Best Toddler Tricycle with Push Handle | 2020 Reviews

Benefits of Tricycles and Toddler Development

Builds Confidence and Independence

Between the ages of 1 and 2, you may notice that your child has a stronger desire to start doing everything themselves. This new found independence is their way of exploring the world around them. 

Riding a tricycle helps build on this independence. As your child learns to pedal, steer, avoid obstacles, and mauver their trike, they will learn that they need less assistance from their parents. A tricycle with a push handle is the perfect way to allow your child to hone in on these skills while keeping you in control.  

Becoming aware of this new found independence in turn builds up their confidence. Your child will grow confident in their abilities to control their bike on their own. 

Coordination and Balance

Fine motor skills involve the movement of smaller muscle groups such as your child’s hands, fingers, and wrists. Gross motor skills encompass the movement of larger muscle groups, like arms, legs and core. Riding a tricycle helps your toddler improve both their fine and gross motor skills. 

Your child’s hand-eye coordination is practiced through combinations such as mastering steering and avoiding obstacles. Climbing up hills, riding down hills, and getting off and on the tricycle focuses on arm-leg coordination skills.   

Exercise

Children should be physically active throughout the day for growth and development. Getting outside to play is a great way to ensure this happens. When children ride their tricycles they are increasing muscle tone, flexibility, and are getting a cardiovascular workout.  

An added bonus of a tricycle with a push handle is that parents get exercise too. If your toddler is still mastering their trike riding skills chances are you are doing the majority of the steering work for them. 

Adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking. This goal can be hard to reach as parents with a busy schedule. The toddler tricycle with push handle is a great way to reach this goal and promote physical activity in your family. 

Prepares your Child for Riding a Bike

One of the main benefits of a toddler tricycle with a push handle is the many different stages the trike can accommodate. Children mature at different rates and being able to accommodate their level of readiness is important. Having a tricycle that allows you as the parent to be in control and slowly transfer that control over to your child as they become ready is a huge benefit. 

As your child grows and you transition to a full fledged tricycle, your child will be even more ready for the transition to a bike with training wheels when the time comes. 

What to Look for when Buying a Tricycle with Push Handle

Toddler’s Ability to Steer

If the push handle is attached can your toddler still steer on their own? This is an important distinction you will want to consider. Some tricycles allow your child to practice steering while the parent push handle is installed. Other tricycle’s override this ability. As a parent you will want to decide what works best for you. You can opt to give your child the freedom to explore steering right away, or decide you don’t want to engage in a back-and-forth battle while you’re on the go. 

Adjustable Handles, Seats, and Pedals

Toddlers come in all shapes and sizes and grow at different rates. It is important to make sure the tricycle you purchase can adjust to accommodate their body. You will want to make sure they are positioned correctly to prevent injury. 

Ages and Phases

Some tricycles are suitable for children as little as 9 months and can accommodate up to 5 years old. While other tricycles are based on weight capacity. These large spans of ages means your child will go through many phases. Picking a tricycle that can accommodate all those transitional phases is important. 

Safety

Safety is always key when it comes to our children. You will want to make sure your tricycle has important safety features like harnesses, safety bars, and foot rests when your child is on the younger side. 

As your child gets older, material might be more important. Is the tricycle made from plastic or metal? Will the tricycle hold up over time or break easily? If your child does fall, what elements of the bike could potentially cause harm? 

Finally, it’s never too early to introduce your toddler to a helmet. Protecting those heads from potential falls is so important. 

How to Teach your Toddler to Ride a Tricycle

If you are introducing the tricycle to your child at a young age, your main goal will be getting them used to it. Allow them to ride in the tricycle while you do all the steering with the push handle. This is a fluid transition from a stroller and gives them the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the trike. 

As your child becomes more familiar they may start to get curious about trying to steer. Let them explore turning the handlebars and making the connection of turning and direction. 

Once they are familiar with steering you can start to place their feet on the pedals. Choosing a tricycle that allows you to lock the pedals in place can be a great option to start. This will let them get used to putting their feet on the pedals. 

Pedaling is a crucial motor skill that might take some time for your child to master. Patience is key. One method to teach your child how to pedal is to only push the tricycle when they pedal and stop pushing when they take their feet off the pedals. This will allow them to associate that the tricycle moves forward when they pedal.   

Over time your child will put all the pieces together and before you know it they will be riding by themselves.   

Top Toddler Tricycles with Push Handles

With so many options it can be hard to decide which tricycle is best for your child. Here is a selection of the top-rated toddler tricycles with push handles that we have reviewed.