Best Toys

Ride on toys are very popular active toys for children of all ages.  There are so many different types and models to choose from, that parents can have a big job ahead of them when they shop for one.  The first thing parents should remember when shopping for a ride on toy is that the manufacturers designate certain toys for certain age ranges for a reason.  Buying your child a toy that is outside her age range is a potentially dangerous thing to do.  Even if it is only a year’s difference, it could still make all the difference as to whether your child can safely ride the toy or not.

Below is a list of the best ride on toys for kids. We only list the most innovative, most fun, safest, most well built ride on toys available on the market. So if you are ready, check out the best ride on toys for kids below…

Top 10 Ride-on Toys of 2010

Top 10 Ride-on Toys for Toddlers

Power Wheels Bestsellers

Razor Bestsellers

Electric

Unique Models

Classic Scooters

Top 5 John Deere Riding Toys

Construction Bestsellers

First-Time Bikes

Trikes and Big Wheels

A note about safety: Always remember to shop for a helmet, gloves, elbow and knee pads for your little driver when you shop for ride on toys. Since some of them can move pretty fast for a toy, it is very important to take all steps available to protect your child from injury. There are complete sets of safety gear available, and there are designs from solid colors and prints to popular cartoon and movie characters, so the safety gear can be more fun for your child to wear. As long as parents exercise good judgment and take a few simple precautions, there is no reason why kids shouldn’t be fairly safe with their ride on toys. Children should also be constantly supervised when playing with their ride on toys, no matter what age they might be.

Types of Ride On Toys

There are several different types of ride on toys, the difference between the types being the way they are propelled. Some run on their own battery power, while some rely on the abundance of natural energy that kids tend to have. Though it’s not written in stone, the electric toys are generally designed for older kids, and the leg-powered ride on toys are for the toddlers- but as with anything else, there are exceptions.

Electric ride on toys move by way of a small motor and a battery. The child can hop on, pull a lever or push a pedal, and away the toy goes. These toys generally have brakes so the child can stop when needed. It is a very good idea to buy an extra battery when you buy an electric ride on toy, because the one that comes with the toy will not last forever- sometimes only a few weeks if the toy is recharged often. The batteries are rechargeable, but many of them will only withstand being recharged a few dozen times before they wear out. A battery charger is included with the vast majority of these toys. It is a good idea to look at the battery setup before you buy. Some of these toys require a parent with a screwdriver to expose the battery for each recharging session. Others have a handy charging port with a flip- off cover. One added note: some battery powered ride on toys have a sealed battery compartment, but many do not. Therefore, it is a very bad idea to leave the toy outside in the rain or snow or in a very leaky garage for an extended period of time. If the battery gets wet and stays wet for a while, the moisture can cause corrosion at the connection posts and on the battery cables. If this happens, the toy will not function until the battery is thoroughly cleaned (or maybe even replaced, depending on the extent of the damage).

Pedal ride on toys are propelled by gears as the child pushes pedals. Some of these toys brake by a simple backwards push on the pedals, while others brake with the pull of a hand-grip lever. Bicycles and tricycles are classic examples, but there are many new ones available that look nothing like your average tricycle. They are great exercise for children of all ages. Bikes and tricycles are different configurations in ride on toys, and some have plastic wheels while some have the more traditional rubber tires with inner tubes that must be filled with air from a pump. Some move by a chain and gear setup, while others have pedals attached directly to the front wheel.

Push ride on toys are the simplest, propelled by the child pushing the toy forward with his feet. These toys are most appropriate for very little children and toddlers, and are usually sized for this age group. They are usually made of plastic, although there are a few metal ones on the market. These are great exercise for older babies and toddlers, and they help young ones learn gross motor skills. Some of these toys are even shaped like tractors and large construction equipment and can have hand- operated parts like buckets and mechanical arms.

Scooters are another type of push ride on toy. The child stands on the toy which is like a skate board with a waist-height handle, and then pushes the toy forward with one foot in a repetitive motion. There are several different types of scooters, some made of metal and some made of plastic. There is even a special line of scooters designed for the smallest riders. A few scooters are motorized, and work in basically the same way as an electric ride on toy.

Wagons are a type of ride on toy that requires no action from the rider. They have a long handle that a parent or older child can pull, and the tiny passenger just sits back and enjoys the ride. Some wagons are available with an attachment that allows the wagon to be attached to the back of a parent’s bicycle. Wagons were some of the first wheeled toys available for children to ride on. These types of toys are wonderful exercise for the parents, but not so much for the kids.

Ride On Toy Brands

Power Wheels

Power Wheels are exclusively electric ride on toys. They are available for ages 1-2 and ages 2-6. For toddlers, there is a fire truck, a school bus, a hot rod, a lawn tractor, and several built to look like ATVs. For older children, there are several different models of Jeep ride on toys, some SUVs, a few ATVs, and even a Ford F-150 and a Mustang. An all new line of ride on toys, called Monster Traction, are more powerful than the previous generation of toys, and have more realistic rubber wheels for better traction. They are said to roll right over obstacles that other ride on toys get stuck on. Surprisingly, these toys are for children 3 and up- although young children should definitely be closely supervised.

Peg Perego

Peg Perego ride on toys are well-known all over the world for durability and realism. All their electric ride on toys are made to look like the smaller versions of real automobiles. For instance, there is a Vespa GT and a Ducati Monster (both with training wheels, of course), John Deere Tractors, two different models of Polaris Sportsman, and even a Santa Fe train. Peg Perego’s electric ride on toys are separated into three categories: the ones with 6-volt batteries, the ones with 12-volt batteries, and the ones with 24-volt batteries. This division is an important detail to take into account, because the ride on toys that require larger batteries are capable of moving faster, climbing steeper inclines, and generally doing things that only older children should be allowed to do on a ride on toy. Each ride on toy is designed for a different age range, so it’s a good idea to check out their official website to find out which one is appropriate for your child. They also have a few pedal ride on toys available- all John Deere tractors.

