Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
Do you want to see your child smile from ear to ear? Get them a kick-scooter and watch their whole demeanour explode with excitement as they start their own little adventure on a scooter. Scooters have been around for centuries, with the first kick scooter being made out of wood in 1817. Who knew they’d be such a hit 200 years later, right?
Well, if you can remember how fun having a scooter was when we were kids, trust us when we say your kid will end them just as much! That said, are scooters beneficial for your kids, though? Stick around to find out.
Kids’ scooters provide exercise
Watching your kids push themselves around on a scooter might seem like it’s all fun and games, but they’re actually getting a killer workout! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), kids need about 60 minutes of exercise per day. Letting them ride around on a scooter is a great way to get this exercise in.
Today’s kids are glued to screens. Whether it’s TV, playing PlayStation, or messaging their friends, there’s always something taking their time. Thankfully scooters don’t need much preparation to use. Your kid can scoot anywhere, all they need is the space to do so.
They develop their gross motor skills
To ride a scooter, your kid will need three things: coordination, balance, and strength. Coordination refers to the ability to use multiple body parts at the same time to perform different actions. With a scooter, your kid will have to kick, steer, and hold their balance while riding. Balance involves them standing on the scooter with one foot while they kick off the floor to move, and finally, strength is for kicking off the floor to propel the scooter forward. All of these skills develop with the gross motor skills and are vital for how your child operates in the future as an adult.
They’ll build confidence
How did we learn as kids? In most cases, we tried and either made a mistake and learnt from it or tried and found out that what we’re doing isn’t as difficult as we thought. As we try new things, we essentially build our confidence to try more.
The same goes for our children. They might be hesitant the first time you put them on a scooter, but with a little assurance and guidance, they’ll eventually build the confidence to ride by themselves. What’s amazing is that they’ll also be open to trying other new things because of this. For instance, you could teach them to ride a bicycle next.
It gets them outside
Take the world back 30 years, and kids were still forced to find their source of entertainment outside. Nowadays, they can have hours’ worth of entertainment on their smartphones and no longer see the value of playing outside as often, which is unfortunate. However, when you get your child a scooter, it’s a means by which they can reignite a passion for the outdoors, even if it’s just an hour a day. Trust us: fresh air and some much-needed vitamin D will do wonders for your kids.
How to keep them safe
A common concern we hear from parents when it comes to things like bicycles, scooters, or skateboards is that they’re unsafe and could risk their children getting injured. While this is true, there are ways in which you can keep your child safe, like:
Encourage clear rules
First things first, you need to set strict rules for your kids while they use the scooters. These rules need to include the protective gear they need to wear, road safety, and where they’re allowed to ride. Throw anything else in there if you feel the need to as well.
Make them wear a helmet
Wearing a helmet should be a non-negotiable for kids riding a scooter. It might be uncomfortable for them, but explain to them why it’s necessary. When you buy a helmet for them, make sure you get one that’s the right size and that it has all of the necessary straps to keep it on while your child rides.
Get knee and elbow pads
Your kids are going to fall off the scooter, it’s inevitable, but how they fall and the outcome of their fall can change. Knees and elbows are usually the most common areas for kids to get scratched or bruised. So, to limit this risk, making them wear elbow and knee pads is the solution.
Teach them about road safety
If you’re going to let your child ride around on the road with their scooter, then you need to teach them how the road works. This means that they need to know what road signs mean, how cars indicate their actions and when it’s safe to be on the road.
Give them the right footwear
Kick scooters for kids should never be ridden barefoot. While some kids might find this comfortable, the reason is that it increases the risk of them hurting their feet. Not to mention a seasoned rider would know how hot the break gets when you’re trying to slow down. Ensure that your child wears closed-toe shoes when they ride at all times.
Go over the rules again
When you set boundaries or rules with kids, you might need to repeat them a few times before they become a habit. For the first few times your kids ride, go over the rules again to make sure they know them and have consequences in place if they don’t listen to them. The consequences don’t need to be harsh; you can simply take their scooter away for a day or two. By doing this, they’ll learn the rules and avoid breaking them.
Final Thoughts
Nothing quite beats cruising down the road with your friends on a scooter. That is until you get a bit older and start playing with things that have a motor. But, for kids, a scooter is a great way to explore the outdoors and have some much-needed time away from the television or phone. So, don’t hesitate! Get your kid a scooter and kick-start their fun!
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
