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The Purpose of a Kick Scooter for a child

Most parents agree these are the main reasons for buying a kick scooter for their child:

1.To build the child's physical confidence and to develop motor skills

2.As an additional option for outdoor activity and exercise

3.As a preparation for learning to ride a bicycle(with a two-wheel scooter)

4.For family outdoor fun!

These reasons will influence the choices made when choosing a kick scooter.

We have distilled the many questions and concerns from our customers who are parents buying a kick scooter for their children into the following points.

Key decisions to be made

A parent usually goes through the following decisions in the buying process:

1.Is my child ready to ride a kick scooter?

2.Should I buy a two-wheeled or three-wheeled kick scooter

3.Should I buy a kick scooter with small wheels or large wheels(usually pertaining to two-wheeled scooters)

Key considerations

The decisions above are affected by these following considerations:

1.the physical size of the child(this is a more practical consideration than the age of the child)

2.the overall motor skill(or physical ability)of the child

3.whether the child already knows how to ride a bicycle or a kick scooter

Small wheeled scooters

Contrary to popular belief,not all small-wheeled kick scooters are meant for kids.Most if not all aluminum kick scooters can carry a rider of up to 100Kg,regardless of size.The only reason stopping an adult from riding a small wheeled kick scooter is if the handle bar so short that it causes the adult to stoop.

A small deck size is not deal-breaker because we really only need space for a single foot to actually ride a kick scooter(the other foot is pushing most of the time).See our post on how to ride a kick scooter.Many small wheeled kick scooters actually have full height handlebars(about 1m from the ground when fully extended)which allow adults to ride them.In fact,small-wheeled kick scooters are very practical as commuting tools because they are very portable.

Small wheeled kick scooters are very much lighter than large wheel scooters.They can be as much as half the size or weight of a full-sized kick scooter.This make small-wheeled kick scooters easier to ride,handle,steer and accelerate for children.They are also more agile.The downside is that small scooters can be ridden in a relatively more risky,ride-fast,brake-hard style of riding for kids with an aggressive riding style.

Large wheeled scooters

Large wheel kick scooters take more effort to push and steer,and take longer to brake to a stop.So they are more challenging for very small children to ride.However,large wheeled scooters are relatively more stable because of their longer wheel base and perform better over rough surfaces.Their relatively larger bulk and handling effort has a side effect of forcing kids to ride in a more moderated manner.

Large scooters also have the added advantage of a long usable life because the child will be less likely to outgrow it.An adult can also share the scooter with the child.

Scooter size safety consideration

The child's ability aside,it is generally safer for a child to ride a kick scooter which handle bars are lower than the child's neck.If the handle bar is in front of the child's face or neck,there is an increased chance of the handle bar causing injury to the face or neck during a collision.If your child is riding a kick scooter with a height-adjustable handle bar,keep the handle bars below neck height as a precaution.A good guide for the handlebar height is around the height of the stomach to elbow.This applies to both kids and adults.

Decision Summary

Consider the following to decide if your child should choose a two-wheeled or three-wheeled kick scooter:

If is easier for a child to start with a three-wheeled scooter if one or more of the following is true:

•if it's the child's first kick scooter

•if the child has not yet learnt to ride a bicycle

•the child is not physically active

•if the child is very young(2 to 5 years)

A child has a good chance of successfully riding a two wheeled scooter if one or more of the following is true:

•the child is physically active

•if the child already knows how to ride a bicycle

•if the child is already successfully riding a three-wheeled scooter

•if the child is tenacious(does not give up easily when unsuccessful)

For two-wheeled kick scooters,read on for more details about choosing a suitable size.

Final Word

If a test ride is possible,observe your child as they test ride kick scooters of different sizes to see which ones they can handle more effectively.Be sure to ask for their opinion.After all this,your decision will lie somewhere between your willingness to allow your child to take risks and your desire for your child to fully develop his or her motor skills.If in doubt,choose the smaller scooter because they are generally easier to handle,and accept that you may need to buy a larger one later on.Which ever way you choose,remember a kick scooter is supposed to be fun,so don't fret too much over it.