter for your kid if you want a safer scooter for them.
Kickboards are scooters that look like skateboards. They are much easier to "skate" because they typically have bigger wheels and are also bodyweight tilt controlled. You should buy this type of scooter for your kid if you want them to have the skateboard experience from early on.
Parent-handle scooters are controlled by a second party (the parent). You should buy this type of scooter if you are a cautious parent and want to introduce your kid to scooting/skating in the gentlest way possible.
Recently, there has been a buzz around electric scooters. Adults and kids alike are crazy about electric scooters, and they are the talk of the town. These types are made for kids and have lower maximum speeds, enabling them to run to start them. Instead of springing to maximum speed immediately, they dial the throttle. They are a fun and safe way to keep kids active and enjoy the outdoors.
2. Handlebar
The second most important thing to consider when buying a kids' scooter is the handlebar of the scooter you want to purchase. You should never purchase a kids' scooter without considering the handlebar or trying to find out what it looks like. Doing so is not very wise because you could spend good money on a scooter that is not very appropriate for your child.
A good handlebar for a kids' scooter is anti-slip, height-adjustable, and convenient. It is anti-slip to ensure your kid has a good grip and control of it. It is height-adjustable to ensure your kid (or you) can adjust it to the perfect height for them to ride. And it is convenient to ensure using it is easy as it gets. This is crucial to ensure your kid has a non-problematic handlebar.
3. Height Adjustability
This is crucial to consider when purchasing a scooter for your kid. Most kids experience rapid growth and change in height between the ages of 3 and 8. Therefore, when purchasing a scooter for your kid, you need to ensure it is height adjustable to guarantee that it can be altered to make it more comfortable and safe for your kid as they grow. Most of the best boys' scooters are height-adjustable, especially for older kids.
The best scooters for children are those with a minimum handlebar height of just below chest level. Anything lower than this height will be somewhat challenging to control for your kid and increase the risk of tripping over. Anything taller than this height will affect visibility especially close to the front tire.
So make sure the shortest handlebar height for the scooter you purchase is just below the chest level of your kid. As they grow, increase the handlebar height to just below their chest level to make the height more comfortable and safe for them.
4. Comfort
You need to consider comfort when purchasing a scooter for your kid strongly. This is because an uncomfortable scooter will be almost impossible for your kid to use long-term, while a comfortable scooter will be fun for your kid to use. Hence, ensuring what you purchase for your kid is very comfortable is vital. Having comfort features outrightly makes any scooter the coolest scooter for kids.
The most comfortable scooters for kids are the ones that come with big tires, comfortable handles, and a comfortable deck. Big tires are essential for a street scooter because they help to absorb shocks and make rides comfortable, particularly on uneven terrain.
Comfortable handles are those that are padded. While your kid's scooter handles must be anti-slip to ensure firm control, they should also be padded to make them comfortable, especially for long rides.
The scooter you choose for your child should have a comfortable deck – a deck that is spacious enough and has an anti-slip stepping area. Such a deck will ensure your kid is comfortable, making slips, falls, and accidents less likely.
5. Deck
You need to carefully consider the deck of the scooter you want to purchase for your child. The deck is the platform where your kid's feet will rest while riding it. The best scooters have a long and expansive deck for stability.
Therefore, you ought to ensure that the scooter you acquire for your kid has a long and expansive deck.
You also need to ensure the deck has an anti-slip stepping area, and this will prevent the frequently common slipping accidents caused by clean decks that have no anti-slip elements.
In addition to preventing slipping and accidents, it will increase riding stability, ensuring the rider's feet do not slip or slide around unnecessarily.
6. Weight
You need to consider the weight of the scooter you want to purchase for your kid.
Cheap scooters are cumbersome, making them somewhat difficult to control and making riding and having fun more complicated. They are also not preferable for younger kids. In contrast, quality or high-end scooters are lightweight, easier to control, and guarantee a smooth ride.
This makes them somewhat easy to control. Just about any kid can have fun on a lightweight scooter, but only a few tenacious kids can have fun on heavy scooters.
In addition to heavy scooters being cumbersome and difficult to control, they are also less safe than lighter ones.
Heavy scooters are less safe than light ones because, in case of an accident, they can cause more damage as they are heavier.
So, you must do all you can to ensure your purchased scooter is not too heavy. Generally, cheap scooters are heavy. So, avoid cheap scooters to increase your chances of getting a lightweight scooter.
