Oppo dads

"ncasolowork2" (ncasolowork2)
06/23/2014 at 08:11 • Filed to: None

Is 18 months too young for a power wheels car? There are certain family members concerns about injury. That's a battle I have no idea how to win.

DISCUSSION (25)

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:14

That's about the age I got mine, and I never broke anything/killed myself.

thebigbossyboss > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:14

I am not a dad, but would probably wait until at least 2 years old for a bit better motor skills.

505Turbeaux > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:14

at that age it just depends on the development level, and how much the kid is a risk taker. At 18 months I had my daughter on my lap driving the 73 wagoneer around the back yard (yay overboosted steering!). Power wheels are pretty tame though, I say go for it.

Tell the naysayers I give my stamp of approval :)

Roberto G. > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:15

If it's not your son for which you (hopefully) can take full responsibility, I'd choose a toy that's specific for that age. You don't want to be unnecessarily blamed for for any scratches that the child may get...

ncasolowork2 > 505Turbeaux
06/23/2014 at 08:20

Yeah my son is already climbing in to the drivers seat and mimicking everything necessary to drive. The reason I'd like to let him try it is because that seems to be something he really really wants to do (drive)

ncasolowork2 > Roberto G.
06/23/2014 at 08:20

Mine, but I don't have 100% autonomy.

505Turbeaux > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:23

Kinja'd!!!

yeah I wouldnt say to let him loose with it, but like anything just be vigilant with the supervision. Sounds like you have a winner though!

Drakkon- Most Glorious and Upright Person of Genius > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:24

???? What injury would beset a child in a Powerwheels that wouldn't happen on a trike? I can't think of one. Driving off the end of the deck, slipping and going face first onto the asphalt, driving up somebody's leg because they don't know when to stop. But all of these can happen with any wheeled toy.

Besides, it has a roll cage yo!

mcseanerson > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:24

Not so much age dependent as skill dependent. Start with some kind of four wheeled toy that is unpowered and they scoot with their feet and steer with a handle. Next is a powered quad. After that they are ready for a power wheels. You can skip the unpowered one but that will make the quad take a little longer to pick up.

ttyymmnn > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:33

I think it's too young, but it might be okay with proper supervision — and a helmet. I got a full blown concussion when I was 6 when I went over the handlebars on my bike. I'm not sure how my generation survived without helmets, but my sons wear them at all times on their bikes and scooters.

OPPOsaurus WRX > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:36

I'd think less about can he do it and more about what happens when he crashes into something. My kids think its funny to crash their cozy coupes into everything, so if he's a kid he'll probably think the same. Not like its a hard impact but kids that age probably still have somewhat weak necks. Its probably a kid by kid thing, I'm just saying think the whole thing through first.

dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 08:44

can he even reach the pedals? Honestly though if he's on grass and /or wearing a helmet there's not much that could injure him (father of two speaking)

[edit :I will also say that OPPO is not exactly an unbiased representative sample if you're trying to convince your better half]

red014 > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:00

Mine got his first right about at that age and was scared shitless of it. The noise was enough. We never even had to charge the battery a second time. Looked similar to this one. Now he's 6 and I think he's a bigger gearhead than I am. My advice—go for it. They make them for that age. A company like Fisher Price would stand to lose a lot of money if they made products that were inherently unsafe for their intended age group nowadays.

Kinja'd!!!

crowmolly > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:01

I don't think it's THAT big a deal safety-wise as long as you are watching the entire time. He may not understand the on-off or turning thing and just bash into things, drive into the bushes, etc etc. To be honest I'm not sure he'd be able to get enough out of the toy to really enjoy it.

ncasolowork2 > crowmolly
06/23/2014 at 09:03

I literally have to pull him kicking and screaming out of my car. When it comes to playing outside he just wants to climb on our lawn mower or open the driver side door to either car. It is ridiculous how much he loves the concept of driving.

ncasolowork2 > dsigned001 - O.R.C. hunter
06/23/2014 at 09:03

The fact that some people on Oppo suggested caution is scary lol

crowmolly > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:05

Go for it then. He'd probably love it even if you never charged the battery.

Tom McParland > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:10

You can get "Power Wheels" type cars for that age, however they are pricey and will grow out of them fast. I thought about getting one for my son (he is about 20 months) but I'm going to wait until he is big enough for the larger ones that last a few years.

You might want to get one of those cars that he can sit on and push around with his feet. It is good for balance and development etc...

ncasolowork2 > Tom McParland
06/23/2014 at 09:13

Yeah... Grandma and Grandpa got one free for him off Craigslist not-working. Just needed a battery in the little VW Bug power wheels car. It now works. We've got a cozy coupe but he is so disinterested in it due to the fact that we've let him sit in our car or he just goes and sits on the tractor and pretends to drive what he sees us pretend to drive. Technically he is 20 months now 18 is just easier to relate to.

jariten1781 > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:54

I wouldn't get one because keeping those things charged up is a PITA. Not a big safety concern to me compared to stairs, retaining walls, etc.

shop-teacher > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 09:58

My daughter is 19 months old, I don't think she'd be interested yet, but I don't think she'd get hurt either. Your son, judging from your other replies, sounds like he's ready to me. Just watch him closely, not that I even need to tell you that.

davedave1111 > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 10:00

"There are certain family members concerns about injury. That's a battle I have no idea how to win."

Give them a slap for being stupid and/or overprotective. It's imperative to nip that kind of thing in the bud. You're talking about a toy which goes slower than a toddler can toddle, much slower than I used to push my younger siblings in the pushchair - I'd have been about 6-8yo at that point.

Might as well wrap the kid in bubblewrap as try and prevent the kind of 'injuries' which might result from a Power Wheels crash.

The Compromiser > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 10:05

I had a motorcycle at 4. Not a power wheels one, not a pedal one that made noise. A real Yamaha 50cc Motorcycle. It had everything a larger bike would and I used to race it as an Amateur. When I was 6 I switched to a 60cc and had to learn to use a clutch.

Now, My kids aren't allowed to leave our court on their bikes without a grown up.

The answer is I don't know!!!!!

Fuck it: Miata. Get one of those.

yamahog > ncasolowork2
06/23/2014 at 10:29

IMHO, if you and your family are competent enough to even be discussing safety hazards, you're competent enough to keep an eye out as you would a trike or anything else.

And for what it's worth, I had a powerwheels Jeep which the whole family hooned around the basement, dodging support beams, and my sister and I turned out fine. College graduate gearheads, to boot! She even survived rolling off what seems like every damn bed she was placed on, falling down stairs, and having a plastic kitchen set fall on her with zero injuries.

thebigbossyboss > davedave1111
06/23/2014 at 10:29

This was a good response. I had a rough and tumble childhood as did my brother. I only ended up with stitches twice. Him only once.