How to choose pedal toys for your kids

How to Buy Kid's Pedal Toys

Pedal toys are one of the toys which your child will love. The sense of achievement when your child is racing with his friend will be one of the greatest childhood memory. Not to mention that these toys are good for physical exercise.

Your child can start using these toys when he can reach the pedal and is able to do the pedaling movement. Usually a child can do this around 3 years old. Nowadays, there are many kinds of toddler pedal toys. First, you can get a tricycle. Kettler and Radio Flyer produce affordable (40-80 dollars), sturdy and long-lasting trikes. Some of the toddler tricycles they produce have a push bar at the back. This way, when your child is tired of pedaling the tricycle, you can push him around.

Fisher Price has a multifunction tricycle called Fisher Price Rock, Roll 'n Ride Trike XL. This tricycle costs around 30 dollars, and will grow with your child as it can be used as a rocker, foot to floor ride on toy, push toy (by pushing the toy using the lower push bar at the back) and pedal toy (tricycle). Parents can also push around the child who is riding this tricycle because there is a long push bar at the back. However, some of the function will not perform as good as a non multifunctional toy. For example the rocking motion is not as hard as a proper rocking toys and hence, a child has to be rocked when using this toy. Nevertheless, it's a good value for money.

The other kind of famous preschooler or toddler pedal toys are toy pedal cars, toy pedal tractors and toy pedal fire trucks. Step 2 and John Deere are famous for making toy pedal tractors. Then there are also toy pedal plane and even toy pedal golf cart. These kind of 'fancy' pedal toys will cost you between 100-300 dollars.

Here are the guide for a safe pedal toy driving:

Explain about safe driving. Let children drive on hard flat surfaces only and keep children away from dangerous landscapes such as hills, slopes, and ... you get it, right ?
If your child wants to drive outside, supervise closely and allow your children to drive on sidewalk only. Beware of neighbors who are trying to park or start their cars.
Wear safety helmet when riding the ride on toys outside.
Don't allow the children to push the pedal toys while another child is driving it.
Wear shoes when riding pedal toys as toes can get tangled up on a pedal.

When your preschooler reaches 4 1/2 years, you can start teach him to ride a bicycle with training wheels and then gradually wean him of the training wheels. For a headache and trouble-free bicycle training, read this recommended book.

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