Benefits of Ride-On Toys for Toddlers

The cool, refreshing breeze of the Australian climate is something you don’t want to miss. If you’re going to go outside to enjoy it, don’t forget to bring the kids along with you. What great way to go outdoors with your child than having them ride a ride-on toy!

Ride-on toys come in numerous varieties and styles, and each style is best suited for a particular age range. They can also be classified depending on how they function. Examples of ride-on toys are:

• Wagons
• Electric cars
• Bikes and trikes
• Skateboards
• Push cars
• Feet pedalled vehicles
• Scooters

4 Benefits of Ride-On Toys for Toddlers

Ride-ons are fun, versatile toys that can help with your child’s mental, social, and physical development. Playing with ride-on toys provides lots of benefits for toddlers, and they can be summarised into these 4:

1. Opportunity to Get Sunshine and Fresh Air

These days, technology plays a huge role in how children learn and experience entertainment. However, it’s also one of the reasons why many kids are having less time outdoors. Letting your toddler play with a ride-on toy will encourage them to go outside, and get sunshine and fresh air. That’s something great for your child’s health and fitness!

In fact, once your child gets to feel the fun of playing outside, it becomes so enticing that you might find it challenging to actually make them stop.

2. Physical Activity and Enrichment

Active kids who love excitement and action are often the ones who like to play with ride-on toys. What’s great about ride-on toys is that they encourage physical activity and exercise – even the simple wagon allows the playing child to use their muscles when pushing and pulling the wagon or when they do the hauling.

Ride-on toys are great for training toddlers to build their balance and fine motor skills using their hands, feet, legs, and body in general. As they climb in, they learn how to balance themselves. To make the toy go, they have to use pedals to push along with their legs and feet. Steering the wheels or holding onto the handlebars develops a child’s coordination with their hands and fingers. As they get off when they're done riding, balancing comes into play again.

The different skills they learn become easier as they get used to playing with ride-on toys, which in turn allows them to start moving their bodies in more developed ways.

3. Imagination and Socialisation

Riding toy tricycles, cars, and other similar toys can inspire your child to aspire for greater things – allowing them to experience what they see grownups do, like driving and commuting. Pretend-play is important for children as it encourages them to develop their creativity, imagination, and thinking skills.

Playing together with a friend also improves socialisation skills. It's a great opportunity to learn about sharing and taking turns in riding their ride-on toys.

4. Confidence and Independence

Once your child has learned how to drive their ride-on toy, all you have to do is stand by and supervise!

Allowing children to have fun with big toys and play by themselves teaches them to be independent. The ability to utilise these kind of toys can boost a child’s confidence and self-esteem, making them happier and more willing to try new experiences.

Choose the Best Toddler Ride-Ons in Australia

Aside from their age, the suitability of a ride-on toy also depends on the child's body size and skill level (especially applicable for bikes and scooters). Like for example, bigger kids would want to ride larger bikes and scooters to experience more thrill and adventure.

In this article, however, we will discuss the best ride-on toys for toddlers and preschoolers. Below are our top picks for this season...

Best Ride-On Toys for 1 to 2-Year Olds

Your 1-2 year old child is in for an amazing surprise once they receive your gift of a new ride-on toy! Witness your toddler giggle with wide-eyed delight while they learn fine motor skills using their legs and feet including how to avoid obstacles as they move forward, backward, and turn left or right. Check out these awesome ride-ons for 1 to 2-year old kids!

• Little Tikes T-Rex Cosy Coupe

The T-Rex Cosy Coupe transitions easily from a parent-powered ride-on with built-in handle to a foot-to-floor ride-on by removing the floorboard. Kids will love pretending to be park rangers in the T-Rex Cosy Coupe with its dinosaur spikes and decals! The T-Rex Cosy Coupe is easy to manoeuvre with its 360-degree spinning front wheels and tyres.

• ATV Ride-On Blue, Red, and Yellow

This junior ATV is the perfect first set of wheels for your 1 to 2-year old child! With cool off-road styling and big ATV wheels, its stable 3-wheel design provides balance and stability for your child to push along for hours. Low stand-over height makes it easy for them to get on and ride instantly.

• VTech Baby Push & Ride Alphabet Train

Let your toddler chug along into learning fun with the Push and Ride Alphabet Train by VTech! This 4-in-1 grow-with-me alphabet train includes modes for sit-down play, walker, pull-along wagon, and ride-on. It includes 13 double-sided letter blocks and a magic tunnel to load the blocks into the wagon. It also features a removable walkie-talkie and number pad, light-up piano keys, turning book, and manipulative beads and cogs.

• Fisher-Price Little People Music Adventure Ride-On

The parade is about to begin! This awesome Fisher-Price Little People Music Adventure Ride-On is the perfect scoot-along toy. Featuring real working drum, bell that rings when the rider revs the handle, and great colourful graphics, this adorable ride-on toy is an excellent mode of transportation for your little one.

• BIG Classic Scooter Sport

Little riders aged 18 months can start their fun excursions with the realistic Big Classic Scooter Sport as they hone their motor skills and sense of balance. This powerful balance bike is equipped with an electronic sound module. When the button is pressed, a horn or driving sound will alternately be heard. Its excellent workmanship quality and low centre of gravity make the Big Classic Scooter Sport a safe ride-on toy.

Best Ride-On Toys for 3 to 5-Year Olds

Your little preschooler is growing fast! Make sure you train those feet, legs, and torso in the art of balancing and coordination. What perfect way to do so than by having them drive a ride-on for 3-5 year old kids! See them enjoy the outdoors as they balance, steer, and hone their sense of direction. Have a look at these fantastic and best ride-on toys for 3-5 year olds!

• Dolu Pedal Tractor with Trailer

Your future farmer can start working the land with this pedal-operated tractor with detachable trailer. This sturdy tractor replica is suited for outdoor enjoyment. It lets your preschooler transport their favourite crops and toys all over your property while they improve their gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Adult assembly is required.

• Kan-i Ride-On Excavator

Get a hold of this hardworking ride-on vehicle – the Kan-i Ride-On Excavator! This is a fantastic and functional ride-on excavator for children. It has realistic functions of a real working excavator for bucket loads of fun. This ride-on toy is equipped with a front loader that moves up and down, bucketing in and out while your little builder handles the controls. It has all the rugged design signals of the machine it is modelled after.

• Radio Flyer Fold 2 Go Trike

This little trike comes fully assembled for instant riding. It folds for easy portability and storage, and the low centre-of-gravity and controlled turning radius offer stability for young riders. The adjustable seat on this Fold 2 Go Trike grows with your child to ensure years of fun play. Watch your child develop from rookie rider to tricycle expert as they practice and grow!

• Ezyroller Classic

The EzyRoller is a cleverly designed toy that’s crazily simple to ride. Like a fish through water or a snake on land, EzyRoller mimics an instinctive reptilian movement. In seconds you’re away – sweeping and swerving, carving gracefully up and down the asphalt. Sitting low to the ground with hands free, it’s a riding experience like no other.

• Radio Flyer EZ Fold Wagon with Canopy

Enjoy the outdoors all day long with the EZ Fold Wagon with Canopy. This foldable wagon’s canopy provides plenty of UV protection and is the perfect shade solution for your little ones when they need a break from the sun. With an easy one hand fold, this Wagon with Canopy is ready to go when you are. It folds compactly to fit in your car, your garage, or anywhere! Where will you explore with your wagon?

Can’t get enough of this list? See more exciting ride-ons including bikes, scooters, and skateboards in our ride-on and wheeled toy department! Shop online or in-store at Mr Toys now.