Scooting – it’s a whole lotta fun!
Kids and adults alike, love the thrill of the wind in their hair as they carene down the wild streets and skatepark ramps aboard their scooters – especially when it has LED wheels.
But besides being a whole heap of fun, did you know that the activity of scooting also has numerous health advantages, particularly for children who are learning and growing.
Yes, of course like any sport it comes with some danger, there will be some spills and scratches along the way, but it’s all part of learning. And the benefits of riding that scooter far outweigh the bumps and scrapes. And of course, with the proper equipment and supervision, these little accidents can be heavily reduced.
Keep reading to find the fantastic benefits of scooters for kids. This might just convince you that your child is ready for their very first scooter.
This is what your child can learn from riding a scooter
Balance
Every child's development relies heavily on their ability to be able to balance. It helps them with walking, running, and just general day to day living.
Riding a scooter does require balance, but there are scooters out there that can aid their ability to learn this skill faster. The Globber Primo 3 has a 'lean to steer' and a steering lock feature, which promotes good balance while leaning through a turn, hence it is one of the best scooters out there for beginners.
As your child’s ability to balance develops, they are going to feel so much more confident not only when they are balancing on their scooter but also doing lots of other activities.
Develop and fine tune motor skills
Playing on a scooter can help in the development of the rider’s motor skills by letting riders use their arms and legs independently of one another while scooting.
The hands are on the handlebar, balancing the scooter, and one-foot kicks whereas the other balances.
All of this happens as the head and eyes are focused on where they're going and scanning the area for any obstacles.
If a kid wants to come to a complete stop, they will use one foot to press the rear fender brake pad while turning the scooter or slowing down sufficiently to safely place the other foot on the ground.
There is a lot that needs to happen for a scooter ride to be successful, but the chase of the thrill and fun certainly helps kids to develop these skills fast.
Growth and Development of Muscles
Core muscle strength is necessary for balance, leg strength is important for driving the scooter with the foot, and mental strength is required for quick decision making.
Every time a child rides a scooter, their muscles are strengthened.
The ankle, calf, hamstrings, and glutes are all engaged when the youngster pushes off from a stop, and they are re-engaged every time they push to pick up speed.
Staying upright requires the use of core muscles, such as the abdominal and lower back muscles.
Scooters for kids are an excellent technique to promote muscle development and strength, and they won’t even realise it is happening.
Gain good coordination
Strong coordination goes hand in hand with the development of motor skills.
A growing child's coordination development benefits greatly from practicing their scooter skills. Having to steer, kick, balance, and brake at the same time requires multitasking and a fair bit of practice.
One of the best ways to practice these skills and build up that coordination is by learning to scoot on a three-wheeled kid’s scooter. The pressure of trying to do all these things while balancing is reduced with a three-wheel scooter, as that third wheel helps keep them steady.
Over time, they will graduate from a three-wheel scooter to a two-wheeler, and look out, because their coordination development will accelerate – especially as they learn to time their movements to maintain momentum, avoid obstacles, brake, and stop, and learn to do tricks.
Enhances their decision-making ability
While balance, coordination, muscles, and strength all go a very long way in scooter riding, believe it or not, decision making skills and critical thinking are also extremely essential in scooting.
A child needs to learn how to make quick decisions, such as when to slow down, when to stop, when to turn, and how much to lean into the steer without tumbling over while scooting.
To be able to stop in time, your child must swiftly consider how much force they should apply to the brake or which way and when to turn to avoid it. The ability to make these decisions takes time and scooters for kids are an excellent way to teach them how to make these quick decisions and weigh up the possibilities.
Their efforts won’t be without some bumps and bruises; however, the effort is certainly worth it and can ultimately lead to your child feeling more confident in making other important decisions throughout their days.
Improve cardiovascular endurance
Your child’s cardiovascular endurance might not be something you think about initially when it comes to the benefits of riding a scooter, but for your child to be able to play to their heart’s content, it will require some cardio strength.
Once they develop some confidence and scooter skills, the chances are that they will want to go as fast as they possibly can. This is going to require some harder kicker, more running, and a whole lot of energy.
Once your child plays with their scooter for a while, you’ll likely notice that their ability to keep playing for longer improves, which is a sign that their cardiovascular endurance is also improving.
The great thing about playing with scooters is that your child won’t even know that they are exercising because it is just so much fun!
Learn how to socialise
While a scooter is one of those brilliant toys that is super fun playing with by yourself, it’s also very fun playing with friends.
Your kid will probably play with other kids with scooters, and through their common toy they will likely develop some great social skills.
They can observe each other and swap their scooter trick secrets. Being able to show others your skills and learn from fellow kids can be an awesome way to boost confidence around others and enhance those social skills.
This human interaction, whether at school, the park, or the skate ramps, is hugely valuable, and will make them more confident!
You can have plenty of fun outside
It’s no secret that many parents want their kids to spend more time playing outdoors and not looking at phone, computer or tv screens.
Well, the scooter is a great incentive for outdoor play time. Unless you happen to have your own indoor skatepark, a scooter isn’t an in the house toy, so your child will get some fresh air and some much needed outdoor time!
Is it time to buy your child a scooter?
If you’re convinced that it’s about the right time to introduce your child to the wild fun they can have with a scooter, then you’re going to need to purchase one. And that’s something we can help you with.
Here at Toy Hunters, we have a wide range of scooters (and other ride-on toys) to choose from including big brands like Grit Scooters and Globber Scooters. Our range has something for people of all ages, so whether you’re buying for a first timer or a big kid at heart, we’ve got something for you. We’ve even got safety gear like helmets and accessories to pimp your ride up with. We ship all over Australia from our Sydney-based warehouse and with great low prices and awesome customer service, you can’t beat Toy Hunters for your scooter needs!
