You should have seen Garrett's eyes light up! A ride on toy was just what he wanted. You see, since Garrett was only a year old, he has been fascinated with trucks. All shapes and sizes. You should hear him try to pronounce "excavator!" Yep - a Ride on Toy was the perfect gift.
For Garrett I settled on the John Deere Ride on Toy with hauler attachment. I was a hero! How did I come to decide on that particular model? Well, picking a ride on toy is easy - there are models to suite every kid out there. Electronic cars for kids come in as many models as grown-up cars!
This is an area where theKIDshoppe.com has really gone overboard with research. We have purchased, researched and road tested more models than you can imagine. (Did I mention that between theKIDshoppe.com staff, we have about a million children and about 10 million nieces and nephews?) Well exaggeration aside, we do have plenty of willing test subjects. Not to mention our special research consultant, Jingles the Elf. Let's hear what else Jingles knows about ride on toys, and what you should know as a parent...
Everyone wants a ride on toy - the perfect gift for a girl or a boy!
Elf drivers are the best! Did you know that some of the most famous NASCAR and Formula One drivers are actually elf decendants? Ahhhh - but I digress, let's get into ride on toys and how to shop for them...
When looking for a ride on toy for your little driver, there a few very important things to consider:
- Safety
- Size
- Power
- Image
Safety - Of course this is the primary concern with most parents. Ride on toys almost universally travel between 2 1/2 and 5 miles per hour. That means that your child will be driving about the speed of a jog in his ride on. Many models also have a reverse feature, which only allows a slow speed.
Make sure you have space. A nice big backyard is great. If you don't have that, you'll need to take extra care if you are out with the toy in the neighborhood streets or driveway.
Make sure you have the time. A ride on toy is not something that any child should be left to on their own. No matter if you are going with a slower, single seater, or a high end model, you MUST supervise your child every step of the way.
Size - There are many models - some like the Fisher - Price Power Wheels Lil' Quad, a single seater, is designed for 12 to 36 month old kids and only travels 2 1/2 miles per hour. While the Power Wheels Jeep Hurricane is a two seater, goes 5 mph, and even has a real working radio! And you'll find everything in between. We'll take you through some of the most popular models one at at time.
Power - Most ride on toys come with a rechargeable battery in either 6v or 12v configurations. Make sure that the battery is included and it is rechargeable. These toys use a lot of bettery power - you don't want to constantly be buying betteries!
Image - This one is the easiest. There is a model for evry kid. Some parents choose a fun, adult - like image - a Power Wheels Classic Chrome Harley - Davidson Motorcycle or a Fisher - Price Power Wheels Cadillac Escalade, for example. While others go for a more kid oriented image like the Disney's Pixar Cars Lightning McQueen Ride - In Car from the movie "Cars". The choice is yours - ther is plenty to choose from!
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