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Original poster

Scooters

29 replies

mersmam · 09/03/2009 11:07

I'd like to buy scooters for my 3 year old and nearly five year old DDs (the ones we have were given second hand and are quite frankly useless, non folding with big wheels that catch on their feet etc..)

I'd also like a scooter type thing for my nearly 2 year old DS because if the girls are out on theirs he'll throw a tantrum if he's not on one too!

I'd like something light and foldable (we have NO space to store things!), cheap (we have NO money!!), well made and most importantly easy to use.

Have thought aboutthis for the nearly five year old.
Have read on another thread saying that mini micro scooters are good (perhaps for my three year old) - but they're expensive - are there any cheaper alternatives?
Haven't a clue for the nearly 2 year old!
Any suggestions very welcome!!

Also, what's the feeling on making DCs wear helmets with scooters?

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Astrophe · 09/03/2009 11:14

Well we have Mini micros for my 3 and 4.5 year olds. DS was pretty good on his even at 2.5 years, so your 2 year old might be ok on one (although the height is not adjustable, so would depend how tall he is).

They really are wonderful - light, easy for kids to ride. Not foldable, but the handle bar come right off (very easily), so easy to store. Sorry, I don't know of any cheaper alternatives.

If you do get them, I'd consider the next model up for the 5 year old - I think they have another 3 wheeled one for slightly older kids, or a 2 wheeler is she is fairly coordinated. Having said that, my DD is coming up to 5 and is stil great on her Mini (and will be for a while), but you might get better value from one with a greater weight limit.

Re helmets - mine don't have to have theirs on whilst in the garden, as the small space means they go quite slowly, but MUST wear them in the park/on the street. They go SO fast (much faster than on their bikes) and have fallen off a few times each. I imagine elbow/knee pads are not a bad idea, although we don't have them.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 11:16

That's really helpful - thanks Astrophe.
Might be worth splashing out on the micros if they really are that good...

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Astrophe · 09/03/2009 11:21

Sorry I couldn't say "I know of a cheaper brand" though. They are dear. We were very fortunate and I won one on here, ages ago. TBH I never would have spent the money if I hadn't seen how good they are, but after we had one, we bought the second so they could have one each.

Good luck deciding! (Can you encourage Grandparents or someone to put some money towards them for Easter/birthday?)

CompareTheMeerkat · 09/03/2009 11:25

We have the mini-micro scooters for DS (5) and DD (3) and they are great. DD got hers as a (guided) birthday present from PILs and DS got his from Father Christmas .

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 11:26

Good idea - will be telling everyone that scooters are ''the new eggs'' this Easter!

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Flibbertyjibbet · 09/03/2009 11:27

I'd just get him a foldable - ds2 is 2 and MUST have the same as DS1 who is 4. DS1 is fab scootering but ds2 is rubbish.

We just hold on to him and the scooter while he has a little go.

Then he gets bored and wants to walk, which is where the fold up bit comes in as they are easier to carry home

Not like me carting a 3 wheeled bob the builder scooter round the park. Which doesn't fold up but we keep it outside in the yard, and was darned cheap £5 off ebay vgc.

ChopsTheDuck · 09/03/2009 11:33

I wouldn't bother forking out for the mini micro for the older two.

My two have been riding their 2 wheeled scooters since about 2 years and are now very confident. They have the odd tumble but are co-ordinated enough not to fall into the road.

We had a coupel of cheapy nebulus from amazon for about £7 each for the older two which wore out recently bought two more cheap ones for the dts. At that age, since they do have a fair few tumbles I wouldn't spend a fortune on one for it to get wrecked.

The mini micros are good for toddlers though, I've seen lots of younger children on them.

we don't use helmets, tbh never really considered it and they never have bumped their heads. Long sleeves and trousers are essential though.

ChopsTheDuck · 09/03/2009 11:35

normal scooters are big enough for mummy to ride on too!

I ride dd's scooter back/to the school to keep up with the dts on theirs.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 12:23

Very helpful - thanks everyone.
Am now thinking about these for the girls and a mini micro for DS (it's his birthday in a few weeks so hopefully I might be able to persuade someone else to buy it!!)