Little Tikes

Little Tikes offers dozens of different pedal and push ride on toys. They are made of very thick, durable plastic and are rugged enough to withstand years of use and exposure to the elements. There are car and truck push toys that have an opening in the bottom so that kids can stick their feet out through the bottom and move the vehicle Flintstones style. There are also several tricycle-type push toys. Little Tikes makes a selection of wagons and even a big plastic teeter totter. The pedal toys are mostly plastic tricycles. A parent favorite among Little Tikes ride on toys is the Cozy Cruiser. It is a large stroller that can hold two small children securely in seat belts, and it also hooks conveniently to the back of a parent’s bicycle- perfect for an environmentally conscious family who would like to run errands around town without using the car.

John Deere

John Deere ride on toys are available in pedal, push, and electric varieties. They are available from many different retailers, so it’s a good idea to bargain shop for the one you want. They have ride on toy versions of every John Deere tractor, from lawnmowers to combines, front-end loaders to old-fashioned fire trucks. No matter what piece of heavy equipment Dad uses, son can have one of his very own. Every Sunday when Dad mows the lawn, the little guy can hop on his child- sized version and mow the patio! John Deere ride on toys are built every bit as rugged as their full sized counterparts, and they are designed to last for years. There are ride on toys available for every age group, from 1-14 and above. Be sure to check out the age specifications for the toy you’re interested in before you buy- this is especially important when shopping online.

Radio Flyer

Radio Flyer is one of the most experienced manufacturers of ride on toys in the world. They have been in business since 1917. Many parents can remember having a red, metal Radio Flyer wagon when they were kids- some actually still have their old wagons! Radio Flyer is still building tough, durable wagons out of quality materials, but they have branched out into nearly every other type of ride on toy as well. They make wagons in several different styles and colors, such as the old-school classic red wagon and the totally modern Ultimate Family Wagon made of durable plastic and topped with a stylish canopy to shield little ones from the sun. In tricycles, they offer a low-riding Scootabout and several different extremely handy Fold-N-Go tricycles that you can quickly fold up and then tuck into the trunk of your car and take with you wherever you go- in addition to the more traditional Classic Red Tricycle. Radio Flyer also makes several different types of push ride on toys like the The Inchworm and My First Scooter (this one folds up for easy storage). Radio Flyer is one of the most experienced companies to make ride on toys, and parents know and trust their name.

Razor

The most popular ride on toy from Razor is the Power Wing Scooter. This is unlike any other scooter on the market. With most scooters and push ride on toys, the rider uses one foot on the ground to push the scooter along. Instead, the Power Wing is propelled by a swiveling movement of the rider’s feet on the “wings” of the scooter as the rider gently shifts his weight back and forth. Kids have so much fun on these things, and they are fun for parents too. Even though they don’t look like it, they are great exercise. Also available from Razor is the unique RipStik skateboard. Like the Power Wing, this is also propelled differently than other skateboards. The rider keeps both feet firmly planted on the board and moves the board forward by pushing against the board, one foot at a time, in an alternating fashion. It does take a little practice, but RipStik riders love their boards once they get the hang of it. Razor also makes a few electric ride on toys. The E300 looks like a regular scooter but it has a battery powered electric motor. The Pocket Rocket is a mini version of a small modern motorcycle. The Pocket Mods are electric ride on toys designed for ages twelve and over. It is a scooter with a seat, and it can go up to 20 miles an hour. It can be used for up to 30 continuous minutes (but it takes 12 hours to charge). Razor’s very unique ride on toy, the Electric Wagon, is a great new twist on the old wagon. Parents will love this one, because it takes the work out of pulling kids around in a regular wagon. Kids have control of the pedals inside the wagon, which can travel 2-3 miles per hour, but with a standard long handle just like other wagons, parents control the steering. It also includes an umbrella to keep kids cool and protect them from the sun.

Fisher Price

Fisher Price is quite possibly the most trusted name in toys today. They have been making quality toys since 1930. When you buy a product from a well established company you are certain to receive excellent customer support should you have a problem.

Power Wheels are made by Fisher Price, but the Fisher Price brand has several pedal ride on toys and push ride on toys. The Power Wheels brands are all electrically powered vehicles, ranging in age limits from one year to six + years old. Some of the ride on toys that are meant for one to two year olds include the Lil’ Quad series, which comes in most of your child’s favorite animated characters, and the Little People series. The two year old to six + year old product line consists of cars, trucks, jeeps, all terrain vehicles, SUVs, and quads. The newest addition to the Power Wheels line is the Monster Traction drive system, and these ride on toys are able to drive over or through things that stop other ride on toys in their tracks. The list of ride on toys from Fisher Price that are not Power Wheels brand is fairly short. They are rated for kids ages one year old to six years old and most are durable plastic tricycles. There are a few Rock, Roll, and Ride toys which are a plastic tricycle with a rocker attachment for indoor use, several Little People brand push toys, such as a school bus and a fire truck, and a ten inch bicycle.

With so many different styles and brands to choose from, it is no small task for a parent to choose the right ride on toy for their children. In most stores that sell ride on toys, you can ask the store employees who work in that department to help you pick out the one that is right for your child. When shopping online, websites that sell ride on toys typically have a customer service department so you can call or email and get information from someone who knows the products and can help you make a good choice.