As your kids develop and grow, they require different toys that help them have age-appropriate skills — these will become even more important later in life. For instance, once your kid starts learning how to walk, they will be amazed by the wonders of movement. And getting them the right push and pedal ride-on toys at this stage will help them learn the basics of elementary balance, as well as arm-leg coordination. 

Once they’re old enough, they’ll start being naturally drawn to ride-on toys that give them the sensation of faster motion — such as motorized ride-on cars, go-karts, and scooters. However, before they’re ready for that, they need to go through the push-and-pedal phase first — ideally, with the best possible toys. Still, finding the best possible push and pedal ride-ons isn’t a simple task for any parent — which is why Aosom has decided to help with a detailed buying guide!  

Important push and pedal ride-on features

• Decent balance 
• Safety  
• Design 
• Versatility 
• Materials 

Decent 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 — ensuring that 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 the necessary balance, we’ve already touched on the topic of safety — but it’s important enough to explore it in more detail here. Obviously, safety is the most important concern for any parent when they’re doing pretty much anything with their kids — 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 F963 or EN71-1-2-3 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 kid.  

And when you buy the toy, you also want to provide enough parental supervision at all times, while helping the child get familiar with the toy. It also wouldn’t hurt to buy them some gloves and a helmet when they transition from a push to a pedal-based ride-on.  

Design 

As you can see, buying a big toy like a ride-on toy car requires plenty of thinking — you’re constantly making sure your kid is safe and developing properly. However, besides stuff like manufacturing quality and safety, there are some aspects of the toy that are just plain old fun.  

And this is probably the funnest part for the parents, because toddlers and small children don’t have an exquisite taste in small toy vehicles. So, it’s up to you to choose whether they’ll be riding a small pink sci-fi toy car or a yellow shooting tank.  

Versatility 

Particularly when choosing their first pushable 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 their pushable 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 kid. 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 tyres — 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.