Table of Contents
There are plenty of reasons for a parent to purchase a kick scooter for their children. First and foremost, a kick scooter is a great addition to outdoor activities for kids to enjoy. Not only is a scooter great for physical exercises, but it also accords kids with a fun toy to enjoy themselves. Furthermore, they are also a great tool to help young kids develop and enhance their motor skill, even at a very young age. For many kids looking to learn how to ride a bike, the kick scooter is a good stepping stone. It is much safer than a bike but nonetheless, it pushes your child to develop their motor skills.
However, choosing a kick scooter for your young one is not a straightforward endeavor. For starters, there are plenty of considerations that every parent will have in mind. Equally, there are plenty of options that as a parent you have to sift through in order to purchase the perfect kick scooter for your child. Herein we will explore how to go about how to choose a kick scooter that is perfectly suited for your child.
Is Your Child Old Enough For A Kick Scooter
The decision of whether your child is ready for a kick scooter should largely be based on their current physical abilities and not just age. While it is true that children above the age of three will generally be able to ride a kick scooter, there are also kids younger than that will comfortably and safely ride a kick scooter. As such, if your child is able to walk with a straight gait, and can run quite a bit, they can handle a kid’s scooter just fine.
That being said, it is important to take into consideration the other factors that influence how safely your child can make use of kick scooter. Some of the other considerations that you should have in mind are explored below.
Choosing The Style Of Kick Scooter
There are plenty of kids’ kick scooter styles on the market. Each has its own set of benefits which makes it a stellar kick scooter in certain aspects. However, each style of scooter has its own set of demerits, which negatively impacts on its usability in certain regards.
Generally speaking, there are two main styles of scooter – the two-wheel scooter and the three-wheel scooter. Furthermore, each of the general styles of scooters has its own set of sub-style of sorts. This is especially the case with the three-wheeled scooter that has various style. The three-wheeled scooters are:
– The 2 front wheels 1 rear wheel that has a lean-to-turn steering – These are the perfect beginner kick scooters as they take away the need to balance the scooter. Importantly, they are also safer as they use a tilt-to-turn mechanism to turn rather than turn as a regular bike would.
– The 2 front wheels 1 rear wheel that has a bicycle turning mechanism – Very similar to the above style, except they turn as a regular bike does. While they will not improve your child balance skills, they will increase their leg muscles’ strength.
– 1 front wheel 2 rear wheels with a V-shape design
– 1 front wheel 3 rear wheels with a bicycle turning mechanism
In the case of the 2-wheel kick scooters, the design is generally the same – one wheel in front of the other and a deck between the two. And of all the kick scooters available on the market, the 2-wheel kick scooter is regard, and, indeed the hardest scooter for your kid to ride.
The rider has to have ample strength to push the scooter to the minimum velocity to maintain balance. Furthermore, the rider needs to keep steering the bike to retain balance and direction of the scooter. As such, it best bought for kids with advanced motor skills.
Deciding On Kick Scooter Features
Small Wheels TO Very Large Wheels; Which One To Buy?
Generally speaking, you the size of the wheel of a kick scooter is pegged to the size of a scooter. A large scooter will have larger wheels while a small scooter will have small wheels. The wheel size spectrum ranges as follows:
Small wheels – 100mm to 125mm
Medium wheels – 145mm to 185mm
Large wheels – 190mm to 205mm
And very large wheels – 210 mm and above.
That being said, it should be noted that some small scooters are designed to handle even higher weights, especially the aluminum wheels. With regards to handling, the small scooter is generally better as it is nimble and, therefore, easier to steer and ride.
Deck Size – The size of a kick scooter is generally indicative of the weight bearing capacity of the scooter. For instance, a larger scooter is designed to handle and bear more weight than a smaller scooter. However, very much like it with wheels, a scooter with a smaller deck but much is made of aluminum can handle much more weight.
Ability To Fold – If you have limited storage space in your house, you might prefer to purchase a scooter that can fold, thereby taking up very little space. On the other hand, if you have plenty of space in your house, you might want to purchase a rigid kick scooter as you will avoid the possibility of the folding mechanism failing in your child’s scooter.
Brakes – For optimal safety, scooters with rear brakes are much safer.
Other features to have in mind are handlebars with grips.
If you liked the article, please leave your feedback.
