Outdoor Play Toys » outdoor toys

A Tricycle For Your Child?

Olaf Lederer — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 10:59:24 +0000

A tricycle can be a great gift for your child. Tricycles, by definition, are vehicle with three wheels. They are most commonly referred to in connection with bikes for children. There are a couple of things to consider when purchasing a tricycle for your child.

There are several different styles of tricycles to choose from when you decide it is time to purchase your child’s first trike. Children as young as a year and a half can ride tricycles. However, children won’t be able to properly use pedals until they get a bit older. For young children, you may want to buy a tricycle that is propelled by the child’s feet pushing along the floor.

If you plan to have your child ride their tricycle on driveways, sidewalks or other traffic areas, you may want to consider getting a tricycle that sports a steering bar on the rear. This allows a parent or older sibling to help a young child steer the tricycle or push them along in the event they become tired.

Buy a Tricycle for “your” child!

Take your child with you to the store where you intend to buy a tricycle. You will need to determine what size tricycle your child will be able to ride. If your child is old enough to control a pedal tricycle, you will need to make sure your child is able to reach the pedals.

Shorter children may benefit from extension blocks that are available to attach to the pedals. However, extension blocks can cause the tricycle to be awkward and difficult to control for the child. Your child should be able to reach the pedals with a minimal amount of stretching. Some stretching should be allowed, though, due to the rate at which children grow. Make sure that your child can still reach the pedals when they turn the handlebars. Your child is too big for a tricycle if their needs come close to touching the handlebars at any time.

Safety first…

Make sure the tricycle is low enough to the ground so that you child will not tip over when they turn sharply or drive down hills. It is never too early to teach your child proper safety, so consider investing in a helmet and/or pads for your child.

Tricycles that offer accessories or add-ons can be a nice choice especially for young children. A basket to bring along a favorite toy or a horn can add to your child’s riding enjoyment.Similar Posts:

Top Five Outdoor Toys

Olaf Lederer — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:40:34 +0000

Kids love playing outside in the garden and there is a wide selection of outdoor toys available for kids to play on. You should think carefully before choosing a suitable outdoor toy for your children. How much space do you have in your garden? Some larger toys if not used all the time can take up space particularly if you have a small garden or lack of storage. How old are your children? Bear in mind that some toys are suitable for older children and may be dangerous if you have little ones. How much wear and tear do you think the toy can take? Children tend to be much rougher with their toys outdoors so make sure that the toy can handle it. Here are five of the most popular outdoor toys.

Climbing Frame: These come in a variety of sizes and some have added swings or slides. You can purchase a toddlers size activity gym that comes with a slide and crawl through tubes or there are frames with platforms, nets and bridges for the more adventurous older children.
Bicycles are a very popular form of outdoor play and are suitable from a young age to adulthood. You can purchase tricycles and push bikes for toddlers. School age children can ride bikes although they may require stabilizers. Older children may be interested in mountain bikes. Always ensure that they are wearing a helmet for their safety.
Scooters have become very popular just recently amongst children. Again you can buy smaller sized scooters for younger children and older ones can buy versions with flashing wheels and stylish colours. Again focus on safety and ensure that your children are playing in a safe area.
Trampoline: Pre-school trampolines can help young children learn and develop through play. When buying a trampoline for the family you need to think about who will be jumping on it in a couple of years time. You can buy them in a variety of shapes such as rectangular or square; they also take a maximum weight.
Football: The football is probably the all time favorite toy for boys and girls during outdoor play. You can buy accessories to go with footballs such as boots, kit, protective gear and signed balls. Goals with nets are also available. For younger children you can buy soft balls for their protection. Just a standard football, though, can provide a group of kids years of fun.

Similar Posts:

Outdoor Toys for our youngest childs

Olaf Lederer — Wed, 28 May 2008 09:04:23 +0000

If you are a parent of a preschooler, you know that there is nothing better than being able to send him or her outside to play for a while. It’s healthy, it’s fun, and last but not least it gets your child outside for a few hours. But when choosing a toy, you should choose it carefully. It involves a number of factors ‘ how long it will last, how fast the child will get bored of it, and how confident you can be in its safety.

Probably the most popular toy of all is the simple tricycle. Put a preschooler on a tricycle, set firm rules about sidewalks, driveways, and roads, and you will see him pedal for hours. Get a tricycle that is colorful and child-friendly, with a low center of gravity and no exposed gears or mechanical parts.

Sports sets are great ideas for preschoolers, particularly if your yard is the ‘hangout’ of all the neighborhood kids. Consider getting a softball set, with a plastic batting stand, bat, and ball. As long as the equipment is child-friendly, you shouldn’t have too many crying kids.

Of course, no boyhood is complete without some sort of truck set. Walk into a toy store, and you will see all sorts of cartoonish toy trucks and cars. Send a couple of boys into a sandbox with their dump trucks, and you’ll be surprised at how entertained they will be, simply moving the sand from place to place.

If you’ve got a tree in your yard, you can hang a swing. The best part is that you can essentially customize it for the age you are dealing with. You can put a baby in a strap-in swinging seat, or you can put some preschoolers on a tire swing. Just get the rope and the seat, and you’re good to go.

One thing that you may not have considered is to simply buy a book of games. There are hundreds of different games that don’t require any equipment or toys, just the kids. Games of Tag and Capture the Flag last for hours, and leave the kids thoroughly winded.

You will find that kids will almost always find something to entertain themselves. Your goal as a parent should be to encourage healthy outdoor activity to raise a well-rounded child. While video games are fun and challenging, they certainly aren’t meant to be played for 3 hours a day.Similar Posts: