So, my daughter is turning 1 in a couple of months and we are thinking about getting a trike / stroller thing. Any ideas if the Smart Trikes from Toys r us are any good? Any better recommendation?
Welcome to the last 3yrs of my life....hehehe
From our experience,,, DON'T get a Smart Trike. We got one of those things right at the beginning cause our daughter was soo small. The thing tips really easily even when you push it around esp when going up driveways & gutters. If the kid get a tiny bit of speed up on it and make a sharp left/right turn, it tips, and the way it's designed the kid lands square on their face. The crank arms are soo short that it makes it really hard to pedal, and when they put a bit of power down the wheel slips & spins. And on top of all this, it teachs them all the wrong techniques of how to ride a bike.
All you want to get is one of these plastic trikes for like $20 from K-Mart, Big W
These things are so low that even tiny kids can fit on them, they first learn to walk/run to get going and when human nature takes over and they get lazy, they start to lift their feet and just let it roll (magic ah ha moment >>>grab video dad<<) Just be aware that these also tip, but cause they are soo low, it takes a bit of speed for this to happen. And cause they sit so low the kids generally land on their sides. Our boy started on one of these from the moment he could sit up. He use to just go round and round in a circle backwards until the day he worked out he could go forwards..... not that dad wasn't trying to tell him a thousand times
It actually set him 'walking' back a few month cause he use to be able to get around the house quicker and reach higher with the trike he wouldn't bother to try and walk.
Then as soon as they can reach the ground on a running bike, GET THEM ON ONE!!! Depending on their size, you may be able to bypass a running bike altogether by getting a 12" pedal bike and taking the cranks off. We got these
The Splesh is really good, It's a little heavier than the Strider, but it's a proper bike, real headset, real wheels, rubber tyres etc.... solid and stable.
The Strider,,,, don't get one
Beware those plastic tyres/wheels can be really slippery depending on the surface or if it's wet. It's also really cheaply made.
After being on the runner for a while, your kids will learn to ride properly and the thing I love most is watching them corner....
Finally comes the transition to pedal bike. I've worked out that when kids learn to ride with trainers they 'get' the pedalling bit, but don't know how to ride (leaning the bike freaks them out), but kids that learn to ride on running bike know how to ride but don't get the pedalling bit. I have found that the best way to get them to 'get' the pedalling bit is to get them to start the bike by running, like a running bike, and then when the bike is going, lift their feet and start pedalling. This way they get it in no time
Anyhow, there are probably a thousand different ways to teach a kid how to ride, this is what has worked for us...... hope this helps
