Ride-on toys are a great way for kids to have fun and get some fresh air and exercise, either by themselves or with other kids.
We're lucky that our driveway is long and relatively flat. When the kids were little, they loved having races up and down the driveway with their scooters and trikes. Sometimes we would meet friends at a local park that a paved circle around the playground, and they loved riding laps around it. (This is something they could continue doing on their bikes as they got older!)
Although my kids enjoyed riding their plastic toys when they were toddlers, I'm always on the lookout for durable, high-quality toys, and found four nice wooden ride-on toys.
One thing that is particularly nice about some of these is that they work well indoors as well as outdoors.
Animal Ride On Toy
Animal Ride-On Toy for Toddlers
These wooden "Wheely Bug" animal toys are available not only as this cute hedgehog, but also as a cow, mouse, tiger, pig or bee.
Whichever animal you choose, the Wheely Bug can go in any direction without any steering skills, which makes it easy to toddlers to have fun with. The antennae bounce when you "bop" them, which is particularly great for more tactile kids or little ones who are just starting to be fascinated by cause and effect. It rolls great on both hardwood floors and carpets.
One nice plus that you can't tell from the picture is that you can remove the plush cover and spot clean it if you need to.
All the Wheely Bugs come in two different sizes, small and large. There is a lot of discussion in the amazon reviews of how to choose which is the right size for your child. For example, one reviewer says to measure the leg inseam and to go with the large size if it measure over thirteen inches.
Reviewer Eric Keating wrote this in his review to help take some of the guesswork out of selecting the right size:
Our daughter just turned one. She is 32" tall and has a 10" inseam. After reading the various reviews available we erred on the side of caution and bought the Small version of this Wheely Mouse.
When we opened it it looked terribly small, and after trying to seat her on it and get her to move it around, it was apparent that we should have purchased the Large. Her feet were flat on the floor with knees bent and legs outstretched. The seat depth was insufficient - as soon as she slipped back even a little on the back while digging her feet in to move sideways or backwards she slid right off the back. She hulked over the top of it to the point that when she leaned forward to get it moving she practically fell over the top of the handle.
So back in the box it went and we ordered the Large. I kept the Small to use as a comparison in the hopes that my pictures and review would help another parent figure out which one to buy.
Wooden Ride On Scooter
Ride On Wood Bike for Toddlers with Rubberized Wheels
Hape Ride On Wood Bike for Toddlers with Rubberized Wheels
This wooden toddler scooter is designed for kids who aren't quite ready for a tricycle yet. Even very young children who can't or don't want to ride on it yet can still have fun pushing it around from behind and even get some help learning how to walk.
The scooter is very sturdy and has a narrow shape to make it easy to maneuver. Not only that, but it's stylish and looks great inside the house! Another plus that makes this a great indoor riding toy is that the wheels are coated with rubber, so it can be ridden around inside without fear of dinging the walls and furniture.
One negative about this bike is that the seat is not adjustable. A few reviewers said they had problems with their children's feet getting hit by the back wheels and there was no way they could accommodate for that problem.
Luna Ride-On Toy with Storage Trunk
Luna Ride-On Toy with Storage Trunk
Hopefully this post has helped you find the perfect toy for your child to have a great time zooming around in!
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