7. Wheels
When buying your kid's scooter, you should closely look at the wheels. You will need to consider three key things when looking at the wheels – size, the spread of rear wheels, and the quality.
You should consider the size of the wheels on the scooter you want to purchase for your kid.
The bigger the wheels on the scooter, the more stable the scooter will be on uneven terrain. Therefore, if the scooter you purchase will be mainly used as a street scooter, you better ensure the wheels are large.
As mentioned above, you should also consider the spread of the rear wheels. This is especially true when purchasing a scooter for a young kid (below 4).
Young kids need time to learn how to balance on scooters. Scooters with rear wheels spread far apart are more stable and appropriate for small kids to use as they learn to balance and scoot safely.
Thus, if your kid is young, you should ensure the scooter you are getting has rear wheels spread far apart.
Lastly, you must consider the quality of the wheels on the scooter you want to get your kid. This is especially true when you get a street or stunt scooter. Both types of scooters need quality wheels (bouncy and with metal cores) for comfort and endurance.
8. Brakes
If you are a cautious parent like most parents, you should only buy a scooter for your kid if it has brakes.
Because if your kid is like most kids, they will find it challenging to bring a scooter to a stop using their shoes.
Therefore, only gift them a scooter if it has brakes. If you like a scooter, but it doesn't have brakes, you should ignore it; do not compromise the safety of your children.
Most scooters have one of two types of brakes – a handbrake or a footbrake. Both types of scooter brakes are effective.
A handbrake is a hand-applied brake. You should only buy your child a scooter with a handbrake if they have mastered balancing on a scooter. Because it is only in such a situation that they can apply the handbrake without falling over.
In contrast, a footbrake is a foot-applied brake. You can buy your child a scooter with a footbrake even if they have not mastered balancing on a scooter. Applying a scooter footbrake is usually easy, even for kids who have not spent much time riding scooters. There is usually a minimal fall risk when a kid applies a scooter footbrake.
9. Foldability
When getting a scooter for your kid, you should go for one that is foldable. Getting a foldable scooter for your kid is a good thing because it means, if necessary, they can fold and carry the scooter conveniently.
What's better than a foldable scooter for a school-going kid? They can easily fold it and carry it to their locker for storage once they get somewhere with high foot traffic.
Several different types of foldable scooters are available on the market, and the best ones are automatic.
These automatic folding scooters are great because they can fold at the push of a button. Buying a scooter that can fold automatically at the push of a button is much better than getting one that requires a bit of work to fold.
So, if you want to buy your kid a foldable scooter, you better ensure it is automatically foldable.
10. Kickstand
Your kid's scooter doesn't need to have a kickstand.
However, it having one is not a bad thing, and this is because a good kickstand will prevent a scooter from falling over.
In contrast, a scooter without a kickstand must be put next to a wall or something to prevent it from falling over, which is not always convenient.
11. Suspension
Most scooters do not have a suspension. However, some do.
If you are buying your kid a scooter primarily used on the streets or uneven terrain, buying one with a suspension is a good idea.
A scooter with a suspension will be more comfortable on the streets and uneven terrain because it will absorb the shocks better and reduce shaking and instability.
12. Material
Different scooters are made of different materials; the most common materials used for construction are plastic and metal.
Plastic scooters are often cheaper and lighter. However, they tend not to last long, so many people give them a wide berth.
In contrast, metal scooters are generally of higher quality and tougher. Because of this, many people love them and prefer them over plastic scooters.
Scooter Sizes for Kids
In the section above, you discover all the essential things you must consider when buying a scooter for a kid.
In this section, we delve further into the different scooter sizes for kids.
Three general scooter sizes for kids are small, medium, and large. Discover the difference between the sizes below to find the best scooter size for your kid.
1. Small Size Scooters
Small-size scooters are scooters between 10 cm and 12.5 cm in deck length. These scooters are perfect for young kids below five years of age.
This is because they are light and compact and, therefore, easier for young kids to maneuver them.
Small-size scooters generally support kids up to 50kg in weight. The best ones usually cost over $100.
2. Medium Size Scooters
Medium-size scooters are scooters between 14.5 cm and 18 cm in deck length. These scooters are perfect for kids between 5 and 9 years of age. The best scooter for 6-year-olds falls within this range.
This is because they are bigger and sturdier for such kids. And at the same time, these kids are not too big or cumbersome.
Medium-size scooters generally support up to 60 or 70kg in weight. The best ones usually cost over $100.
