MadeForMums Toy Awards 2024 Winners: Best ride-ons, bikes and scooters

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Best ride-on
Best convertible ride-on
Best electric ride-on
Best scooter
Best bike/balance bike

Best ride-on

A ride-on is the coolest way to get from A to B, allowing toddlers and preschoolers the independence to wheel around at their own pace.

From scooters to trikes, there’s a lot of choice out there – even rocking horses for indoor fun.

Our group of little testers, wheeled, scooted and sat on a number of different ride-on toys in a range of styles, to find out which came out top. Taking play potential, how long it could be used for, style (we’re talking serious kerb appeal) and value for money all into consideration, these are our award winners.

Gold: Razor RipRider Lightshow

Razor RipRider Lightshow MFM Toy Awards 24

My daughter said, 'this is my favourite thing ever ever ever!!' She really enjoyed the light up wheels, especially the two smaller back wheels, she thought they were secret just for her. She has asked everyday before and after school to put her helmet on and practice her ”skidding”. She absolutely loves the thrill of it! Equally her younger brother (aged 5) and older cousin (aged 8) have both tested it and feel just as strongly that it is their new favourite thing!
Megan, mum to child judge Phoebe, 7

Silver: Kinderkraft CUTIE

My daughter has really enjoyed the trike and likes using it in and outside the house. She grew confident in using it quickly and likes pushing it around with teddies or babies on, as well as riding it herself. Although not initially excited, once she had been on the trike and realised how to use it, she has been excited to use it since
Hannah, mum to child judge Mabel, 16 months old

Bronze: Play-Doh Pizza Delivery Scooter Playset

It's undeniably fun and engaging, especially for younger kids. Our 4 year old was fully absorbed in it for an entire weekend, showing no interest in other toys. The concept of making pizzas and delivering them on the scooter is original and exciting, keeping her entertained for hours.
Krisztina, mum to child judge Anna, 4

Editor's Choice: Norbert Rocking Donkey

Norbert Rocking Donkey, MFM Toy Awards 24

While our 14 month old is not able to verbalise her enjoyment of playing on Norbert it is clear to see. She frequently points to him to show that she wants to go on him. She smiles, giggles and makes other appreciative noises once she’s sat on his back. She loves stroking him and rocking back and forth. Our 3 year old has also thoroughly enjoyed playing on him too and has commented 'he’s so soft mummy.'
Tina, mum to child judge Sofia, 14 months

Best convertible ride-on

If you’re looking for a ride-on to last from toddler to child, a convertible design is your best bet.

These clever ride-ons can transform and adapt to suit your growing child, whether that’s as a push-along, parent-controlled trike to balance bike, or a scooter that grows with them.

We enlisted the help of a group of mini testers to sit, scoot and ride around ( as well as parents to help push!) to find out which ride-ons really impressed.

Generally offering good value for money thanks to their multiple uses, our testers looked at quality of build, how easy it was to switch between modes, the fun factor, and style, when rating these convertible ride-ons. Here are our worthy winners.

Joint Gold: Kinderkraft 4TRIKE

Hallie has enjoyed this toy a huge amount. She has played with it from start to finish and been smiling the entire time. The only tears came when she couldn’t stay on it to eat her dinner. She has enjoyed that it is light and she can use it independently for the most part. The wheels aren’t stiff at all and the handlebars are smooth so she can change direction without any issues and get to wherever she likes.
Lauryn, mum to child judge Hallie, 19 months

Joint Gold: Micro 4in1 Mini 2 Grow Scooter

Micro 4in1 Mini 2 Grow Scooter MFM Toy Awards 24

My 5 year old liked the flashing wheels and adaptability – the scooter was something both he and his little brother could enjoy. My toddler loved being pushed around on it as a fun alternative to his buggy. It was great for short walks, relatively easy to steer and pushed well even on gravel paths. I like the flexibility, robustness and longevity of the scooter.
Philippa, mum to child judges Dylan, 5 years, and Ezra, 2 years

