Are tricycles good for toddlers? Benefits for early development

Tricycles are a valuable tool for physical, cognitive, and emotional development in children. It’s why investing in a tricycle is a strategic way to support your child’s growth and set them up for success. Both a significant childhood milestone and a wonderful experience for your child, there are numerous benefits that come from riding a tricycle. 

Physical development

The US Department of Health advises that daily physical activity is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. According to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, preschoolers should be physically active for at least three hours each day. Riding a trike is the perfect way to keep your energetic toddler active and healthy. We’ve outlined the specific ways riding a trike supports your child’s physical development below.

Muscle growth

Muscle development in toddlers is crucial for their overall growth, as it establishes a strong foundation for healthy physical development throughout childhood. Typically, toddlers begin to sit up on their own around 6-9 months, and by age 2, they often have the balance and coordination needed to start riding a tricycle. 

Riding a trike aids in building and strengthening these muscles, making tricycles the best stroller alternative for toddlers. Unlike sitting in a stroller, pedaling forward is active and strengthens leg muscles, while the repeated steering motions help strengthen their arms and shoulders. Over time, the continuous practice of riding a tricycle nurtures your child’s gross motor skill development. 

Hand-eye coordination and balance

To master riding a trike, children need to learn how to steer and maintain stability while moving. This involves developing important skills like coordination and balance. With practice, your child will slowly get accustomed to the movements necessary for riding, enhancing awareness of their bodies and boosting their physical control.

This heightened body awareness benefits other activities, like walking, dance, sports, and general movement. It can also lead to improved handwriting skills as the coordination between their eyes and hands becomes more refined.

Cognitive development

Cognitive development in toddlers is a crucial aspect of their growth. Between the ages of 1 and 2, children begin to explore their environment more actively to try and make sense of the world around them. Riding a tricycle plays a significant role in this process by supporting the development of important cognitive skills, one of the many reasons why a tricycle is the perfect 1st birthday gift. 

Spatial awareness

Many people don’t realize that riding a tricycle assists toddlers in understanding concepts like space and distance. As your toddler practices riding, they automatically learn to make sense of their surroundings, boosting their cognitive growth and spatial reasoning skills.

This enhanced awareness of space can benefit subjects like mathematics and other areas that involve spatial thinking. Additionally, it lays the foundation that equips them with practical skills for everyday life, like walking, playing sports, or even parking a car. 

Logical reasoning 

Tricycles offer toddlers a range of challenges, like navigating turns and steering clear of obstacles. This encourages the development of problem-solving skills, nurturing independent thinking, self-awareness, and logical reasoning. These important cognitive skills extend to other aspects of life as children mature.

Emotional benefits 

Riding a trike provides toddlers with opportunities to learn how to manage their emotions. At the formative ages of 1 to 2, toddlers often experience a mix of emotions but have limited ability to regulate them. The experience of riding a trike allows your child to explore their independence, promoting self-confidence as they learn to navigate on their own. Because riding a trike is also a fun and enjoyable activity, it fosters emotional learning in a positive way. 

Confidence and independence

Tricycles allow toddlers to explore on their own, promoting a sense of independence and confidence that is crucial to building their self-esteem. Riding independently helps children become self-sufficient and enhance their decision-making skills. Liki Trike grows with your child, providing a steady transition into each new phase of development. With five modes of use, Liki Trike’s unique features provide a safe and enjoyable way for your child to explore and gain independence. 

Managing emotions

The positive challenges associated with riding a trike help toddlers work on emotional regulation. When they encounter frustration from a fall or difficulty steering, they begin to recognize and manage these feelings, practicing coping strategies and testing their emotional resilience. 

Understanding and regulating emotions are vital life skills that impact relationships, academic success, and mental health. By learning to cope with their emotions through a playful activity, children establish a positive foundation for their emotional intelligence.

At Doona, we’re always trying our very best to make parenting simpler for every family. Which is also why we’ve created our innovative and revolutionary Doona Car Seat & Stroller which transforms from a car seat to a stroller in the click of a button; and Liki Trike — the most compact folding toddler trike on the market that grows alongside toddlers with five modes of use.