Choosing the Best Ride on Toys for 1 Year Old: What to Look For

It’s hard to buy the best ride on toys for 1 year old because all of them seem amazing. And many of them truly are incredible and affordable. Therefore, you need to understand exactly what you need in order to choose a toy that would make your little one happy for a long time. You also need to learn how to see the strengths and weaknesses of every model so you can evaluate them fast.

This review of the top seven push and motorized ride on toys for 1-year-olds will help you learn all you need about these devices.

7 of the Best Ride on Toys for 1 Year Old You Can Buy Today

#Product NameKey FeaturesTypes of RidesCurrent Price
1Little Tikes Go and Grow Lil’ Rollin’ Giraffe Ride-On
Extra-stability due to a wide front wheel base and large back wheel
For use indoors and outdoors
Adjustable seat for extended use
Steering capability
Decals for decoration included
Wheel guard for the back wheel
Fit for kids under 50 lbs
Foot-to-floor ride type
2Little Tikes Push and Ride Racer
Equipped with a high back and handles to help the child stay steady
For use indoors and outdoors
Easy to clean
For children up to 50 lbs
Can fit a stuffed toy for the ride
Foot-to-floor ride type

Can be used as a push toy or a walker by the child

3Mickey and Friends Activity Pinball Ride On
Plays a variety of music and sounds
Has blinking signal lights and emits the sound of revving engine
Powered by 2 AA batteries
Equipped with a removable telephone toy
Has a horn
Liftable seat with storage inside
Rear bumper for stability
Foot-to-floor ride type

Can be used as a push toy or a walker by the child

Can be pushed along by an adult

4John Deere Sit N Scoot Activity Tractor
Scoot along and push along design
Can be pushed by an adult using removable walk-behind-bar
Includes 4 farm animal toys and an educational playset area under a flip-away seat
Plays “Old McDonald” and animal sound
Has 3 volume settings
Runs on 3 AAA batteries
Foot-to-floor ride type

Can be used as a push toy or a walker by the child

Can be pushed along by an adult

5Little Tikes Cozy Coupe Car
Removable floor piece and handle to let parents push the Coupe
Classic design
Clicking and moving ignition switch
Gas Cap that opens and closes
Space for storing water, toys, or snacks in the back
Has a high seat back
Front wheels turning 360 degrees
Foot-to-floor ride type

Can be pushed along by an adult

6YGJT Baby Balance Bike
Sturdy balance bike with a carbon steel frame and EVA seats and handles
Recommended for age 10-24 months
Eco-friendly and CPSC certified
Very easy to assemble
135-degrees steering limit
Anti-skid silent wheels
Foot-to-floor ride type
7Best Ride On Cars 4 in 1 Mercedes Push Car
Stylish design with LED lights on tires, front, and tail-lights
Music and horn option with a USB connection to download melodies from your phone
Attachable rear handle for pushing
Battery-powered motor
Can be pushed along by an adult

Little Tikes Go and Grow Lil’ Rollin’ Giraffe Ride-On

Simple, affordable, and fun, this is the best way to describe the Go and Grow Lil’ Rollin’ Giraffe from Little Tykes, which will grow with your baby.

Little Tikes is a name renowned in the industry. Therefore, if you are looking for the best ride on toys for 1 year old boy or girl, this cure Giraffe model is a great choice. You can be sure of the quality of the piece, and the manufacturer also makes it rather affordable. The toy requires assembly, but it’s very simple. You even get to decorate the giraffe yourself with included decals. The adjustable seat means your kid would be able to use the toy longer.

The main benefits of this ride on toy are stability and sheer cuteness. Any kid is sure to love the funny giraffe and large front wheel base, along with an oversized rear wheel, ensure the construction is very stable. Back wheel guard further enhances the safety of your baby. Another great advantage is that this model allows steering. This is unusual for not motorized ride on toys for 1-year-olds.

The overwhelming majority of reviewers say this is an excellent toy that kids adore. Kathryn Stringfellow says her little one wants to play with it constantly. AAR, who bought it as a Birthday gift to a friend’s daughter, commends how this toy is not noisy and very safe. Some parents complain that the model is too small for their toddlers, but that’s unavoidable as no kids are completely the same.

Pros:

Large back wheel
Wide front wheel base
Steering ability
Cute design
Quiet

Cons:

Steering range is limited
Can be too low for bigger toddlers

Little Tikes Push and Ride Racer

This lovely Push and Ride Racer by Little Tikes is great for riding and playing as it allows you little one to give their favorite stuffed toys a ride.