Silver: Xtend Ride-on by smarTrike

Xtend Ride-on by smarTrike MFM Toy Awards 24

Having had 3 kids we have gone through many different trikes, scooters and bikes so I love the idea that this can be used from 12 months to 12 years. It felt really sturdy and well made so I would hope it could stand the test of time. Overall all three children enjoyed riding it, the light up wheels caught all the kids attention straight away so we all liked this feature.
Jessica, mum to child judges Teddy, 3, Toby, 6 and Amelia, 7

Editor's Choice: Micro Air Hopper 2

My daughter said her favourite part was 'the horse's face' it’s 'super cute,' she loved how bouncy and 'lovely and squishy' it was, along with how fast she could go down the drive and hallway. Eva has thoroughly enjoyed playing with the Micro Hopper, her favourite part is when the chassis is attached, being quite the dare devil, she has had a blast flying down our drive and on the dry days whizzing around the house on the hard floors, along with pushing some of her toys and dolls around on it too, who ”needed to try the ride”.
Kate, mum to child judge Eva, 3

Best electric ride-on

Electric ride-ons are the ultimate wow-factor gift. The dream ‘big’ birthday or Christmas present, guaranteed to result in massive grins and excitement, it’s an investment toy that doesn’t come cheap, so you want to make sure you get it right.

Our team of child testers assembled to try out a host of awesome electric ride-ons, making them the envy of all their friends.

From motorbikes and mini Land Rovers, to light-up unicorns, these big-ticket toys were tested for kid-appeal, comfort, battery life per charge, ease of assembly, and how often our testers returned to them for play. Price, of course, was a big consideration, so our parent testers also looked at value for money and whether they were worth the high price tags. Check out the winners below.

Gold: Xootz - Magical Unicorn Ride-On

Xootz - Magical Unicorn Ride-On MFM Toy Awards

I love Starlight, she is the best toy ever. It’s like riding a real unicorn and I can go on lots of adventures with her. I think she’s really pretty and love that her horn glows and lights up magical rainbow colours, and that I can brush and plait her hair. I also really like the secret box where I can hide my treasure from my borther Harri. I want to keep her forever. I love her so much.
Child judge Sofia, 6

Silver: Xootz - Land Rover Defender Electric Ride-On

Xootz - Land Rover Defender Electric Ride-On MFM Toy Awards 24

I love that it's sparkly, that it has a boot. I use the boot to put my food in. I like the sat nav, and that the mirrors move when I park so they don’t get injured. The doors open like a real car too. The seat is very comfy and the car has a beep horn to tell people I am coming. I would play with this again, I want to drive it to school everyday.
Child judge Jesse, 6

Bronze: Xootz Aprilla Ride On Bike

Xootz Aprilla Ride On Bike MFM Toy Awards 24

I had really good fun driving it and I love how real it looks. I really liked having the music on. It was a good speed for driving, I didn’t feel like it was going to zoom away from me. I would definitely play on it again.
Child judge Lucy, 9

Best scooter

Kids just love scooters and whether you’re after one for your preschooler or older child, there’s a lot of great options out there.

From 3-wheelers to 2-wheelers, scooters with flashy light-up wheels and those which fold (perfect for fitting in the boot or carrying home), our child testers have trialled them all to choose our award winners.

While our child testers’ parents took into consideration rideability, adjustability, steering, ease of assembly and value for money, our little testers were more concerned with how it looked and how fast they could go. Putting all of this together, these are the scooters which really impressed above all others.

Gold: Mini Micro Light Up & Glow Scooter

Mini Micro Light Up & Glow Scooter MFM Toy Awards 24

Cian absolutely loves his scooter. Although he is non-verbal in words due to his autism, the fact he grabs the scooter every time we walk out the door so it isn’t left behind shows us exactly how much he loves it. It has been incredible to increase his independence with the scooter and watch him master a new skill as well as just watching him be so happy each time he’s been on it. This item will be used without a doubt every single day in the house.
Gabrielle, mum to child judge Cian, 3

