Is my child ready for a scooter?

We all agree that riding a scooter is one of the most fun activities we have at our fingertips, and not only is it fun, riding a scooter has many more advantages:

• Strengthen children's physical self-esteem (I can do it!)
• Develops psychomotor skills: balance, laterality, spatial orientation, etc.
• Improve physical health by promoting exercise
• It's another reason to go out and spend time outdoors.
• …
• And also to find the nearest emergency rooms (just kidding)

We already know that scooters offer many benefits to children, now the question is:

When do I know my child is ready to ride a scooter?

The answer isn't simple, as we already know that every child is different and has a unique intellectual and psychomotor development. Just like teeth, some teeth come out at 2 months, while others may get them at 1 year, but they start appearing around 6 months.

That said, we will have to consider other aspects apart from age, such as:

1. The child's size (this is a much more practical consideration than age)
2. Gross motor ability (or physical skill)
3. If you already know how to ride skates or a bicycle

As we've mentioned before, children have different motor skills even at the same age. Therefore, physical ability is a much better indicator than age of a child's readiness. Generally, any child who can walk with a firm, confident gait can ride a scooter. This means they can start at around 2 or 3 years old. At Cucutoys, you'll find MICRO scooters for 2-year-olds in Pink , Aqua , and Red , one of the best-known brands for its quality, stability, and durability. These are the Mini Deluxe models, with LED lights on the wheels for added color and fun.

As any coach will tell you, it is generally an advantage to start any sport as soon as possible.

Remember that many children are capable of inline skating at 5 years old or younger, and riding a scooter requires much less motor skill.

Simply put, any child between the ages of 2 and 3 can generally start riding a scooter. Of course, a younger child will likely need to start on a scooter that's much easier to handle than an older child.

There are children who become interested in the world of scooters when they are a little older, and for them we also have a specific line at Cucutoys: the Maxi Deluxe with LED lights on the wheels, in Blue , Pink and Red , from the category of MICRO scooters for 5 years old . These scooters will give them a lot of play due to their durability and reliability, and will be very useful until they are about 12 years old, an age at which they will possibly feel attracted to more specific scooters, which brings us to another important decision, which is the number of wheels (2 or 3 wheels):

What type of scooter does my child need?

Beyond physical ability, this is the decision with the greatest impact on whether a child will be able to ride a scooter successfully and safely.

So we find 3 different types of scooters:

• Scooters with 2 wheels in front and 1 wheel in back
• Scooters with 1 wheel in front and 2 in back
• 2-wheel scooters

Scooters with 2 wheels in front and 1 wheel in back

This is the most common type of 3-wheel scooter, and will be the main type of three-wheel scooter in this discussion.

This type of scooter is easier for younger children. The three-wheeled model provides half of the balance. While riding, the scooter balances itself, making it more difficult to fall.

Within this type of scooters there are 2 steering systems:

• Power steering: To turn, we lean in the direction we want to take.
• Bicycle-type handlebar: To twist we must turn the handlebar.

Power steering is much more ergonomic and intuitive. With this riding style, children quickly understand the dynamics between the rider's center of gravity and the speed of the turn. It also increases their confidence in leaning off-center, knowing they can recover without falling. This confidence makes it much easier for them to later learn to ride a two-wheeled scooter or bicycle.

To easily tell whether or not your scooter has power steering, try turning the handlebars the same way you would on a bike. They don't turn. But tilt the handlebars sideways (with all the scooter's wheels in contact with the ground) and you'll see the two front wheels rotate around the steering column to steer the scooter.

You can choose this type of scooter if your child is between 3 and 7 years old and is struggling with a two-wheeled scooter without getting much use out of it. Most children's scooters on the market fall into this category, and since they're the safest and easiest for little ones to use , they're the ones we have at Cucutoys.

Scooters with 1 wheel in front and 2 in back

It's the scooter version of a tricycle. The steering is similar to that of a bicycle. Ergonomically, they are inferior because the longer wheelbase is at the rear, rather than the front of the scooter, where most of the body weight is located. Additionally, the rear wheels of some models protrude laterally from the deck and can be hit by a child's heel when pushing.

This design does very little to develop a child's balance, but they are very easy for a very young child to steer.

2-wheel scooters

Two-wheeled scooters require more skill and balance than two-wheeled scooters. Like bicycles, they require a minimum speed to maintain balance. Additionally, to turn, the child needs to lean toward the center of the turn to counteract centrifugal force.

Just like when learning to ride a bike, young children need to overcome two challenges to successfully ride a two-wheeled scooter:

Challenge 1: Achieving a minimum speed: You must be strong enough to push the scooter to the minimum speed to maintain upright balance, and have enough stamina to maintain that speed.

Challenge 2: Continuous control: They need to know how to continuously and actively steer the handlebars to maintain control.

Three-wheeled scooters eliminate challenge 1, as they can stay balanced even when stationary. This allows the child to focus on working on challenge 2: maintaining control. Over time, the child will also learn to ride fairly quickly (as we know we've had to chase after them). By then, challenge 1 will be much easier to overcome.

Summary

Choose a 3-wheel scooter if one or more of the following conditions apply:

• If it is the child's first scooter
• If the child has not yet learned to ride a bike
• If the child is not very physically active
• If the child is very young (2 to 5 years old)

A child is more likely to ride a 2-wheel scooter well if any of the following conditions are true:

• If the child is very physically active
• If the child already knows how to ride a bike
• If the child already rides a 3-wheel scooter without problems