The best tricycles with push handles for babies and toddlers. 9 fantastic toddler tricycles every kid will love, suitable from 9 months to 5 years.
Best Choice | Best overall | The Best on a Budget |
Radio Flyer 4-in-1 | Costzon 6-in-1 Foldable Stroller | Little Tykes 4-in-1 |
Our daughter turned 9 months in April, just as spring was starting to blossom in our city. Winter coats were coming off, and I remember waking up one day and noticing happy babies and toddlers everywhere. They were riding in tricycles with push handles – and having a great time!
Before I became a parent, I had never noticed these kinds of tricycles. But that spring, they seemed to be everywhere. And I couldn’t wait to get our daughter her own best tricycle!
The Many Benefits of a Tricycle with Push Handle
The way I see it, a tricycle with a push handle has a tonne of benefits for babies, toddlers, and parents. Just to name a few of them:
- They are a great choice when your kid gets to the “hates the stroller” stage. If they want to walk everywhere, but are a bit too slow, this is a good compromise. The tricycle is more fun for your kid than the stroller. It’s faster for getting somewhere than a ride on toy. And the push tricycle handle helps you get where you need to go in a reasonable time frame. Win win!
- They safely build your kid’s confidence and independence. On days when you’re using it for leisure, they build confidence and independence for your little one. Your toddler can learn about cause and effect (if I peddle, I go; if I steer, I turn), enjoying their independent riding while still being safely under control of mom and dad as needed. Similarly, they help with motor skills development.
- They encourage exercise and outdoor time. As the name of our website implies, being active and getting outside is really important in our family. Any way we can encourage our daughter to love of the outdoors and of exercise, we’re down with that.
- Depending on which model you get, you can even use them with babies. While some products claim to be suitable a toy for 6 month olds and up, that feels really young to me. From around 9 months, some babies will enjoy tricycles built to keep them safe.
As you can tell, I’m a huge fan of these tricycles for toddlers and older babies. I also love that you can use them from an earlier age than balance bikes (in fact, the Yvolution Y Velo Flippa actually transforms from a tricycle to a balance bike), giving younger kids the feeling of independence and freedom.
If you’re ready to get a tricycle with a push handle for your own little one (or as a gift), I’ve outlined what I think are some of the best tricycle options below.
I hope this post helps, and please share with other parents if you find it useful!
The Best Toddler Tricycles with Push Handles
- Best Tricycle Overall – Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll n’ Trike
- Runner Up – Costzon Baby Tricycle
- Best Value – Little Tikes Perfect Fit 4-in-1 Trike
- Great for Toddlers – Yvolution Y Velo Flippa 4-in-1 Toddler Trike to Balance Bike
- The Upgade – Joovy Tricycoo
- Best on a Budget – smarTrike Zoom and smarTrike Breeze Toddler Tricycle
- Most Classic – Radio Flyer Deluxe Steer and Stroll Trike –
- Final Pick – Qaba 2-in-1
Best Toddler Tricycles with Push Handles Reviews
Best Overall
This is a four-stage tricycle, and parents can also purchase different configurations for even more options.
With the classic model, this trike includes a detachable footrest for when your little one still can’t reach the pedals. This Stage 1 configuration also has a wrap-around tray with a cup holder a spot for snacks, and a seat belt. Around the age range of 18 months, the tray can be removed so your little one can help steer. Stage 3 lets your little one steer and pedal, while you can use the removable push tricycle handle to keep things under control. Finally, stage 4 lets you remove the push tricycle handle so your little one can enjoy a true taste of freedom, controlling the tricycle all on their own!
The seat is adjustable, and the adjustable seat comes with a canopy and plenty of storage in the form of a parent pouch.
You can also opt for an infant-friendly version that is suitable from 6 months.
Runner Up
Featuring a padded infant insert for the seat and a three-point harness, its steel construction lets babies as young as one-year-old can enjoy a ride on this tricycle with a parent pushing from behind and their feet resting on the removable footrest.
It easily collapses for effortless travel and includes an extra-large storage bag at the base of the handle. When your kiddo is ready to conquer the different stages, simply remove the footrest, guardrail and eventually the handle when they’re ready to take off on their own.
This trike is great for kids aged one to five years.
Value Pick
The trike’s removable handle comes with its own storage tray for drinks, snacks and even mom’s cell phone for a super-convenient feature. And there is a removable footrest and wrap-around tray to accommodate the very youngest passengers from around 9 months.
It also features a convenient back brake when you need the trike to stay still. And when you’re ready for your little one to take off on their own, it will turn into an independent tricycle.
It has a small canopy for protection from the sun and has a weight capacity of up to 50 pounds.
Best for Toddlers
Starting out as a simple push tricycle trike for younger toddlers, this clever design then allows you to take off the handle and set them free on their tricycle.
When that’s not quite enough, you can put the handle back on and merge the two back wheels together for an assisted balance bike experience.
The final step is when you take off the handle and let your little one balance on two wheels while they walk along and coast. This will get them ready for a big-kid bike and may even eliminate the need for training wheels if they master the balancing.
This trike is ideal for kids aged two years to five years old and has a weight capacity of 44 pounds.
The Upgrade
The comfy seat has a removable padded insert and three-point harness to keep the littlest passengers cozy and secure. And parents will appreciate the front-wheel pedal locking system, fold-down footrest and removable surround arm for little ones.
When your kiddo is ready for the next stage, they can pedal the trike while you assist, and then without any help at all when you remove the handle.
There is a cup holder and rear storage basket for convenience and a canopy with UVF 50. The weight limit on this trike is 44 pounds.
Best on a Budget
The Zoom starts as a push handle tricycle suitable for kids around 15 months and ends with a full tricycle that is ideal for three-year-olds.
There is a removable safety bar and a three-point harness to ensure that your little one stays safe and secure. The seat is adjustable to adapt to your growing kiddo, and it is able to support up to 37 pounds.
SmarTrike also makes the Breeze Tricycle. This trike features a safety bar that completely surrounds your kiddo and an adjustable three-point harness strap to ensure their security.
The patented shock absorber makes for a smoother and safer ride, while the storage bucket on the back of the trike provides a place to put snacks, sippy cups and more.
SmarTrike tricycles for toddlers are especially easy for parents to manipulate while they’re pushing from behind.
Most Classic
This deluxe steer trike was designed to be simple and functional, with an adjustable seat that can grow with your little one and a covered storage bin to bring along some toys.
The trike has a classic Radio Flyer look, with a removable push tricycle handle that allows parents to help out when their kiddo is still learning or gets tired easily, and remove when they’re ready to ride on their own.
This trike is ideal for kids aged two to four years old and has a weight limit of 49 pounds.
Highly Versatile
The handle can be adjusted to different heights so that mom or dad can be comfortable, and the removable safety bar and belt keep your little one secure.
Push tricycle also features a detachable canopy that would keep harmful UVA rays or rain off of your kiddo. And the wide, soft rubber rear wheels provide a smooth and quiet ride.
Your little one can pedal while you push, or the whole handle can be removed for a true tricycle experience. It can support up to 55 pounds, which is substantially more than many of the other options.
As a bonus, there is a ton of storage in the form of a large lower basket, various pockets, and even a “mommy” pack on the handle.
Final Thoughts & Our Top 2 Toddlers Tricycles Picks
For older babies, we like the Radio Flyer 4-in-1 Stroll n’ Trike and Costzon Baby Tricycle. For toddlers, the Yvolution Y Velo Flippa Toddler Trike to Balance Bike will probably last longer.
We hope this post has been helpful. If you know another family looking for a toddler tricycle, please share this post!