I posted this in toys, but only got one answer so far, so this is a repost so maybe more parents will see it.
My boys have a Wild Thing, and a VW bug….both of these can only hold one and the buy is not only really unattractive (it was second hand), but it’s battery doesn’t keep a charge very long, and it’s really hard to turn. Both of these only hold one kid (I have 2 boys very close in age) and both can only go on a smooth surface (concrete). So I was thinking about buying a Jeep, Truck, Gator etc. something that can go on the yard, it just scares me to let them only be able to play with these things on the front driveway/sidewalk. My question is, are they worth the money? I haven’t been able to find one through Craigslist or at a garage sale, so I’m thinking now my only option is going to be just to buy one at the store, and pay full price for it. Buying a toy that is nearly 300 seems like a pretty big decision, so I’m trying to find out as much about these as I can before I buy one. Do you recommend them? Are do they hold up well? What age do they outgrow them? We have no swing set/play equipment in the backyard, just a kiddie pool, and a sand box, so there’s a lot of room. Essentially are these worth the money? Also, any other place/store I could get one cheaper (I’ve also been to a few flea markets, which is where I got the Wild Thing).
My kids each have a trike (their own) and we (my husband and I) have very nice bikes and we all go for bike rides in the evening, so I know they’re getting their exercise (they’re very active), I’m just looking for something for the backyard where the trikes don’t work. However, I’ve heard of Big Wheels (from the 60’s I guess), does anyone know if they will work on the grass/uneven ground of the backyard?
Nina, didi you pay full price for all those? Or were you able to find them at a discount place or secondhand?
April 3, 2010 at 10:11 am
No, get bikes for the whole family.
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April 3, 2010 at 11:04 am
They are WELL worth it in my opinion!!! My boys LOVE them! My 4 year old has a (Diego) Jeep and a 4-wheeler and my 12 month old has a small 4-wheeler. They have a blast riding them.
Oh, and for the record…. they also have bikes, skates, games, riding toys that require them to use their legs, etc…. and aren’t even close to being overweight; they are very active little boys.
ETA: Why are so many people against having FUN anyhow? Geez!!!
ETA again: I did buy the Jeep new for my oldest sons 2nd birthday. The 4-wheelers were Christmas and Birthday gifts from nana & papa. I would definitly keep trying Craigslist.
I do think they are worth the money though. Any “toy” that can be used for 3+ years is worth it in my opinion…. especially when you have more than one child who can use it later.
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April 3, 2010 at 11:26 am
my daughter has a Dora jeep and she loves it, it holds 2 kids and the battery last a long time.
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April 3, 2010 at 12:22 pm
my daughter has a dora ATV and my son has a regular ATV. they both love them, but i would never have paid full price for them. I ended up getting the store display models, and both of them together cost about $70 (canadian) because of this. it was a great deal. But they dont play with them everyday, so paying full price would have not been worth it for us.
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April 3, 2010 at 12:30 pm
I bought my son a Gator power-wheel at a yard sale for $20. He can only ride it in the driveway. If he tries to go in the yard, he gets stuck. He absolutely loves it though. And we have a LONG gravel drive with plenty of room for him to ride.
If I remember right, Big Wheels will only go on concrete. I had one at my Grandma’s when I was little.
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