The Best Kids’ Scooters for Every Age

Micro Mini is an editor fave that gets rave reviews online, too. To steer, a kid just leans left or right, which is easy and intuitive and helps teach balance. The wheels light up, which delights the little ones. It’s a sturdy three-wheeler weighing just over 4 pounds, so if you, the parent, get stuck carrying it, it’s not a burden. It’s got a rear brake and is designed for ages 2 to 5 but can hold up to 110 pounds, so it’s extra durable. If your beginner scooter is older, the Micro Maxi is a three-wheeler for ages 5 to 12.

Radio Flyer’s beginner three-wheeled scooter got an upgrade from the less expensive model that has a steering handle. This new one is lean-to-steer, but still has a nice, wide board to give your kid plenty of room for both feet. That’s especially welcome if you’ve got a child who decides they want you to pull them along while they stand on this. The wheels light up, there’s a rear brake, and it holds up to 44 pounds. It's for ages 2 to 5.

Vintage-inspired design makes the three-wheeled Banwood kick scooter the most beautiful we’ve seen, and the woven basket at the front is adorable! There’s a touch of wood in the base, which also has a grippy material for kids to stand on, and there’s a rear brake. Kids steer by leaning. It’s for ages 3 to 6 and can hold up to 110 pounds.

Huffy’s scooter is a metal two-wheeler, made for ages 5 and up and featuring favorite characters like the Disney Princesses or Spider-Man. LED lights (powered by batteries, which are included) light up all along the board and the steering handle as a child scoots. The board has a grippy material, and there’s a step-on brake at the back. It’s heavier than others, at 7 pounds, but can hold up to 220 pounds and also folds in half.

The Mongoose Expo is a bigger scooter, with two 12-inch, bike-like tires at the front and back. The handlebar even looks like a bike, making this almost a BMX/scooter hybrid with an exceptionally smooth roll (even over bumps and cracks). Like a bike, the squeeze brakes are in the handlebar. Those inflatable tires and the big alloy steel frame have this weighing 18 pounds, so you don’t want to be stuck carrying it — luckily that's not a problem, as kids don’t often want to step off! The Expo holds up to 175 pounds, and we like it especially for ages 6 to 9. Read our full review for more.

When my kids were about 8 they graduated to Razor scooters, which are lightweight (4.6 pounds), zippy, metal two-wheelers that steer with a traditional handlebar. The design (and the price!) hasn’t changed much in years, and the Razor A gets rave reviews. Although the brand marks it for ages 5 and up, I like it for older elementary kids, tweens, and teens who can make use of the minimalist design to fold it and store it in a locker. It holds up to 143 pounds, has a rear brake, and comes in a half-dozen colors.

Segway’s new electric scooter comes with a power assist, which tops out just before 10 mph. (That’s slower than city e-scooters that adults rent, which travel more like 15 to 25 mph.) The Ninebot is for ages 6 to 14, and we feel it’s a great teen and tween choice. The electric charge lasts less than 7 miles, so it’s not for long outings (or, at least, your kid will have to accept doing much of the powering themselves if they’re going far). This holds up to 110 pounds and, due to the motor, weighs almost 23 pounds. The squeeze brakes are in the adjustable handlebar.