As your kids develop and grow, they require different toys that help them develop age-appropriate skills. Fine and gross motor skills, spatial orientation and hand-eye coordination need stimulation. A push or pedal toy helps develop all these skills, as well as provide hours of fun, entertainment and imagination.

Once they’re old enough, they’ll start being naturally drawn to ride-on toys that give them the sensation of faster motion. Motorized ride-on cars, go-karts, and scooters are good for older children. However, before they’re ready for that, they need to go through the push-and-pedal phase first. Finding the best possible push and pedal ride-on toys isn’t a simple task for any parent. However, we are here to help with a detailed buying guide!

Important push and pedal ride-on features

• Balance
• Safety
• Design
• Versatility
• Materials

Balance

When you start browsing push and pedal ride-on toys for your kid, the first thing you need to consider is balance. Both how well the toy is balanced by default, and how skilled your child is with maintaining balance.

When we’re considering push ride-on strollers for babies, this isn’t that important. After all, if the toy meets the safety specifics, you’re the one who’s controlling the balance while you’re pushing your child.

However, once your kids start playing with pedal-based ride-ons, you want something with wheels that are both sturdy and far apart. This ensures the toy has a low center of gravity that keeps kids from easily tipping it over. This 4-wheel ride-on toy excavator is a good example of what a well-balanced ride-on looks like.

Remember — toddlers and younger kids won’t have nearly enough experience with ride-ons to successfully maintain balance on their own. With that in mind, you need to judge the skill levels of your child and buy them the appropriate toy. Also, make sure that the ride-on is appropriate for your kid in terms of age, weight, and height; you want them as comfortable and stable as possible while driving.

For example, this construction tractor ride-on is a superb toy in terms of balance and design, but it’s only suitable for kids that are older than 3.

Safety

While talking about balance, we’ve already touched on the topic of safety – safety is the most important concern for any parent, including buying ride-on toys.

In fact, that’s particularly important in the case of ride-ons. Your best bet is to check whether the toy is ASTM or EN71 certified — that means it fulfills all the safety standards set by the ride-on toy industry. And that goes for both three-wheel toddler tricycles and 4-wheel push-along toy cars. These certifications ensure there are no sharp edges or pinch points that can cause harm to your child. When you buy the toy, you also want to provide enough parental supervision at all times. It also wouldn’t hurt to buy them some padded gloves and a safety helmet for safety.

Design

As you can see, buying a big toy like a ride-on toy car requires plenty of thought. Including whether or not the toy is designed for simple fun.

And this is probably the most fun part for the parents, because toddlers and small children don’t have an eye for fun yet. So, it’s up to you to choose what they will be riding. Will it be a small pink sci-fi toy car or a yellow play tank?

Versatility

Particularly when choosing their first push baby toy stroller, you want it to have a detachable handle that’s also adjustable for parents with different heights. Also, depending on the model, an adjustable canopy is a great feature for kids that love riding around on their push strollers outside.

Materials

When you’re buying a push and pedal ride-on toy, going with licensed ride-on cars usually ensures a certain level of manufacturing quality. If the ride-on toy has a solid frame, it will be more durable and long-lasting — but also safer for the child. Before buying, check to see if the seat is made from a skin-friendly fabric that’s comfortable and soft.

Also, you need to consider the surfaces where your child will most likely play with its ride-on car. The push-and-pedal models almost always come with plastic tires — these are great with smooth and flat surfaces, but if you intend on using it in different terrain look for something with EVA rubber tires like this balance bike.

Ready to Choose a Ride-On Toy?

So once you have decided how to rank and select a new push or pedal ride-on toy, based on Balance, Safety, Design, Versatility and Materials, you are ready to find the best deals on the best ride on toys for your child or children. Head on over to Aosom.com and find the great deals on quality toys today!