Types of Scooters for Children
A scooter is a toy that consists of a large, elongated base called a deck that has two wheels. Children ride a scooter standing upright with one foot on the deck. Their other foot is used to push and propel themselves forward while steering with the handlebars. Are you familiar with all the different types of scooters for children available out there?
First appearing around 1950, this toy is now popular around the world. Nowadays, there are different types of scooters for children: conventional scooters, sport scooters, and even electric versions are available.
Riding a scooter is an excellent form of physical exercise that, in addition, permits children to improve their stability and spatial orientation. So if you were thinking of buying your child a scooter, make sure to check out the following guide.
The history of scooters
Scooters for children first appeared in the first half of the 20th century. In appearance, they were very similar to the metal scooters you can purchase today. The difference is that manufacturers made the original version from wood and they had three wheels, two back wheels and one in the front.
When scooters began to grow in popularity, they became a means of transportation for adults in the 1950s as well. However, with the massification of cars and the expansion of public transportation, scooters soon fell into disuse and they were almost forgotten.
It wasn’t until some years later, in the 1980s, when manufacturers reintroduced scooters to the market. Scooters then took their place in the toy scene once again.
The types of scooters for children
The original design of the scooter was subject to various modifications over time to adapt to safety measures.
Although in the beginning scooters were originally made of wood, when they were reintroduced in the 1980s manufacturers chose to use materials that are more resilient. By being firmer and more stable, new scooters allow children to enjoy using them with fewer risks.
Since then, other types of scooters have also come out on the market. This helps to appeal to children’s different tastes. We’ll describe some of them below.
The conventional scooter
The conventional scooter is closely related to the original 1950s design, although now the most common version only has two wheels attached to the deck. Like the original, this allows children to propel themselves forward with one foot while steering with the handlebars.
The new conventional sort of scooter also uses materials that are lighter like aluminum. They use this in place of the wood on the original version and synthetic wheels in place of the old rubber wheels. Manufacturers recommend the conventional scooter for smaller children because of its stability and sturdiness.
Types of scooters for children: Foldable scooter
The foldable scooter, also known in English as the Razor, came onto the market in 1996. Similar to the 1980s design, manufacturers made Razor scooters out of aluminum, with the goal of making them lighter.
Likewise, one unique feature of this kind of scooter is that children can fold the handlebars, which allows the children to take it to school or almost anywhere else.
“When reintroducing the scooter in the 1980s, they opted to use materials that are more resistant, sturdy and durable.”
The sport or stunt scooter
The sport or stunt scooter emerged in response to extreme sports like skateboarding and BMX biking. Adolescents also began doing stunts on other wheeled toys like skateboards, dirt bikes, and roller skates. All of this is with the aim of doing exciting tricks and turns.
The main characteristic of stunt scooters is that their handlebars aren’t foldable and their height can’t be adjusted. The handlebars are longer and they use special wheels that are much smaller.
Electric scooter
The electric scooter has the advantage that you don’t need to propel the scooter with your foot. There are electric controls that motorize it. Although there are popular models for kids, they’re much more expensive. They’re recommended for older kids who are already good at using a conventional scooter.
As a final recommendation, it’s essential that you teach your children about basic transit rules. In this way, they can enjoy their scooter and avoid any potential dangers. With a lot of caution, children can enjoy this classic toy to enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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