We own several tricycles with push bars for my toddler and the Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike offers some neat new innovations in the toddler-friendly tricycle category.
First, why would you want a tricycle for a child who cannot yet pedal? If you enjoy walking around a track or a mall, the tricycle can be a nice alternative to a baby carrier or stroller. Also, little “me too’s”, who want to be just like their older siblings, will love to have a trike of their own. I admit that I didn’t get a tricycle for my daughter until she was three and a half but her brother, age one and a half, immediately wanted one for himself. Besides, he never really rode in a stroller so I needed something that would allow me to push him around the track and keep up with his big sister.
A number of other tricycles have a push bar but I’ve found them difficult-to-impossible to use to steer. The steering mechanism in the Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike bar is not perfect but it is a significant improvement over the others I’ve tried.
Plus, there is a cup holder. And if baby gear research has shown anything it is that parents love their cup holders. This way you can stay hydrated while you push your baby around the track and possibly get into shape and look like the mommies in the promotional shots. I’ll let you know how that works out for me.
We haven’t had time for extended use but I notice a lot of online reviews also would prefer rubber tires on the tricycle because they find the plastic ones wear down too quickly outdoors.
There is also a sun canopy to take some of the sun’s rays off of your child. We’re in the winter in the Northeast right now but I think this will be a nice feature to use during the summer.
The other additions make it easier to keep a young toddler safe. There’s a 5-point safety harness, lowering the starting age-range to 9 months’, and protective safety bars.
I really like the foot rests that keep the little tootsies up and out of the way for non-pedaling tikes.
These toddler-friendly features can be removed, turning the ride into a “parent-guided” trike or a “kid-powered” trike, extending the play life of the tricycle.
We’re looking forward to the weather warming up so we can take our new trike outside and enjoy!
—
WANT IT: Little Tikes 3-in-1 Trike at Little Tikes ($99, on sale for $70 through December 31, 2010) or at Amazon (on sale for $79).
WIN IT: Little Tikes is giving one lucky reader a 3-in-1 Trike ($99 ARV) as part of our 12 Days of Giveaways! To enter:
- Mandatory Entry: Comment on this post, letting us know which Little Tikes toy you would most want for your children (besides the 3-in-1 Trike).
- Two Optional Extra Entries: Link to the Hottest Holiday Toys for 2010 in a post on your blog or on any publicly visible web page where you are allowed to do so and/or share the guide on your favorite social media site. REMEMBER, your profile must be publicly visible for us to verify your extra entries! You may do this up to twice per giveaway. You must leave a separate comment with the URL where you shared the guide for each extra entry for your entry to count.
This giveaway ends December 17, 2010, 11:59 PM EST. Winner chosen at random from valid entries. Will ship to the US and Canada only. Please see the Hottest Holiday Toys for 2010 for a full list of giveaways.
