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Original poster

Ride-on, trike, wheeled thingy quandary

12 replies

Portree · 07/10/2004 09:32

I'm in a real quandary as to what to get ds either from Santa or for his first birthday (Nov). I'm looking for something that'll last a while, that he can use in the house but will then be able to use outside next summer. I'm flummoxed by the age suitablity of some of the toys I've looked at and am not sure how accurate they are.

So could you give me the benefit of your wisdom and experiences? What wheeled toys have really worked for your children? I've looked at a car that has a parent handle and then you can remove part of the floor so that it can be pushed along by little feet. I've also looked at a little trike but a friend said no point as children can't pedal trikes until they are 2 so I'd be better off getting ds a trike next year.

I'm suffering from too much choice and decision paralysis. Help!

OP posts:

throckenholt · 07/10/2004 09:34

at 1 they are best with the little car thing you describe - mine are still happy riding round on those at 3. The pedal trike are not suitable until they are older and have a better balance (quite easy to fall off in my experience), and legs long enough to reach the pedals !

GeorginaA · 07/10/2004 09:35

Definitely not a trike - ds1 has only just started pedalling now and he's 3yrs 5mths!

Around 1 year old, ds had lots of fun with a ride-on scoop (from Bob the Builder) - he used the back part for walking practise (he was pulling up then, not walking) or for us pushing him around on. He soon learnt to push himself around with his feet, too. It's still a much loved toy - lives permanently outside now so it's a bit manky and the stickers are peeling off, but it was certainly very good value for money.

iota · 07/10/2004 09:47

Sorry have to disagree re trike - ds1 had one for his first birthday an it is still in use by ds2 (3) - before they could use the pedals properly they would sit astride and scoot their feet along the ground to propel it.

Also when going for a walk, they would sit on it with their feet on the pedals and power would be supplied by the parent handle.(lucky me)

It's a toy they will grow into and adapt the way they use it.

iota · 07/10/2004 09:52

forgot to say that on our trike the pedals can be disengaged so that they don't go round when child scoots with his feet, or when resting feet on them whislt parent pushes trike using parent handle

Amfs · 07/10/2004 09:52

The Triang trike is great in my view .. but don't really think a one year old will get much out of it .. although they can sit on it and you push it along with the (detachable) handle .. makes a lot of noise though ... it will be great as he gets older (DS 3.7 still uses his)

is he a walker? .. we got a wooden trolley with wooden blocks in it from John Lewis that they can use to balance and as they get older they build blocks, ride in it, take taxi rides .. then you start using the letters and numbers to spell things

LIZS · 07/10/2004 11:45

ds had a trike (Triang with parent handle) at 1 yr 9 months for Christmas and I felt it was a bit late. dd started to use it from just under a year and has got on really well. They can rest their feet on the pedals while you push so doesn't matter if they can't pedal and gradually they get the idea. She has been able to pedal it for a few months now and was pushing herself along on it with her feet from around 18 months.

For her first birthday she had a Chicco car ride on/rocker and she still uses that at aged 3. She used it as a rocker for a while although I felt the activity tray was a bit of a waste of time. Then as a push along (it has a parent handle too if you want to take it outside) and now as an indoor car.

We also have a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe but a bit bulky indoors and difficult for them to use until around 18 months and a Bobby Car (German made) which is great fun but again not really appropriate for a just 1 yr old.

crumpet · 07/10/2004 12:22

my brother gave dd a little ride on car last xmas when she was 1. It has been fabulous as it can be altered as she grows. Stage 1 has it on a rocker or something (we skipped that one). Then it has a high seat back/seat belts/foot rests/adult push along handle for out and about, and finally the seat back/belts and foot rests can be taken off when she's able to push herself along. It's a make I had never heard of - berchet or something, and he got it sent from John Lewis. Phew - long post but HTH

smellymelly · 07/10/2004 17:29

Found this -

www.nurseryandtoys.com/asp/product.asp?recorprod=&product=12207&cat=&ph=&keywords=&recor=&SearchFor=&PT_ID=

Cheap as chips and suitable from 18mths, for indoor or outdoor use.

tassis · 07/10/2004 19:42

Have both the car thing (Smoby) and a wee wooden trike (no pedals) by Galt (about £30 in John Lewis). Both are great - car takes up quite a lot of space; trike is tasteful and a lot smaller. We took trike on holiday when ds was 15months. My nephew is 2.5 and has same trike, still loves trike. HTH.

Skate · 07/10/2004 20:01

DS1 had a Triang trike - TBH it's not been used too much so far because he's a little bit shorter than average for his age and his feet only just reach the pedals at age 3! Also, like others have said, they don't pedal till about 3.

My ds2 was one last Nov and we got him a ride-on Thomas for christmas. It was only about £20 from the Boots/Wellbeing website. He loved it and still does. It's got a handle so he can push it around or it's quite easy to sit on, plus the seat comes up so they can put things in it.

Both ds's (age 3.5 and now almost 2) have one and they played with them a lot in the house over last winter and then again all this summer in the garden/up and down the drive. They put soil, sand etc in the seat and just chased up and down on them! A brill buy in my opinion.

I think I'd leave the trike till older and then maybe you could miss it out altogether and get a bike with stabilizers when he gets to 3. TBH most of my friends have found the trike not used much but of course it's entirely up to you.

Another present my ds loved last year at your ds's age, was a 'wendy house' but it was Thomas one. Again cheap as chips and they both loved it.

Skate · 07/10/2004 20:02

Smellymelly - I honestly had not seen your post before I wrote 'cheap as chips'!!

Original poster

Portree · 07/10/2004 22:18

Ladies, thanks for all your replies. Oh dear, now even more options and more choice! What a great website too. I'm going to leave the trike for now. Granny and grandad are getting him a walker with blocks. So we're going for some kind of ride-on thing with either a bucket/basket or some such 'feature'.

OP posts:

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