Children are conscientious explorers who learn everything through sense and action. While many adults would dismiss child's play as trivial, little do they know that play is incredibly important to every child's development.
Through play, children are given an opportunity to form their interests, develop their skills and learn new things at their own pace. While children can play on their own without toys, aids such as ride on toys can help them further develop themselves.
Ride-on toys come in every size and shape conceivable to cater to every child's peculiarities. We have pedal ride-on toys and bicycles for toddlers and small children and power ride-on toys for the older ones. All these toys offer a lot of benefits to the children who use them.
One has to match the right type of ride-on toy to the child to maximise their development. Children can also get injured while playing with age-inappropriate toys.
Here are a few things you should consider you can choose the right ride-on toy for your child.
1. Safety
One of the first things people should consider when selecting a ride-on toy is its safety. How safe is the child while playing with the toy? No toy can be said as completely safe, however, one can choose a ride-on toy that minimises the risk of dangers such as falling and collision. For instance, some kids ride on cars feature seatbelts.
There will always be some amount of risk associated with ride-on toys, which is why you have to check the safety features of every ride-on toy you're thinking of getting for your child.
For example, some simple ride-ons don't have breaks but are artificially slowed down to allow users to stop the toy on their own. Power ride-ons such as kids ride on cars have batteries which have to be properly concealed and kept away from children.
Always ensure that your child should wear personal protective gear such as a helmet when playing with a ride-on toy.
2. Age appropriateness
Not all ride-on toys are built the same. Some ride-on toys are designed for babies and toddlers while others can only be used by older and more-developed children. You have to choose a ride-on toy that is appropriate for your child's age and development.
For example. toddlers and older children can safely play with push ride-ons such as sleds and wagons. Animals rockers can be used by children who have learned how to push with their own two feet.
Children should always be supervised by a competent adult when playing to ensure their safety and to prevent accidents.
3. Balance
While most ride-on toys carry with it a certain risk of tipping and falling, you should choose one that a child can play with without tipping over. This means it has to be stable and balanced. If possible, let your child test the toy to see if its stable enough for home use.
Choose a ride-on toy that has a low centre of gravity. The wheels should also be spaced wide enough to ensure stability and to ensure the child's weight is supported.
4. Size
Apart from being stable and balanced, a ride-on toy shouldn't be too big nor too small for your child. Correct size implies that the ride-on is big enough for the child to play with safely and comfortably.
For instance, in the case of self-propelled and pedal ride-ons, the child should be able to comfortably reach the floor or the pedals. For electric ride-on toys such as kids ride on cars, there should be a clearance between the steering wheel and the child's knees. If possible, choose an adjustable ride-on toy that grows with the child.
5. Individual interest
Children know what they like, and they know when they enjoy seeing, tasting, smelling or doing something. That means that children have already formed personal preferences at a very young age. Choose a ride-on toy that is in line with the child's interests.
For instance, if your child enjoys racing cars, then they might enjoy driving around a kids ride on car. Animal rockers such as horse rockers are a good option for those who enjoy wildlife. One has to understand the child's interests to ensure that they can properly select a toy that the child will thoroughly enjoy.