How to Select the Best Children's Riding Toy

Ride-on toys offer a great way to encourage your toddler's thirst for exploration, while teaching him or her balance and coordination. As children grow older, their desire for more independence grows as well, so new toys are necessary to keep them engaged and happy. Use this guide to choose the perfect ride-on toy for your child.

1. First: Wait until they are old enough

   Abstain from purchasing your child a ride-on toy until he or she is old enough to sit up and crawl. Tumbles are an inevitable part of a child's life, and ride-on toys add to your little one's collection of bruises, scrapes and boo-boos. The right time to invest in a riding toy is when your child is around three years old.

2. Second: Stay with age-appropriate toys

   While it is tempting to buy a "big boy" bike for your toddler, try to resist. Even though children are tenacious and stubborn, a toy that is outside of their range of abilities frustrates them and leads to resentment and abandonment of the toy. Children age three to five do best with small, plastic toys that allow them to climb on, and move around by shuffling their feet against the ground. These toys are not only safe, but foster a safe feeling; children control the speed at which they travel, and can stop and go as they wish.

3. Third: Toys for older children

   As children get older, their tastes and abilities mature, allowing them to enjoy more complicated playthings. The next step up from a plastic push-around toy is a bicycle or tricycle. Training wheels are necessary at first, but are removed as your child grows comfortable with balance and agility. The last of the ride-on toys are motorized. These gas or battery-powered mini-cars are appropriate for children ages seven and up, who understand the dangers of riding in the street, can easily steer the vehicle, and stop it as necessary.