When choosing the best ride on toys for 1 year old you are looking for quality, safety, and design that a kid would love. The Push and Ride Racer has it all. It’s sturdy and has handles and a high back to keep the kid steady. You can also fit a stuffed toy into that back to let your baby ride with their little friend. The back is also a toddler-sized handle, which the child can use for pushing the toy around. This way, they’ll be able to ensure all their stuffed toys get a ride.

The seat is low to be a perfect fit for toddlers who want to push themselves and ride around the place on the Racer. Note that the piece requires assembly, but you won’t need any special skills or tools.

The vast majority of reviews for this model are positive. Gramja, whose grandchild uses it, says the ride-on toy is sturdy and that kids love it. Another reviewer, East Coast, says they’ve been using Little Tikes toys for kids and grandkids and are very happy with the quality. Many parents complain that assembly is difficult. But you just need to follow Gramja’s advice and lay out and label the parts before assembling.

Pros:

Can be pushed by the toddler as another form of play
High back for stability
Fits a stuffed toy during a ride

Cons:

Tricky assembly
Can be a bit slippy

Mickey and Friends Activity Pinball Riding On Car

This Mickey and Friends Ride On is one of the best battery-powered ride on toys for 1 year old that has many fun features and plays music.

If you believe that the best ride on toys for 1 year old girl or boy must play music of all kinds, this model is for you. It’s a moving media center with lights and sounds that range from Mickey speaking to a revving engine. Push the ignition key or pull the gear shift and you’ll hear the engine. Press multi-colored buttons on the dashboards and you’ll get a new sound and lights combo with each.

The steering wheel turns in various directions and there’s a handle to help the child remain stable or push the toy around. The rear bumper ads stability and prevents the ride on from flipping backward. There’s also a removable toy phone if your kid wants to call Mickey. And the trunk under the seat fits lots of toys.

This is one of the most popular battery-powered ride on toys for 1-year-olds, loved by parents and kids. Disneygirl says her son loves it so much, he’s still playing with it now that he’s 4. Another reviewer simply says it’s the best toy they’ve ever bought. But note that many parents dislike the sounds. You can deal with that by removing the batteries.

Pros:

Very entertaining with music and lights
Powered by simple AA batteries
Has multiple fun features
Has “trunk” for toys

Cons:

Can be noisy

John Deere Sit N Scoot Activity Tractor

John Deere Sit ‘N Scoot Activity Tractor is the best ride on toy for a little farmer or any kid whom you want to raise with love for nature and animals.

The lovely John Deere Tractor is, no doubt, among the best ride on toys for 1 year old you can find. Includes 4 farm animal toys and plays “Old McDonald”. Flip away the seat and you’ll see an educational playset area that can help teach kids about the farm. When animals are pressed into their boxes, the toy emits animal sounds.

The feature that makes this one of the best battery-powered ride on toys for 1 year old is the volume control. You can switch it to Normal/Low/Off. There’s a detachable walk-behind bar parents can use to push the toy. This Tractor runs on 3 AAA batteries (included).

Moms and kids both love this Tractor, even if it’s not one of the few motorized ride on toys for 1-year-olds. DanielleR says her son has been playing with it for six months straight and still loves it. SR adds that it’s perfect for helping a kid to learn how to walk because it’s very sturdy and won’t flip in any direction. One downside is that getting animals in the hole in the playset area is tricky and you need to put them just right to get the correct animal sound. On the other hand, this helps kids develop motor skills.

Pros:

Sturdy and stable
Plays Old McDonald
Has a farm playset area under the seat
4 animal figures included
Controllable volume

Cons:

Tricky to fit animal in the hole

Little Tikes Сozy Coupe Car Baby ride on toys

The Cozy Coupe is a new take on the Little Tikes’ classic and it’s cuter and even more convenient for parents and kids today.

The Cozy Couple is one of the best ride on toys for 1 year old of all times. The classic design has been upgraded with this model and the Coupe now has a fun smiley face. It also features a removable floor piece and handle. This means you can take your kid for a ride in it and even use the ride on instead of a stroller. There’s a space for storing drinks and snacks or toys in the back.

This isn’t one of the motorized ride on toys, but it can run on foot-to-floor power with the floor piece removed. The maximum weight capacity for the Coupe is 50 lbs. Note that kids bigger than 1-year-olds easily fit in the “car”. Front wheels turn 360-degrees for easy maneuverability. The ignition and gas cap are interactive.

