My son has been on the go for as long as I can remember. As an infant, he’d squiggle and wiggle. He started crawling commando-style at six months and by 10 months he was walking around. Once he figured out how to walk, there was no stopping him. And now that he’s a 2-year-old, he is always running around. Each of these stages have been exciting in their own way, and I wanted to highlight some of our favorite active toys from some of these stages.

 

Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon

One of our son’s favorite toys is his Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon. We got the Walker Wagon before he could walk, when our little guy was cruising around by holding onto furniture. With the wagon, I think he gained the confidence to step out on his own. And even after he learned how to walk, it was a favorite toy, both inside the house and out.

One of his favorite things to do: sit inside and let us push him around. I will warn you that pushing a child in it can be a little difficult since the low handle height is meant for a toddler and not an adult (be prepared for back pain after a while).

I also love that it is made of wood and has very classic styling.

The only real downside I see to the Walker Wagon is that it is hard to turn. While this is great for a baby just learning to walk who needs that stability, it does make maneuvering the wagon more challenging for a toddler (and an adult).

Another tip on the wagon: You can fill it with heavy weights of some sort when your baby is just learning to stand so that it doesn’t move easily. Then gradually reduce the amount of weight as your child becomes more comfortable with standing and walking, so that it becomes easier to push.

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

Radio Flyer Classic Tiny Trike

Shortly after we got the Walker Wagon, we found another Radio Flyer product that became an instant hit — the Radio Flyer Classic Tiny Trike. With the tiny trike, our son got his first taste of riding a bicycle.

Since you move around just by using your feet, it is easy for a toddler to control. He also learned how to coast by picking up his feet. I will warn you that on hills, toddlers can really pick up speed quickly, so it’s important to use good judgment about where you let yours kids ride and if you’re on hills, I highly recommend a good pair of running shoes for yourself and a helmet for your rider (we like the Giro Me2 Infant Bike Helmet).

Our son has taken quite a few tumbles on his trike and it has held up well. We did have one part on it that broke but Radio Flyer quickly sent us out a replacement part free of charge.

Once again, I love the classic styling of this product (it even has a cute little bell!) and that it is made out of wood.

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike

As our son became too big for his tiny trike, I knew I wanted to get him a balance bike. Since he had loved his tiny trike and was already familiar with using his feet to propel and stop himself and lifting them to coast, a balance bike was the next logical step. I also loved that balance bikes help with the development of gross motor skills and make the transition to riding a real bike easier (no training wheels necessary).

We decided on a Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike. I had considered a wooden balance bike, but I was afraid that it wouldn’t hold up to my son’s riding. I also liked the foam tires, since we don’t have to worry about flats.

The Strider has been wonderful. He got it for his second birthday and immediately hopped on. Within a week, he was coasting. He still goes out on it often and can go really fast. I am looking forward to taking him to some BMX parks this spring and summer.

My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

 

What are some of your favorite active toys?

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