Need Opinion on Ride-A-Long Toys

I just had an image I had to share! When my second daughter was almost one, she was almost walking but not quite. For her first birthday, we got her one of those toddler cars--it had a removable handle on the back that could be used to walk with. She spent her entire day on her birthday, at a crafts festival we were selling at, walking up and down the street behind our booth with that walker car. After about two weeks, we could tell she was ready to walk on her own, but she seemed really nervous and would NOT even try without having her hands on the h andle of that car. Finally one day, as she reached for her car handle, I simply slipped it out of the back of the car and off she went across the floor--holding onto her handle without it resting in the car at all! She was walking just fine from that moment on!

I can't help but feel like we all have so much baby gear now. When I learned to walk back in the days before dirt, my Mom gave me an empty egg carton to hold. I guess I felt more secure holding on to it, cuz I was able to walk holding on to a box of air...

We're in the same boat. We're currently borrowing a Chicco Quatro 4-1. It's about $75 at The Right Start so it's a little spendy. It can be a rocker, walker, ride on, or parent pusher which is the big draw for us. My one year old really seems to love it right now though.

We have had 2. The first was not a ride on but was more stable because the front end was more heavy. It had a removable play board (electronic with animal sounds and such) but entertaining and more stable. I have seen them in consignment and 2nd hand stores for $1!!! The other was a Disney Tigger airplane ride on I bought at Costco at Christmas time for about $20. Airplane noises, music, lift-up seat, removable tall handle in the back. My 2.5 yr old still plays with it almost daily and I haven't replaced the batteries for all the "extras". Ultimately, I think your son will have fun on any. I would pay too much though just because you really don't have to to get a great toy.

Hi! My son received one of these for his 1 year birthday. He's now 19 months and still plays with it. It's the 4-in-1 Rock & Ride Activity Pooh Ride On (a mouth full). I think it's the same one another mom already wrote to you about. It's great! Before he would stay seated in the thing, we'd push him around the driveway using the parent handle. Now he scoots along in it by himself and calls it "my car". It has lots of buttons and music and noises. Lots of entertainment. The seat also opens up and he likes to put things in it. I have no complaints. It does it all--it even has an attachment so it can rock back and forth. This one was purchased at Toys r Us for about $50. Here's the link:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2636227

I think many of them are great - my best advice is, why pay full price for one brand new when you can get a used one at a consignment shop for a fraction of the price! My kids play with almost all used toys, they have no idea, and I save hundreds, if not thousands of dollars over the course of their childhood. There are many of these ride-on toys for sale at resale and consignment shops, your child can try them out, or buy one through craigslist, you can often get things that are like brand new.

Ours is a Chicco one, the seat opens up to reveal a compartment inside, and it also has a compartment at the back. It has been tons of fun for several years, and I think I paid $10-15 for it used.

We bought our daughter the Kiddieland by Disney, Pooh version. It is adjustable as they grow. Starts with a full rail around it so they can't fall out and a handle that you can push them along. As they get older and can move it themselves, you can remove that and just put the back on. We bought it at Target for her 1-yr birthday and she loves it! It has lots of sounds, music, lights and her very own phone! :)

The Little Tikes push and ride Racer is by far the best. We have 2. One for inside, one for outside, and it has been used Extensively for our 2 children. It is well made, stable, and not full of annoying gadgets. Hope that helps!

Push around buggy by Step 2!!!!!!!
Awesome first bike for a newly walking toddler. It doesn't have any pedals, but a great big spot for both their feet. I wouldn't get one with pedals until they can reach them cuz they can't pedal yet anyway. We loved our and I resold it when my son was done with it for almost what I paid for it. It has good resale value if you keep it in good condition.

Hi Kristin,

We bought a Fisher Price ride on toy that is a school bus. It has a back handle, so they can walk with it too. It is balanced well, so it is not tippy. We like that it has a seat to lift up and put things into the compartment. It also has little people that ride on it and it sings songs. My daughter loves it! We bought it for her when she turned one and she is still using it now that she is 2 and a half.

There are so many out there! We got our daughter a little Brio "wagon", push cart and she really liked it because the wheels could be adjusted to go slow (which is what a pre-walker needs). She also got a playskool car/walker as a gift. When in car mode, they can sit on it and push themselves back and forth; when in walker mode the seat of the car flips upward and the handle then becomes easy to stand with and push. The wheels on it don't move too fast either.

Check out goodwill or other thrift stores, I see those kinds of things there all the time! You can bring him with you and let him try it out. The Right Start usually has display models as well, so do other higher-end toy stores. That might help you make the best choice for your little guy!