*AD: The following post contains a gifted product*
New Wheels
There’s a strong argument for summer 2018 being my best ever. Most people will remember this summer as the hottest ever – one that we wished would calm itself down and at least let us sleep at night. Besides that, it was the first in that new house of ours and the first summer I could properly enjoy as a dad. With no job to commute to and plenty of time to do as I wished, most of it was spent in the garden with Cameo.
There was lots of running. Lots of throwing. Lots of hosepipe action. One bag of fun times. But there was just one thing missing – some wheels. The last people to live at our place left a trike in the garden when they left. It had seen better days and our 20-month-old just wasn’t a fan of it. His dislike was for good reason, as he was too small to ride it himself, it was too low for anyone to push it for very long, and no one was really showing it any love.
Just as summer came to a close, we were blessed with an upgrade.
That delivery came in the form of a fresh ride for resident toddler. Honestly, it was about time. We don’t need him in a pushchair now, because he’s more than capable of getting himself about and we’ve never walking for long, but it’s no trip out is smooth yet. Something like this makes it much easier to contain him, make him feel more independent, and prepare him for when he’s able to cycle for himself.
Assembly
There are lots of parts. I have to say that, because it’s the first thing I thought when I took everything out of the box and tried to figure out whether it was a today or tomorrow job. The instructions are very straightforward, but if you’re the type to jump ahead, it’s very easy to put some parts the wrong way around or at the wrong end of the trike.
It’s a one-person task (and it’s not as if Hollie volunteered or anything) and I wouldn’t say any of it is particular heavy, so I’d imagine that anyone could do it if they had enough time. All you need from your side is a Philips screwdriver and a pair of willing hands.
I know exactly how long it took to put together the trike, because I was in a rush to get it done while Cameo was sleeping. In that time I had this DāM-FunK mix on the go, and there was just 10 minutes left once I’d finally got it all together. You’re looking at around an hour to digest the instructions and crack on with it.
Everyday Usage
Cameo was 20 months when he got the trike and it’s perfect for his age. He knows what he’s doing with his legs now (and probably has since he was about 15 months), The trike gives a smooth ride.
The 4-in-1 aspect is based around how it’s suitable for quite a wide age range (development wise). It’s stated that it’s suitable from 9 months and would go up to 3 years, and it evolves as your child does.
Stage 1: The trike is to be used with its foot rests, and you push and turn it around with the long push bar. This is the stage, and he got it from the jump. Note that if your child is too young to understand that they have to keep their feet on there, it’s too soon for them to have it.
Stage 2: The waist bar is removed and the child has the ability to turn the trike themselves. I can sense this is coming soon, but ours isn’t quite there yet. By this point your child may be able to reach the pedals, but they’re still going to need a lot of help, so you’ll still be pushing at this point.
Stage 3: This is when the push bar is taken out and your child has the freedom to do their thing. We’re absolutely ages from this point, but it’s great to know that we won’t have to invest in some new wheels by the time this point comes.
It’s a very sturdy structure (provided you’ve put it together properly, and I can imagine it’s going to last a good while – right up to the point he reaches 3. As Cameo’s got a little brother, he’ll be getting all of the use out of it once he’s done. The wheels are wide, easy to clean, and handle typical garden terrain well. It’s fairly light, so you’re not going to dread taking it from the garden to the front before you take it on a walk to the shops.
It’s very safe for young ones thanks to the waist bar and the safety belt for extra measure. As long as you’re with them and they’re good on their feet, you have nothing to worry about. Cameo was standing on the foot rests by the second week and we didn’t have a worry, so you shouldn’t either.
One thing to be aware of is that the push bar is made for pushing and turning, not elevating. If you use it to try to nip over small obstacles, it will get weakened. Keep things to the ground, and you’ll get a lot of use out of this.
Summary
This is a great investment trike for parents. It’ll see your little ones through their toddler years and set them up nicely before they advance to big boy (and girl) bikes.
Price: £50
Buy the Little Tikes 4-in-1 Trike here.