2 year old - scooter, stabiliser bike or balance bike?

[Rosebud1302]

What would you recommend for a 2 year old? A scooter, balance bike or bike with stabilisers? And any specific products? Thanks in advance!

We went for balance bike as we're hoping to be able to avoid stabilisers and go straight to normal bike when she is ready

I'd go for scooter. Then when a bit bigger balance bike. Avoid bike with stabilisers altogether.

Balance bike. X

Balance bike or scooter. In my opinion it's really worth spending more on a mini micro scooter - they are really light, robust and easy to ride. The kids I look after have all used a Cruzee balance bike which has been brilliant - again very lightweight (this is important as you will inevitably end up carrying it home more than once!!), very easy to ride, but I think it's a US brand. I've heard good things about Strider bikes which look very similar.

Balance bike or scooter. My DS is 2.5 years and got a balance bike for his 2nd birthday. He really liked it but mostly walked around with it at first (very normal), recently it’s really clicked and his confidence has soared and he’s started gliding and really getting some speed up on it - and my DS is very cautious with physical activities so takes a bit longer to crack them.

I agree with avoiding stabilisers.

My DD is almost 2 and we're getting her a scooter. We've looked at balance bikes but think a scooter will suit her a bit better at this stage.

Balance bike was the best thing I ever bought my son. His stabilisers were straight off once he got an actual bike. He used to zip around on it and loved it so much, got loads of use out of it and it sped up the school run.

DD did a balance bike for 2 years, from age 3, then a BMX with stabilisers for 1 day (waste of £22)

I took them off, gave her a small push, ran behind her and off she went. I recorded it on my phone at the same time somehow, and it looks great but all you can hear is her sounding awful shouting "Oh my god, Oh my god"

So common, I dont know where she gets it from

She now goes to a BMX track alongside adults with no fear.

Definitely a balance bike! Avoid stabilisers. They really slow down the learning process.

And scooters - well nearly all children favour one leg. In about 20 years time I expect to see Chiropractors and Physiotherapists reaping the £££ rewards of a generation of people whose pelvises are out of alignment from riding scooters.

Wow thanks everyone! Looks like a unanimous vote for balance bikes. Ok so does anyone have any particular product suggestions? My boy is fairly slight and not the most confident if that makes any difference.

Look for a Strider balance bike, a few more £££'s but definitely worth it as very light a d wasy to ride. My almost 4 yr old got his when he was 2 and wasn't really interested in it until about 2 months ago. He's really mastered balancing in the last 2 weeks so we put him on his bike without stabilisers last week and got on and rode off!

Frog balance bike. Super light, not cheap but hold value for resale.
Mine is on their 3rd frog bike - balance, single speed now gears.

We have balance bikes and scooters.

Balance bike.. you don't need an expensive one, but look for light weight.

I will go against the grain here.

I will say scooter now (agree with Micro) and then balance bike at Xmas.

Thanks guys and thank you @Karenin2020 - do you have a scooter recommendation? I definitely want to get him a balance bike and a scooter so going to look at options for which one I get sooner!

I would recommend a micro scooter.

My youngest had one and it was worth the money. And good resale market too.

As for balance bikes - they are brilliant. It was SO easy to teach my youngest to ride a pedal bike. Literally seconds and he was riding a good year before most of his friends.

Balance bike x 100
My dc had balance bikes at 2 and both jumped on pedal bikes and whizzed off at 3 and a half.

If he's just turning two I would get the micro scooter now and then balance bike a bit later (maybe Christmas?)

IME scooters are easier for them to master at a younger age.

Mine were on balance bikes at 2. It took a few weeks to get going but once they got the hang of it they were gliding along. And then it was a smooth transition to cycling with pedals (no stabilisers) at 4.

Balance bike. Both of mine had balance bikes and went straight to normal pedals without stabilisers at 3 for youngest and 3.5 for oldest

Thank you so much everyone. I think as his birthday is not too far from Christmas, I will go for scooter for birthday and a balance bike for Christmas. So helpful to hear everyone's suggestions!

I think it depends on your child. At 2, my son never got on with the scooter, but was a whizz on the balance bike. My daughter was the opposite!

I’ve read about scooters causing misaligned pelvises and uneven muscle development so I’m steering clear. We’ve gone for a balance bike for our 2 year old - got a secondhand Islabike (they are SO expensive new) and it’s brilliant.

Mini micro scooter or a balance bike.

We get frog bikes via the bike club - it’s a brilliant scheme - my 4 year old is on his 4th bike from there and was able to ride a pedal bike no issue just after his 3rd birthday, having got a balance bike for the Christmas just before his second birthday.