Toys in the children’s world have more functions than the primary one – play. They help children get to know the world and develop social skills, abstract thinking, and imagination, impacting their physical development. One of the toys that have a remarkable influence on developing fine motor skills and coordination of movements is ride-on toys. Although children are not picky about toys, especially at a younger age, when they play with almost anything, you as a parent should make a responsible decision and buy toys that are beneficial for children’s development. Buying kids’ ride-on toys will help your child explore the world, and it will bring you great pleasure while observing your child’s fun and joy.
However, when buying kids’ ride-on toys, you need to consider several factors to make the right choice. Namely, this group of children’s vehicles comes in a wide range of designs and features. Which will be ideal for your child will depend on his age and developmental stage, weight, preferences, and others.
Below we bring you detailed information to keep in mind when buying cheap electric kids’ ride on cars.
Guide on buying kids’ ride-on toys
As a parent, you probably want to give your child the best possible toys within your budget. In addition to safety features, there are many other elements that you need to consider, so your child can have fun on wheels. Here are the most important ones:
The age group of the child
When buying kids’ ride-on toys, the age-appropriateness of the child will be one of the crucial factors since the physical development of a child of 2 and 5 years is drastically different.
- 0 to 2 years. The use of ride-on toys begins at the age of 12 to 18 months. Children do not have developed motor skills and are prone to falls at the earliest age group. So, it is essential to put the child’s safety first. Choose cars with comfortable seats and seat belts to keep your child in place. First kids’ vehicles should be slow – their maximum speed shouldn’t exceed yours when walking.
- 2 to 5 years. Children have more fine motor skills and reflexes in this age group so you can buy more realistic ride-on options. They can be electric-powered or have pedals. Kids from 3 to 5 years will enjoy models that resemble real cars and imitate their sounds.
- Children have fully developed motor skills and need advanced ride-on car models that look like real ones. Depending on your child’s preferences, these can be various models of jeeps, luxury, or racing cars. If your child is between 5 and 8 years old, always choose vehicles with the most potent available battery (24V).
Power of ride-on toy
Electric ride-on toys are powered by a motor that gets energy from rechargeable batteries.
You can find single-motor or dual-motor models on the market. The motor is placed on the left-back wheel of the ride-on toy (single-motor types) or both back wheels (dual-motor).
The number of motors alone does not affect the vehicle’s maximum speed, but the child’s weight does. While toys with a dual motor will continue to drive at full speed when a child weighing 20 kilograms sits in them, toys with a single motor will slow down.
Ride-on toy batteries come in the range of 6V to 24V. While 6V batteries are suitable for small children, toddlers will enjoy a ride-on car with a more powerful battery because it will not affect the vehicle’s speed. It can carry two children simultaneously.
Driving surface
When buying kids’ ride-on toys, consider the area your child will be driving – will it be flat paved surfaces or grass and rocky areas?
Plastic wheels will be perfectly suitable for flat surfaces, but choose larger wheels and rubber tires if you plan to ride on uneven terrain. Rubber tires will easier handle rough surfaces and provide greater comfort while driving.
Ride-on toy design
Ride-on toys come in a wide range of designs, so you can have endless options, just like when buying a real car – from basic pedal models to models that look so you want to use them.
A step further in the offer are licensed replicas, which look like scaled-down real cars. Licensed models respect the production standards of actual vehicles whose license they carry, so their toys are of exceptional quality.
Remote control
Because your child’s safety comes first, having a remote control option will allow you to control how far and how fast he is moving. The child will be thrilled when he gets the first motion toy, and, naturally, he will want to go as far as possible.
After your child turns 3-4 years old and masters the motor skills of using the pedals and steering wheel, you can give him more independence, but it is always a good idea to monitor how he drives and reacts via remote control if necessary.
Now, you’re ready to buy kids’ ride-on toys. Good luck and have a lot of fun!
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