I'm overwhelmed by the variety of scooters out there and could use some advice on what you all have purchased (and like) for your kids. My 6.5 year old girls have asked for scooters for Christmas; they're pretty tall and would like a regular scooter - nothing too fancy; they won't be doing tricks, just going up and down sidewalks and at the park. Razor seems to be the go-to brand, but do they need the Razor A? Razor A2? Razor A3? Spark? Wildstyle?
Or am I over thinking it and any of them would be fine?
Thanks!
Thank you everyone, especially S.B. I do know my kids will use the scooters... they're always borrowing the neighbors. And yes, they wear helmets. Sounds like I need the regular A, A2 or A3. Now it's time to shop the sales!
Thanks again!
Just get a basic.
Don't over think it.
Christmas time product marketing just gets parents confused and spending too much. ;)
Will they actually use, the scooter?
My kids had scooters when they were younger, from a relative.
My kids are tall too.
And they outgrew it pretty quick.
They opt to just ride their bike.
Or my son has a skateboard.
We got our kids the $20 knock-off brand razor type scooters at Walmart. They have a brake in the back, adjustable height handle bars, and a platform barely wide enough for their foot. They LOVE them. My daughter was upset for a week when a jerk of a kid stole her scooter off our friend's porch while we were visiting.
Then she learned to ride her bike without training wheels and hasn't said another word about her stolen scooter.
Sounds to me like you're over thinking this just a bit. Get them the very basic model.
Both of my kiddos go Razor A2 scooters (my son got his at 5 and my daughter was 4 when we got hers - she wanted one like her big brother). My son is about to turn 8 and his scooter is just now showing some wear on the wheels. So for a less that $30 investment, I'd say that's pretty good. And he uses his several times a week. We bought our neighbors each one for their birthdays and they also love them.
I'd avoid the version with larger wheels, they are meant more for tricks and stunts. We didn't go with light up wheels or the spark either. We have friends with those and you can't see them well during the day. And for safety reasons we don't scooter at night, so it didn't seem like it was worth the extra cost to us.
I think any razor is fine. The difference seems to be in the length and width of the part you stand on. My kids (6 and 3) both have smaller ones (no idea what model name) and they are perfect.
Target is going to have them super cheap ($19) for black friday while supplies last. Toys R Us had some really good sales last year too.
We have the razor scooters and they are great. My son has been riding the same scooter for about 2-3 years now and he loves it. It's his "bike" of choice. We have two kids and some how ended up with 3 scooters. We got one with the flashy lights in the wheels. I would say skip it. My kids fought over that flashy light one for about a week and now neither of them ever use it. We started out with a knock off brand and it was not worth having. The front wheel and the handle bars were off by a few inches and that made if very difficult to steer (meaning that the wheel pointed in a slightly different direction than the handle bars). I was fixable but always a temporary fix, it was not a smooth ride and it just became a pain to use. Go with the razor, skip the "ooohhh ahhhh" stuff and you should be good.
I would skip the flash and go with functional and durable. Some kids in our neighborhood got the kind with the sparks and it wasn't long before I saw the spark maker piece lying on the curb, either broken, broken off, or worn out. (the sparks are created by friction between some flinty piece and the asphalt when they ride).
In my opinion, it is just another part to need replacing and the kids can't really see it when they are riding anyway. If they can, then it's a distraction from what they SHOULD be paying attention to (what's in front of them).
Outside of that... get whatever brand. But avoid the pump ones. Both our kids had those. Son's was very heavy duty, and it was hard to pump the leg device. Daughter's was much easier (and smaller) but, well, something on it must've broken b/c I don't even know where it is or what happened to it anymore. Our kids got electric scooters when they got to ages 12 and 10.
A lot of kids in our neighborhood use Rip Sticks - lots more exercise and you move it forward by twisting, not just pushing with one foot. They also fit in the car more easily, stashed under the seat, if you are heading to the park or to someone's house.
I don't think you need to spend a lot of money to start with - make sure the kids are going to actually use them.
Obviously they can wear their regular bike helmets so you don't have extra expense there - but do insist that they wear them.
My grandchildren both had razor style scooters; not the Razor brand. I agree that it doesn'matter what model. Look for sturdy ones that fold and on which the handle is adjustable. I bought theirs on sale for less than $50. I think one was around $30. The one closer to $50 made sparks. They loved the one that had lights in the wheels. The motion of riding powered the lights.
We started with a kiddie scooter painted with a character and a stationary handle. That didn't last. Get a "real" scooter.
Yeah...Razor makes people think they need new bells and whistles. In my opinion the core is the same but they each have their own special features (lights, sparks, etc.). I guess that is your call to make...what you think they will like most. I do agree, the spark one wears out quickly and you have to buy replacements so I would avoid it. We just have the basic ones and our kids love them. Great for balance too! They do come in different colors so I would recommend individualizing to avoid any fighting :)
