As a mother of two, my children’s health and well-being are always my priority. My husband and I make sure they eat a balanced diet by minding the macronutrients such as protein in the meals and motivate them to stay active as much as possible despite the fact they love screen time. Though it’s easy to convince the younger one, Noah, to do some exercise, Ethan is prone to making a fuss, expressing his dislike for it openly.

But thanks to Jade, their favourite auntie who had the brilliant idea to get us a scooter as a gift, we’ve managed to sneak more activity into Ethan’s life. Ethan has had so much fun with it that he’s never even noticed it’s also exercise! Now knowing how great of a gift this was, I’ve decided to choose a three wheel scooter with an exclusive easy steer mechanism as the ideal present for one of my fussy nephews too.

Why I Prefer Three Instead of Four Wheels?

Sure, the four-wheel design has a wheel extra and might appear to be more stable, however, the three-wheel one has a set of advantages I consider more useful. The first is the compact and lightweight design which makes it a piece of cake to carry around and manoeuvre. This makes it especially convenient when it comes to tight spaces both outside and in the home.

In addition, due to the lack of an extra wheel at the back, there’s more legroom which makes for more comfort while on the go. If you’re worried about the 3 wheel scooter not being stable enough, as opposed to the 4, avoid choosing a design with two wheels at the back. The one I like has two front wheels and offers the right amount of stability without it being at the expense of manoeuvrability.

What Are the Benefits From Riding a Scooter?

If you’re still worried as a parent whether or not a scooter is a good idea for your kids, there’s nothing to worry about. Trust me, I used to be such a parent, until I realised I had to let my kids grow, and that mistakes and an injury here and there are part of the growing process.

As long as you choose a three wheel scooter carefully, minding the features in the example of brakes, width and strength of deck, steering mechanism, as well as ergonomic grips, you can rest assured your child will be safe. But still, make it your task to teach them about safety. Try accompanying them during their first rides until they get the necessary skills, and you’ll have your peace of mind restored.

Moving on to the benefits, here are some of the most apparent and important you can expect your kids to get:

Gross and Fine Motor Skills – Since you’re going to find scooter designs suitable for children aged two and above, they’re ideal for developing gross and fine motor skills. Children get to build these skills by maneuvering the scooter, learning how to hold the handles, and making their way through, using both arms and legs in the process.
Balance – As I said before, the various types of 3 wheel scooters for kids are stable and as such come in handy for improving balance and coordination. When they use a leg to push the scooter, kids build strength in the legs and upper body as well. They also get a sense of balance and learn how to properly distribute their weight during the rides.
Keeping Weight In-Check – Even though it’s a low-impact exercise, there’s still a considerable calorie burn going on with every ride. Just to give you the idea of how much exactly, with every half an hour of ride, a child burns about 150 calories. I think it’s a great way to burn the calories we get from enjoying sweet delights like cookie cakes and doughnuts.
Cognitive Skills – Along with the physical exercise the rides provide, there’s a workout for the nervous system too! When a child balances, coordinating the movement of the body, this all activates the brain. Moreover, kids also get to make decisions about how to overcome an obstacle or choose which way to go. This being said, it’s safe to say going for a ride is a nice chance to work on the cognitive skills development , giving the brain some exercise.
Confidence – It’s needless to say when a child masters the scooting skills, he or she immediately feels accomplished and has a boost in confidence. This way, when it’s time to learn a more complex skill like riding a bike or swimming, he or she will jump into it with greater confidence.
Responsibility – As soon as all the fun is over and we get home, my sons know it’s time to give the scooters a nice wash. This is another reason I like having them because they help teach kids the importance of responsibility, how to take care of their belongings and how to appreciate them. In other words, it teaches them that maintenance and cleanliness are chores that are essential for the durability of an item and they aren’t to be avoided.