These days, kids who are too big for strollers and aren’t keen or able to walk long distances have a fun solution that works brilliantly on family vacations and during outings in your hometown.
To give you a little background, I investigated buying my then 6-year-old daughter a scooter to travel. I was worried about her tolerance for walking long distances during our trip to China. I abandoned the idea because I’d never heard of anyone bringing a scooter on holiday.
Sure enough, while walking from one end of Tiananmen Square to the other (it’s massive), she got tired and had a mini-meltdown. If she had a scooter, I’m sure we could have toured for longer.
Her scooter of choice for a long time is a Micro Kickboard. You can slip it into the back of the car for road trips to far-flung places or even jaunts within your hometown… in our case, to one of our favorite San Diego beaches.
With this new-found appreciation for high-quality, lightweight scooters and confidence that I can actually travel with one, I’m here to tell you that you can and should consider bringing one for your kids on your next family vacation. Here’s why.
1. Travel Scooters Cut Down the Amount of Walking
For families embarking on urban holidays that may involve a lot of walking in between sights, the Maxi Micro scooter is an ideal solution for keeping the kids happy.
But you might be surprised by how many places around the world a scooter can come in handy. I wish I would have had one during our family vacation to Kaanapali, Maui. Walking to Whaler’s Village isn’t far for adults, but 10 minutes to dinner when hungry can feel like an eternity for young kids.
Also, boardwalks are ideal for scootering. I can give the dog nice long walks along the beaches here in San Diego without my daughter complaining. It’s a win-win for all. The Micro Maxi scooter delivers a smooth and relatively quiet ride because it seems to bumps in the sidewalk.
Kids in our neighborhood also ride their Micro Maxi scooters to school.
2. Instant Fun on the Fly
Bored at a hotel? Have extra energy at Grandma’s? Bust out the scooter and let the kids whiz around. If disassembled for travel, the Micro Maxi is easy for kids to reassemble in a few seconds, put on a helmet, and go.
3. Kids Don’t Need a Ton of Space to Enjoy Them
The Micro Maxi is very easy for my daughter to ride in curving manner, which makes it exponentially more fun than her prior scooter. She happily circles around small spaces with no problem, using her body weight and handlebars to lean into turns… much like a skateboard.
In fact, there are two interchangeable handlebar styles. She has the traditional T-Bar style, but the Joystick handlebar provides even more curving and carving action.
When I’m walking the dog, she’ll scooter away from us and then back again throughout our walk because we’re moving slower than she is. She loves it.
4. They Make Scooters for You, Too
What? Yes, parents can get in on the fun with scooters made especially for adults and teens like the Micro White scooter (pictured folded below). It’s so smooth and easy to ride that I’m not going to lie… my daughter rides it all of the time when I’m not looking. This style of scooter collapses with the push of a button and while it isn’t for your suitcase, slipping it into the car for a road trip or beach day is super easy.
Scootering together as a family is a hoot, trust me. Micro Kickboard has scooters in a variety of options for all ages, including kids under 5.
5. Travel Scooters Are Smaller than You Think
My daughter’s Micro Maxi easily disassembles, and it is small enough to fit into my handbag, including the helmet. Though it’s a touch bulky (which I really don’t mind), it’s lighter than some of the camera gear I carry. I wrap the bottom—or the entire thing, depending on what I have around the house—in a plastic bag before slipping it in.
At just 5.5 lbs., the Micro Maxi is an easy add to checked luggage, too.
The Benefits of Kick Scooters for Kids
Think about what it takes for you to ride a kick scooter. Then, consider the following.
Balance and Direction
Scooters are powered first by a kick but directed using balance. Scooters can help improve coordination with use at any age, particularly when kids are young and learning how to balance using their weight.
Gross and Fine Motor Skills
Developing gross and fine motor skills enables kids to become more independent while opening doors to exploration, creativity, and learning. Parents Magazine surveyed several experts for an article about why motor skills are so crucial for kids to cultivate early.
Scooters help develop both sets of motor skills kids need in everyday life. They must be transported to a place of play (often by the kids), perhaps assembled if they are foldable and maneuvered properly. They can even be used as a centerpiece for imaginary play or barreling down a grass hill.
Pre-Reading Skills
The above benefits are also essential pre-reading skills for very young kids. Since our books are printed from left to right, experts believe it’s important for new readers to be familiar with the concept of direction at an early age.
Motor skills are essential for many other reasons. Kids not only need to hold the books and flip pages, but a good pencil grip later enables them to write words down to remember them better. They’ll hone motor skills to brush teeth, type, and a number of other things throughout their lives.
Confidence
Kids usually don’t take long to master riding a kick scooter. When they do, the confidence they gain from knowing they can handle it can potentially make them eager to tackle other skills.
Safety
California law requires a helmet for anyone under the age of 18 to ride non-motorized scooters, skateboards, and bikes. By riding scooters, kids can learn more about the importance of protecting their bodies and the consequences of not doing so.
Fun
Seriously, kids love the freedom and ease that riding a scooter provides. The bottom line is that kick scooters are fun, and also let them ride when walking might be a burden.
Tips for Using a Travel Scooter
Before taking a scooter out on the town, it’s essential to know where they are permitted and where they aren’t. Also, helmets are a must. California requires anyone under 18 to wear a helmet when riding a non-motorized scooter (as well as when riding a skateboard, riding a bicycle, wearing in-line skates, and wearing roller skates).
Also, use judgment. In big urban centers with crowds, kids on scooters might be a hazard to themselves and others.
Katie Dillon is the managing editor of La Jolla Mom. She helps readers plan San Diego vacations through her hotel expertise (that stems from living in a Four Seasons hotel) and local connections. Readers have access to exclusive discounts on theme park tickets (like Disneyland and San Diego Zoo) and perks at luxury hotels worldwide through her. She also shares insider tips for visiting major cities worldwide, like Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai, that her family has either lived in or visits regularly (or both).
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