When to Use best baby trike?
At What Age Can Kids Begin Riding Tricycles? - smarTrike ® Australia
When Should Kids Start Riding a Tricycle?
Find out when kids can start riding tricycles, what to look for in a first trike, and how the STR5 Stroller Trike supports early riding.
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Understanding the Right Age for a Tricycle
As babies grow and begin to explore their surroundings, many parents wonder when their child is ready for a tricycle. While traditional tricycles are often recommended for children around the age of three, there are options designed for younger toddlers that offer safety, stability, and parental control.
The transition from a stroller to an independent ride requires both physical and cognitive development. A good tricycle should offer gradual stages to help children build confidence and motor skills as they grow.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Tricycle
Not all tricycles are the same, and choosing the right one for your child involves considering several key factors:
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Height and Fit: Your child should be able to reach the pedals comfortably while still being able to place their feet on the ground for stability.
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Safety Features: A sturdy frame, secure seat, and wide base will provide stability and prevent tipping. Additional features like a harness and safety bar offer extra security.
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Parental Control: Many modern tricycles include a parent handle that allows caregivers to steer while the child gains confidence in pedalling.
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Adjustability: A tricycle that grows with your child ensures they can use it through different developmental stages, maximising its value.
The Best Tricycle for Toddlers – STR5 Stroller Trike
For parents looking for a tricycle that offers a smooth transition from stroller to independent riding, the STR5 Stroller Trikeis an excellent choice. Designed for children from 10 months to three years old, this stroller-certified trike allows parents to steer while little ones develop their balance and coordination.
As a 5-in-1 trike, the STR5 adapts to your child’s growth. In the early stages, they can rest with their feet on the foldable footrest, while parents take full control. As they gain strength and confidence, they can begin pedalling while parents maintain steering. Eventually, the trike transforms into a fully independent ride.
Key features of the STR5 Stroller Trike include:
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Reclining seat for added comfort on longer outings.
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Adjustable sun canopy to provide shade and protection.
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One-handed steering for parents to maintain control.
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Foldable, compact design for easy transport and storage.
Encouraging Your Child’s Development with a Tricycle
A well-designed tricycle is more than just a fun ride—it plays a key role in developing important motor skills, coordination, and confidence. Riding a trike helps children strengthen their legs, improve balance, and understand spatial awareness.
For parents who want to encourage outdoor play and physical activity, the STR5 Stroller Trike offers a practical and enjoyable way to introduce their child to independent riding.
How and when to teach your toddler to ride a trike | MadeForMums
Imagine that first feeling of hands on the handlebar and being able to ‘steer’. And your baby can still safely do “Look, no hands mummy” – thanks to the parent handle.
According to Dr Amanda Gummer, an independent play expert and founder of play organisation Fundamentally Children, it’s important to get babies enjoying an outdoor lifestyle before they’re walking.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website best baby trike.
“Getting children out of buggies and onto more active forms of transport helps their confidence and development from as young as 10 months,” she explains.
The really clever twist is that when your baby gets tired after all that fresh air, some trikes have a reclining seat, allowing your baby to lean back and nod off.
What age can a toddler learn to pedal?
From around 1 to 2 years old, a toddler will have developed the gross motor skills needed to start learning to pedal a trike – although of course all children develop at their own pace.
A trike offers an early opportunity to learn how to pedal.
“With a trike, your toddler doesn’t have to have mastered balance,” explains Amanda. “Being able to pedal without needing to balance can help children progress more quickly. And of course, learning to pedal is a great step towards bike riding.”
Pedalling strengthens your toddler’s leg muscles for walking and running and helps with co-ordination, so it’s a great skill to practise.
“Trikes look like the bikes that older children ride so this is great for his or her confidence,” adds Amanda.
Trikes with a detachable parent steering handle enable you to push while your toddler is still building up to full pedal power.
Then, from around 24 months, your toddler should have the muscle strength to pedal more independently. Oh yes, and some trikes have the option to fold away foot rests at this stage to encourage toddlers to focus on pedalling (and not put their feet up).
3 games to encourage pedalling
- Set up a start and an end point and then time them to see how fast they can hit the finish line
- Encourage them to pedal all the way to the next tree or gate without mummy or daddy pushing
- If they have an older brother or sister, they can play cat and mouse chasing game – with their sibling as the mouse and your toddler as the cat (on a trike)
What age can a child learn to steer independently?
Between the ages of 2 to 4, your child is likely to be ready to learn how to steer. This is the time to remove the parent steering handle.
“Toddlers have fun racing about on ride-ons and trikes, and these are great for giving little ones the independence they want,” says Amanda.
“Gripping and steering are also good for hand strength, which is important for things like writing and using cutlery to eat.” (Anything that gets your child to use cutlery properly must be a good thing!)
- Start with a large trike training zone so the turns can be wider and smoother to begin with
- See if your child can zig-zag from one side of the path to the other
- Build an obstacle course for your child to steer round like a pro rally driver
4 big discoveries to look out for
- I can touch a tree
The open design of a trike makes it easy for babies to look all around and even reach out and touch the things they see. Better than being in an enclosed buggy on a fun trip out, but you may just want to check what’s in their hands when you get home - I can make the wheels go round
Being able to turn those pedals and sprint off on three wheels is one of those ‘moments’ – great for proud parents to film, even better for little riders - I can steer
Turn handlebars left, it turns left. Turn them right, it turns right. Next stop Formula 1 (almost) - Guess where I’m going
We all know what a great game pedalling away from mum and dad is. And if you see a bit of trike envy, then it’s a great opportunity for learning about turn-taking and that all-important sharing
Pics: Getty
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