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My Mom told me today that she wants to get Giuseppa a tricycle for Christmas (I told her she better get her a helmet as well). She seems ready to me..cause she always wants to ride on the neighbor's one. The problem is that her little legs are too short....do you know if they can be adjusted to her height? TIA Rose
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Having two DD's who have literally worn the wheels off of probably 6 or 7 of them, I can say that yes, the seats are adjustable on most of them (forward and backward) so there is some grow room. There is also a huge variety in tricycle size out there as well. We started with the plastic little tykes version with the that converts from a rocking toy to a tryke with a parent push handle and that thing was wonderful. It has a little fold down step for them to put their feet on if they can't quite reach the pedals but want to practice steering and want a ride. We also had a really tiny radio flyer one that worked well for my really petite older daughter too. My best advice is to head for Toys R Us or some place similar and start trying them on for size. At 3 and 6 my two DD's both still LOVE the Dora Lights and Sounds Bike (we have been through 2 bikes and 4 sets of replacement wheels and probably 500 miles!). My 6yo only gave it up because the pull of learning to ride a two wheeler finally became too great!
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Depending where you live, summer may be a better time to get it. There are some that are small than others. There is also one with a handle for you to push. I believe this is a smaller on and you have the option of pushing without breaking your back. Whenever you are farthest from the house is when they decide they either have to walk or are too tired to pedal.:evilgrin: Otherwise, I put pedal blocks on my daughters pedals so she could reach them. She is probably old enough for the bike. You will probably have to push her and show her how to pedal for a very short time. The hardest part is getting them to pay attention to where they are going rather than where they've been or what's across the street.
Like the others said, go out and try some at different stores. As the mom of a petite little girl, I know well how much they can vary. One of the two we have is from Target (Fold and Go I think?) and it worked well for my daughter's petite legs. Also, try the ones with the handles before you (your Mom) buy. We have the Kettler one and I don't like it. The pedels go around when you push and there is no where for the child to put their feet. So you have to tilt it back as you push to keep the front tire off the ground. Another option is a Big Wheel. Again, they come in various sizes, but the gym I go to has some tiny ones that were great for my daughter when when she was younger. edited to add: My daughter started pedling at around 2.5 and my son's more at 3-3.5 years old.
This is a different product but thought I would throw it out there. Have you ever heard of a skuut? It is a 2 wheel bike with no pedals (really low to the ground). These are hugely popular in Europe. Kids get these bikes instead of ticycles really young. They learn how to balance on them so converting to a real bicycle is so much easier. You rarely see European children with training wheels. We got a similiar product with 4 wheels but no pedals It is like a bike and not like a ride-on toy. Our son has had it since 12 months. It is cool how he can push off with his legs, pull them up and turn corners really fast. He absolutely loves it. He has been on a few tricycles, big wheels and can get frustrated with the pedals. I'm sure if he had his very own he would learn quickly as well but I think we are going to try the skuut (or a similair version that other companies make.) Have fun shopping.
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My girls got their trikes at about 18mos and 21mos. A is now 25mos and can pedal her trike. E (22mos) will sometimes pedal a bit, but usually pushes with her feet. A and E are both about as tall as an average 17-18mo. They have radio flyer folding trikes and can reach the pedals. They can get on & off and reach the ground to push the trike. They love their trikes. They have had a couple of minor spills due to trying to push with the wheel turned sharply, but they have learned that's not a great idea. Good luck! I'm sure your daughter will love her Christmas present.
melissa41
This is a different product but thought I would throw it out there. Have you ever heard of a skuut? It is a 2 wheel bike with no pedals (really low to the ground). These are hugely popular in Europe. Kids get these bikes instead of ticycles really young. They learn how to balance on them so converting to a real bicycle is so much easier. You rarely see European children with training wheels. We got a similiar product with 4 wheels but no pedals It is like a bike and not like a ride-on toy. Our son has had it since 12 months. It is cool how he can push off with his legs, pull them up and turn corners really fast. He absolutely loves it. He has been on a few tricycles, big wheels and can get frustrated with the pedals. I'm sure if he had his very own he would learn quickly as well but I think we are going to try the skuut (or a similair version that other companies make.) Have fun shopping.
My MIL bought Thomas one (can't remember if it is the Fisher Price one or the Radio Flyer one...I think FP) that is for ages 18-36mos. Of course, helmet included! In GA there can be some days for us to play outside in the winter so we went ahead and did it for Christmas instead of waiting for his bday in the spring.
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My daughter was too small and weak for a trike until she was almost three. When she first came home from China, at 18 mo., she couldn't even make a "foot-push" trike go anywhere. I got her a Kettler trike with a "Mommy handle", when she was finally ready. The Mommy handle was great. First off, Becca, like most toddlers, would look at something off to the side, and automatically steer towards it, sometimes heading into bushes, the road, etc. I could keep her from getting hurt by using the handle. Second, like most toddlers, Becca would tire of peddling when least expected. I often wound up having to push her home. Third, like many toddlers, Becca didn't always peddle quickly enough to make it across a street before the light changed. With the Mommy handle, I could push the trike so we made reasonable progress. Sharon
I would say YES to a tricycle. You may be surprised at how coordinated your daughter is. No matter what, if it's a smaller one, she will be able to push around with her legs. Caleb was pedaling when he was 20 months! (My eldest didn't figure it out until he was almost 3...so there is a huge learning curve). Kris
melissa41
This is a different product but thought I would throw it out there. Have you ever heard of a skuut? It is a 2 wheel bike with no pedals (really low to the ground). These are hugely popular in Europe. Kids get these bikes instead of ticycles really young. They learn how to balance on them so converting to a real bicycle is so much easier. You rarely see European children with training wheels. Have fun shopping.
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