Kids Scooter Guide

Everything you need to know about kids scooters.

Your one stop shop to find the ultimate school run scooter for your little one.

We're here to help you out using the three important pillars of choosing a scooter - safety, comfort and longevity. Watch away or read below!

It's important when scooting the school run to make sure that your child has the right scooter for the job. You'll want to find a scooter that your child will feel comfortable riding for longer distances. So how do you figure out what is a good scooter for the school run?

The Three Pillars: Safety, Comfort and Longevity

Safety: Riding with Confidence

• You should first make sure that your scooter has a front wheel of at least 120mm in diameter. This will avoid accidents when riding into small curb crossings, bumps or hitting small stones. 120mm is also the minimum required to pass a European safety standard for kids scooters.
• It's important that the handlebars aren't too low for the rider, if they are too low the chance of accidents is higher, plus they can become uncomfortable and cause back problems. The handlebars should be above waist height, and the rider should have a straight back while riding, with their elbows at a 45 degree angle when holding the handlebars.
• The scooter deck should be designed in a way that sharp edges won't develop. An easy check to do is to make sure that there aren't any square ends that develop sharp points from grinding against the pavement.

• Check that the riders weight is relative to that of the scooter. If its too heavy it will be difficult to maneuver and control, and if it's too light it won't be robust enough. Make sure you inspect the age and weight guides provided on the scooter box.
• A foot brake on the rear of the scooter is a must-need! It is the most effective way of slowing the scooter, when pressed the brake should be able to stop the wheel completely.
• Finally, it is best to ensure that a suitable helmet is worn when commuting to school. We stock a large range of kids helmets, with a unique design to suit every child's wants and needs.

We all know the importance of getting children to wear scooter and bicycle helmets, and we know that it's easier said than done too. We've compiled advice for how to get kids to wear a helmet from over 300 Mama's and even better, we've made a pie graph illustrating what really does work 🙌🏽

 

Comfort: Enhancing the Riding Experience

• The ground clearance of the deck is important for comfort when scooting to school, around the neighbourhood or for any scooting adventure. The ground clearance is the distance between the deck and the pavement. If this clearance is too high, their hips will be out of line, too low and the scooter will be scraping against the ground. To achieve this balance, make sure there are rails or a built out section under the deck, this takes the bulk of the impact and absorbs any jarring that the rider would usually feel.
• It's better for the scooter wheels to be made from a soft polyurethane rubber, rather than a harder metal core or plastic wheel. This softer material is highly durable, and will help to absorb some of the smaller stones and bumps in the pavement. Good quality bearings also means that the wheels don't need to be pushed as much to reach higher speeds.

• Foam or rubber grips will also take some of the shock away from the rider.

• A simple folding mechanism is also an important feature to look out for when purchasing a kids scooter. This enables the scooter to be compact for storage or easy for you or your child to carry.

Longevity: Future-Proofing Your Scooter

• Adjustable handlebars are great for school kids, as they can continue to use their scooter as they grow from 5 to 12 years old plus.
• It is also great to look for scooters with higher weight limits. We recommend checking the box to see what the max weight range is.
• Some brands will carry spare parts for their scooters, so research to see if there are parts readily available. Here at Micro we stock the full range of spare parts for all of our scooters. This means that if something does go wrong, you can replace the individual parts rather than the entire scooter. This allows longevity in our scooters and circularity when passing the scooters down through the family and onto the next.

• Like a bicycle, scooters require maintenance and care, so ensure that the scooter you buy has quality parts and is supported by a suitable warranty period. Feel free to check out our 'How To' guides for any support on Micro scooter repairs or maintenance.

Finding the perfect scooter for your child's adventures is made easier with Micro Scooters New Zealand. Our emphasis on safety, comfort, and longevity ensures a fulfilling and enjoyable ride. Visit our Kids Scooter collection to explore our range and make unforgettable memories with your child.