3. Large Size Scooters
Large-size scooters are scooters between 20 cm and 20.5 cm in deck length. These scooters are perfect for kids aged nine years and above, and this is because they are bigger, sturdier, and more comfortable for big or older kids.
Large-size scooters generally support much more weight than small and medium-size scooters. The best ones usually cost over $120.
Protective Gear for Kids Riding Scooters
You now know everything you need to consider before buying a kids' scooter – the essentials for kids' elements to consider, plus the sizes. You can use the information you learned in this post to browse and select a good scooter for your kid on sites like Amazon.
When doing so (when purchasing a scooter for your kid), remember to also get protective gear for them. It is unwise to get your kid a scooter without the necessary safety gear, and this is because scooter riding without the necessary safety gear is extremely dangerous, whether on a skate park or the streets.
When buying a scooter, the most crucial protective gear for your kid when Probably the most crucial thing protective gear to get is the correct size helmet because you don't want your kid to experience a head injury while riding their new scooter. In addition to getting your kid all the crucial protective gear, you must teach them the safety rules of riding a scooter.
One of the most important ones is always to wear closed shoes when riding a scooter to ensure they can safely bring the scooter to a stop using their feet. Search the term "scooter safety rules" on YouTube to learn more safety rules to teach your child before their first rodeo.
Why You Should Get Your Child a Scooter
If knowing everything you need to consider when buying a scooter for your kid has made the process seem cumbersome, do not be discouraged. Consider everything you need to consider and buy your child a great scooter and the necessary safety gear. This is because there are many benefits to buying your kid a scooter.
- Great fun. Your kid will experience great fun and joy riding their scooter in a skate park or along the streets.
- Good exercise. Riding a scooter is a perfect workout, especially for the arms and legs.
- Balancing skills. Riding a scooter can teach your kid balancing skills that will help them to learn how to ride a bicycle quickly.
- Calorie-incineration. Riding a scooter is calorie-burning and can help your kid keep fit.
- Posture improvement. Riding a scooter will help your kid learn to stand straight and improve posture.
- Adrenaline. Riding a scooter can inspire your kid to pursue an active sport.
Final Remarks
If you live in areas such as cities that are safe for kids to use, you can consider purchasing a scooter for your child. Kick scooters are great for transportation; kids can even use them to commute to school.
Kick scooters also bring a whole game plan for kids during the summers. However, there is a hoard of factors to consider as you select kids' kick scooters, which we have discussed at length in this article.
Consider some safety devices or accessories as your budget for a kids' scooter. Getting essential protective gear is necessary, and you should budget for helmets, knee and elbow pads, wrist gloves, and closed shoes.
At the same time, you need to train the kids to use brakes, balance their weight on the scooter, wear protective gear, and handle challenging turns. As discussed above, scooters help kids have fun while enjoying more benefits.
FAQs
Kids' scooters help develop physical confidence in a child. They are good at preparing for learning how to ride bikes and helping kids explore the outdoors while having fun. We have tried to answer some of the most common questions we regularly encounter.
What's the best age to get a child a scooter?
The best age to get a child their first scooter is between 3 and 4 years, and start them out with a three-wheeled scooter meant for kids between 3 and 6 years old. Most three-wheeled scooters are recommended for kids three years and above because their height, body size, and gross motor skill development levels allow them to interact with scooters.
Should I buy my child a three-wheeled or two-wheeled scooter?
It is easier for a child to start with a three-wheeled scooter if it is their first kick scooter compared to the two-wheeled scooter. A three-wheel scooter is also suitable for kids who have not learned to ride a bike, those who are not physically active, and those between 2 and 5 years old. Get your child a two-wheeled scooter if they are physically active, know how to cycle, have been riding a three-wheeled scooter, and never give up on trying, no matter how many times they fail.
Should you go for a large or small scooter for your kid?
The size of a scooter you purchase depends on the child's body size and physical ability. Small scooters have smaller wheels (100-125 mm), while large scooters have larger wheels (200-205 mm). Not all small scooters are meant for kids because some small scooters can pack up to 100kg. The handlebar is the only factor defining a small scooter for kids, and kids' scooters have shorter handlebars than adult scooters. Small-wheeled kick scooters are comparatively lighter than large-wheeled scooters. They are easy for kids to set in motion, accelerate, handle, steer, and ride.
On the other hand, large-wheeled scooters require more effort to ride and control and take longer to brake. However, the latter has the advantage that kids will not outgrow it soon. Get your kid a scooter that matches their size and ability, preferably small ones for petite kids and large ones for older and large kids.
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