Silver: LIFERYDER "Infinity" Scooter

LIFERYDER "Infinity" Scooter MFM Toy Awards 24

I liked the patterns on the scooter as unicorns are my favourite and I love all the colours. I have enjoyed learning to ride a 2-wheeled scooter, and the big wheels really help me to scoot faster. It makes me feel like a big girl riding this scooter – it’s brilliant fun!
Child judge Áine, 6

Available from LIFERYDER (£140)

Bronze: MoVe Lilo & Stitch Light Up Folding In-line Scooter With LED Light Up Wheels

The light up wheels were a massive hit and made a dark dreary school drop off more exciting. On first opening the box my daughter was very excited to see the design and did enjoy showing it off. She said, 'I like the wheels, it's cool that they light up and makes scooting more fun.'
Sofia, mum to child judge Matilda, 6

Best bike/balance bike

There’s no better way to get your child used to 2 wheels than on a balance bike. Built specifically for little first-time riders, balance bikes are ideal for helping toddler and pre-schoolers focus on the basics – balancing and steering.

Our group of mini testers whizzed their way through a range of balance bikes, to help pick our award winners.

While they were mostly concerned with how the bike looked and whether it had any fun extras (light-up wheels always get the thumbs up), their parents rated the practicalities. They looked at how easy the balance bike was for a child to manoeuvre, how well the tyres performed, ease of assembly, safety features and, crucially, how well it built up their little rider’s confidence and skills. Here are this year’s winners.

Joint Gold: Kinderkraft 2WAY NEXT

Arthur loved the look of the bike, particularly its colours. He enjoyed riding about on it outside on the pavement for hours and has asked to play with it almost every day since we have got it. Arthur has enjoyed pretending its his ’motorbike’ and zooming up and down on it. He has enjoyed the balancing element and has not been afraid of falling over.
Ellie, mum to child judge Arthur, 2

Joint Gold: LIFERYDER "Vogue" Balance Bike

LIFERYDER "Vogue" Balance Bike MFM Toy Awards 24

I love it so much! I like to ride to Grandma’s house on my bike and I love to ding the bell, ‘ding ding!’ My bike makes me race so fast. I love my number plate like Daddy’s car.
Child judge Ottie, 3

Available from LIFERYDER (£99)

Silver: Squish 14'' Kids Balance Bike

My son is obsessed with his bike! He wants to ride it everywhere. He tells me several times a day 'I love my new bike.' His confidence with it is growing everyday. His older sister Luna who is 6 also keeps wanting to ride it around the house and she loves how easy it is to move the seat up and down.
Katie, mum to child judge Walter, 3

Bronze: ALLIS BABY LUMI Kids Balance Bike

ALLIS BABY LUMI Kids Balance Bike MFM Toy Awards 24

Watching my son play with the ALLIS Baby LUMI Kids Balance Bike is such a joy. He was initially very excited when he saw the bike, his eyes lighting up with curiosity and enthusiasm. However, as he started to ride, he seemed a bit unsure and lacked the confidence. With each attempt, though, you can see his determination growing. Hopefully, as he continues to use the bike, his confidence will build, and he’ll soon be zooming around with a big smile on his face, mastering his balance and coordination skills.
Francesca, mum to child judge Harry, 2

Editor's Choice: Bobbin Bikes Gingersnap 16'' Wheel

Bobbin Bikes Gingersnap 16'' Wheel MFM Toy Awards 24

The bike has great appeal through its attractive appearance and fun features. Fiona was particularly drawn to the wicker basket, which allows her favourite soft toys to join her on the ride and the charming little bell. My daughter is able to easily manoeuvre and position the bike without adult help. The quality of the bike appears very good. I am not fearful of the bike getting damaged or falling to pieces even with some ’heavy handed’ child play and occasional crashes!
Victoria, mum to child judge Fiona, 4

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Emily Longman WallDigital Content Producer

Emily is the Digital Content Producer at MadeForMums and creates editorial and video content across the brand. She also edits the weekly editorial newsletter, oversees our reviews process and loves creating our craft articles and videos. She specialises predominantly in car seats and pushchairs, and has yet to meet a buggy she couldn’t fold! With a 1st class degree in History, she always researches topics thoroughly to find the best recommendations for parents.