The Cozy Coupe is loved by parents and children equally due to quality and design. Joshua Darwin says his kid loves it and prefers it to a stroller. Hundreds of other reviewers agree that the ride on is amazing. But many complain about difficult assembly. To solve this problem, watch a how-to video on YouTube.

Pros:

pack n play sleeperClassic design
Wheels that turn 360-degrees
Sturdy and high quality
Storage space in the back
Removable floor

Cons:

Hard to put together

YGJT Baby Balance Bike

The Baby Balance Bicycle by YGJT is among the best ride on toys for 1-year old boy or girl who needs to improve balance and coordination as well as develop confidence for riding a bike.

Your toddler might not be prepared for riding an actual bike with pedals. But with this model from YGJT they’ll build up to the real thing fast. This ride on is a very close imitation of a real bicycle and it’ll help the child to develop the most important skills needed to ride, which are balance and strength.

The sturdy carbon steel frame is very durable, and EVA seat is comfy. The steering is limited to 135 degrees to prevent the baby from overbalancing and falling. Parents can assemble the balancing bike in minutes.

The vast majority of users absolutely love this balancing bike. Vivek D commends the design, which helped her child with balance greatly. Another parent, tntnaps1, also says the quality is high and also that the seat is big, which helps the child not to fall off. There are some complaints about the size as some children outgrow the bike earlier than 24 months. However, as every child is unique, there can be no uniform bicycle frame to fit all.

Pros:

pack n play sleeperSturdy carbon steel frame
Full-size EVA seat
High-quality tires

Cons:

Can be too small for fast-growing or bigger toddlers

Best Ride On Cars 4 in 1 Mercedes Push Car

This model is for parents looking for motorized ride on toys for 1 year old and want their kid to have fun riding a stylish “car”.

This “Mercedes” model looks cool and rides even cooler. Your toddler is sure to love it as long as they fit. Note that while this is definitely one of the best ride on toys for 1 year old boy or girl, it’s also on the smaller side. This means that if your toddler is a bit too big for their age, the vehicle might be too small.

But if they do fit, they are sure to have fun. It’s a battery-powered toy and you can charge it fast. It has a USB port to connect your phone and download music. The ride on is easy to push and your baby will be secure inside due to the side handles.

This model is a favorite of many families. BLF310 says it’s fantastic for her girl and very cute. Yvonne Carver also says her grandson loves playing with it and she’s very satisfied now that she figured out how to charge it. There are complaints about size, so be sure to check if the dimensions fit. Also, pre-loaded music is said to be awful, but you can change it easily.

Pros:

pack n play sleeperStylish looking
Cool lights
Battery-powered and rechargeable
USB port for downloading music

Cons:

Nursery rhymes are bad
On the smaller side

Buying the Best Ride On Toys for 1 Year Old: 5 Most Important Considerations

  1. Safety of the Child

    The most important consideration when choosing any toy is always its safety for the baby. Ride on toys are a risk because they might turn over or fall and your toddler might get seriously injured. Therefore, you should always check the device for stability. Top manufacturers offer additional features that increase the stability of the vehicle and reduce the risk of falls.

  2. Power Source

    Are you looking for push or motorized ride on toys for 1-year-olds? The answer will narrow down your search. The first type is more abundant and models are very versatile. If you want a battery-powered motor, be sure to buy top-quality as it should be safer.

  3. Size

    The best ride on toys for 1 year old girl or boy vary greatly, so you must always check the exact dimensions of the device. And check the fit as soon as it arrives so you can return it if necessary.

  4. Design

    Do you want a bicycle or a tractor? Ride on toys for toddlers come in many shapes, so decide what kind you want to help you narrow down your choices.

  5. Extras

    Many ride on toys have extra features, like lights, music center, and even educational built-in toys. But remember that usually, more features means a more expensive item.

In Conclusion: How to Buy the Best Ride On Toys for 1 Year Old

When shopping for the best ride on toys for 1 year old, you should decide exactly what you want in advance. Think of whether you’d like your child to have a bicycle or a car, how many extras do you want in it and whether you want it to be motorized. Then, consider your budget and do some research. This will help you understand what you can realistically afford in every category. Finally, choose the highest quality item you can buy, because your child’s safety will often depend on how sturdy, stable, and durable it is.