Wooden Ride-On Toys
Wooden Ride Toys
Once they’ve figured out how to do it alone, children love being responsible for their own locomotion.
Sometimes that means insisting on climbing the stairs alone, or climbing into the car without assistance, and this independence often means you’re frightened for your child’s safety.
Riding toys are a great way to nurture this growing independence while maintaining control over your child’s safety.
Wooden ride toys are a classic toy that have stood the test of time and will prove a lasting favorite for your child. What are the best choices for wooden ride toys?
Rocking Horses and More
Wooden rocking horses make terrific toys for toddlers and preschoolers who love to play make-believe games.
You can find more than just the traditional horse, though: plush dogs, horses, and other animals with wooden rockers are available, as are trains and motorcycles that operate on the same dual rocker system as do traditional horses.
Look for sturdy, child safe designs when choosing a rocking horse, and for details like splinter-free wood and easy-to-hold handles. Because children can get quite enthusiastic about riding their wooden steeds, be sure to supervise them.
Planes, Cars, Critters
You can also find wooden ride toys in the traditional car, truck, train, and plane varieties, but also in whimsical designs like ladybugs and other creatures.
Make sure that ride toys like these have a broad wheelbase to prevent tipping, and check that the wheels move freely.
The best thing to do is to give these a “test drive,” but if that is not possible, be sure that you check the manufacturers’ specifications both for recommended age and for safety features.
If you’re planning on using the ride toy indoors (and they make excellent outlets for toddler energy on days when the weather doesn’t cooperate), check out the tires.
In order to preserve your floors – and your sanity – you’ll want to be sure the toy you choose has quiet wheels that won’t mar your floors.
Sleds and Wagons
If you’re lucky enough to live in a climate where you get enough snow to play in, wooden sleds are a great addition to your cold weather gear. Made to last, these sleds are easy to care for, sturdy, and beautiful.
Regardless of your climate, you can enjoy a wooden wagon with your children. Perfect for trips to the farmers’ market, playground, fair, or other venues where you want more flexibility than a stroller offers, but you know you’ll have some worn out little walkers, wooden wagons make durable, long-lasting additions to your inventory of ride on toys.
Look for Safety and Durability
When shopping for wooden ride toys or any other product for children, be sure to check the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Toy Hazard Recalls website.
Once you’ve determined the piece you want to buy is not there, check out the product as thoroughly as you can for age appropriateness and general safety features.
Ideally, a wooden ride on toy will last through several children; durable materials and construction make these toys wonderful investments.