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ChopsTheDuck · 09/03/2009 13:31

those are the ones we had for our older two mersman. Lasted well, excellent value for what they are.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 13:46

Thanks ChopsTheDuck - I feel like we can't really go wrong for £9.99!

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seeker · 09/03/2009 13:50

Just in case you haven't seen these here!

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 13:52

have just found that they are 2 for £15 at Argos - DEFINITELY can't go wrong!!

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Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 13:53

Seeker - synchronised postings!!
Thank you

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AtheneNoctua · 09/03/2009 14:01

We gave DD the scooter you have linked to for Christmas. While she is quite happy with it, I think it is a cheap piece of crap and wish it had occurred to me to buy her a micro. The screw/clip which is about half way down the bar fell off the first time out. And she flies on the thing. I'm really nervous about it falling apart while she is going full speed.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 14:20

oo, will have to have a think about that Athene... will definitely need the helmets if I go for those then.

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feetheart · 09/03/2009 14:26

If your DS is desperate to keep up with his sisters he'll be fine on a micro - got DS one for his 2nd birthday and he was flying on it within 2 weeks
Still has LOTS of life left at 3.4 and will get him the next one up (the 'mircophone one'!!) in a few years. Very well built and good customer service for spares.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 14:43

Have been looking at the website feetheart and they do sound great... it's just the cost that worries me.
Are these the next model up that you mention? It's a lot of money - are they really worth £70 more than the ones linked above?
Would you recommend getting the mini micro or the maxi micro for a nearly five year old? (with not much scootering experience!!)

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Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 15:09

Am feeling very undecided now!!

My options are:
Mini micro scooter for 2 and 3 yr olds and maxi micro with t bar handle for 5 yr old which would come to around £190 [much pain emoticon]

OR
Cheapy nebulus scooters for 3 and 5 yr olds (£15) and the mini micro for DS - at least I definitely know what I want for him - that would be £60 in total...

Any votes on the issue would be appreciated!

Am thinking I might ask PIL to get the mini micro for DS's birthday in a few weeks and then let the girls have a go on it to see if it's worth buying another...

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feetheart · 09/03/2009 19:37

Eek, hadn't realised the Maxi Micro was so expensive. DS had better start to save up now (that should give him a good 2 years at least)
The Micros are BRILLIANT but not sure I would splash out that much all at once, if at all. Maybe get 1 Micro and the cheapie ones then when/if they fall apart you will know if you want any more Micros.

Original poster
mersmam · 09/03/2009 20:46

Thanks - think that's what I'll do

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spikemomma · 09/03/2009 22:47

I got a two wheel scooter from halfords for about £7. I wanted the micro three wheel one but at £40+ it was too much. Also wanted it to last from now until school age, researched lots and found that Halfords sold the cheapest.

It has 'scooter' written on it. It folds in half and is robust but light weight. My three year old loves it. I insist on a helmet, which i bought from there too.

I went on line, reserved one and picked it up the next day. The same one in John Lewis was £20. Hope you can still get them so cheaply, if so, you could get both your older kiddies one each and maybe afford the three wheeler style for your smallest child (they are great and you could sell on and get money back when they outgrow it - if you need to justify it!). Good luck. x

Astrophe · 10/03/2009 01:55

Get the mocro for your little one, and then wait a month and decide if the older two are that interested in them. You may find they are not fussed, or that they love it, and then maybe it would be worth splashing out on more micros.

Astrophe · 10/03/2009 01:57

TBH, I'd rather get some second hand ones off ebay, in a well known brand (micro, or razor etc), than get really cheap ones. KNowing just how fast they go on them, and seeing how rickety some of the cheap ones look...

Original poster
mersmam · 10/03/2009 19:51

Thanks everyone.
Have had a look on ebay and the micros actually seem to be going for more than they cost new (bizarre??)

PIL have offered to buy a mini micro for DS, and we've ordered the cheapies from Argos for the DDs (will give their safety a thorough test though and insist on helmets) - if I'm not happy with them it's no great loss at £15 for both!
One day, when I win lots of money, we will buy micros for the whole family

Thanks again for all your very useful advice.

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