11 of the best trikes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers

"A push-along trike is a fun way to travel – particularly for babies who are not fans of the pushchair!" says 'Auntie K', otherwise known as parenting expert and consultant Kirsty Ketley. "And they can also help your toddler learn to pedal without needing to balance, which means they will be less frustrated. For preschoolers, a trike offers a real sense of independence."

And of course, anything that encourages your child to get outdoors and active gets the thumbs up from us!

We've tested dozens of children's trikes and, with the help of our child and parent testers, selected 10 of the very best in a range of prices, style and age suitability. For more bike recommendations, have a look at our balance bikes, pedal bikes and even helmets for safety.

Best trikes at a glance

• Best trike for added excitiment: Xootz – Bubble-Go Trike, £74.99
• Best trike to scooter converstion: Mini Micro 4in1 Trike Mini 2 Grow Light Up Scooter, £117.95
• Best multi-mode toddler to preschooler trike: Beehive Multifunctional 3 in 1 Trike, £96.99
• Best multi-mode baby to preschooler trike: Kinderkraft Spinstep 5-in-1 Tricycle, £139.90
• Best wooden trike: Steiff Tiny Tot Classic Trike/Bike, £99.90
• Best multi-mode preschooler trike: Globber Explorer Trike 4-in-1, £140
• Best balance trike: Trybike Steel Balance Trike, £144.95
• Best for eye-catching colour: Beehive Toys Ladybird Balance Bike, £39.99
• Best small and compact-sized trike: Tricycle MINIBI by Kinderkraft, £39
• Best budget toddler trike: Scuttlebug, £24.99
• Best multi-mode trike for comfort: TP Toys 4-in-1 Trike, £94.99

Which kind of trike is right for which age?

For babies: Trikes can be suitable for babies as young as 9 months old. There are models packed with special features, like a 5-point harness and footrests to keep your baby safely and comfortably in place. These trikes come with a large handle at the back, so you can push and steer your little one around as they take in the world from a sitting position (make sure the handle is height-adjustable and, if you're tall, that it adjusts high enough for you). Many of these models will then convert into variations on the conventional trike that your child can learn to ride as a balance trike or a pedal trike (or both) as they get older.

For toddlers: Don’t worry about trying to introduce moving pedals at this young age; instead, opt for simple, sit-on trikes, either without pedals or with lockable pedals, that your toddler can move by pushing (or, more likely, shuffling) along the ground with their feet as they hold onto the handles. It will take a while for children this age to understand and master steering but practice makes perfect, so encourage them to persevere and always be on hand to help out.

For 2 to 3 year olds – and older: Trikes with pedals are a great choice for preschoolers, who will now have the muscle strength to put these into action – and they will relish the independence as they whizz along. There are a number of very cool trikes marketed for older children but do bear in mind that kids over the age of 4 may be more interested in getting their first pedal bike and learning to cycle on 2 wheels.

If you’re not sure which steering/pedalling skills to teach your child when – or how to teach them – read our guide on how and when to teach your toddler to ride a trike. And whether they stick with trikes or move on to bikes, make sure they always wear a helmet.

Here's our pick of the best trikes for children

1. Xootz – Bubble-Go Trike, £74.99

– Best trike for added excitiment

Age suitability: 3+ | Seat height: Not specified | Weight: 5.8kg | Max child weight: 25kg | Batteries: 6 x AAA (not included) | Awards: Joint Gold, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023

A trike with added bubbles, the Xootz – Bubble-Go Trike is a fun and colourful first trike for little ones who would like a fun ride in style.

The trike has a front mounted battery-operated bubble machine, meaning children can leave a cloud of bubbles behind them as they go (500ml of bubble solution is included). It has a lightweight steel frame, and there are also foot pedals and puncture-proof EVA tyres, meaning it can be ridden in and out of the house. When it comes to comfort, there’s an adjustable seat and soft-grip handles.

The trike does need to be built but has easy clip assembly, and we found the process was simple and took around 10 minutes.

Our child tester Josh, 4 (pictured), said, “I am so excited to go on this trike and I just want to play the bubbles all the time. I love riding outside with all the bubbles coming out of the bike.”

His mum Hayley said, “This is a fantastic trike with a unique selling point with the bubbles. It's priced competitively compared to other trikes on the market.”

The Bubble-Go trike comes in pink or blue.

Pros: Bubbles add a unique fun element, competitively priced, smooth and easy to ride
Cons: Batteries aren't included

Available at: Amazon and Matalan

2. Mini Micro 4in1 Trike Mini 2 Grow Light Up Scooter, £117.95

– Best for converting from trike to scooter

Age suitability: 12 months to 6 years | Seat height: Not specified | Weight: 3.48kg | Max child weight: 20kg (in trike mode) | Batteries: 2 x AA (not included) | Awards: Gold, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2023

This innovative design is instantly recognisable as part of the Micro stable. What's new about the 4in1 Trike Mini is the potential to take your child through the tricycling stage seamlessly into scooting territory. As a trike, the ergonomic seat design will help younger children feel confident when you feel they're ready to shuffle themselves along without the parent handle. And as a scooter, it offers all the control and quality you expect from Micro. And then of course there's the light-up handlebar, which children will love.

Our child tester Felix, 3 (pictured), really took to the trike. His mum Sophie said, "he was a little nervous at first to ride it without the seat, but once he got the hand of it he was absolute flying! He kept asking to go on it every time we went out and was completely obsessed with the flashing wheels!"

Wing, mum to our other child tester Chloe, felt the trike scooter would offer good longevity, and said she could see siblings of different ages being able to share it and use it in different modes. She said initially she felt the price was on the high side, but after testing it with Chloe she thinks it represents really good value. "I bought 4 different trikes or scooters for my other child as she grew from 1 to 6 years old. As a parent, it's a great price to have everything all in one and in such good quality."

Pros: Versatile, good value for so many options, great build quality

Cons: Seat isn't adjustable

Available at: Micro and Baby and Child Store

3. Beehive Multifunctional 3 in 1 Trike, £96.99

– Great for multi-mode toddler to preschooler trike

Age suitability: 18 months to 5 years | Seat height: 34 cm | Weight: 7kg | Max child weight: 25kg |

This lightweight aluminium-framed push trike converts – without tools – into both a standard trike and a balance bike (the rear wheels can be pushed together to make a single wheel).

It has a detachable, adjustable-height parent handle (up to 95cm – maybe a little on the small side for tall parents), puncture-resistant EVA foam tyres, non-slip rubber handle grips and removable pedals. The pedals also lock, so they can double as footrests for your child if you're doing the pushing.

It had a lovely retro vibe and it rides and pushes very smoothly. It's a shame the seat height is not adjustable but we do like the circular support bar (pictured, right) that you can add to give your child an extra feeling of security when it's in push-trike mode. And it's handy that it folds down – with the click of a button – so you can stow it more easily in a car boot.

"Orla shouted 'I love it!' when we opened it," said Sian, mum of our child tester, Orla, 2 (pictured above). "She's previously had another trike that is more similar to a pushchair but this is more lightweight, so she can manoeuvre it more easily, which is great for her confidence and independence. I like how easy it is to change modes – we'll get a lot of use from this."

The Beehive Multifunctional 3 in 1 trike comes in blue and white or black and yellow.

Pros: Lightweight, 3 modes, tool-free mode conversion, adjustable and removable parent handle, removable pedals, lockable pedals, folds easily
Cons: Parent handle could be longer, seat height not adjustable, not suitable for babies

Available at: Beehive Toys and Amazon

4. Kinderkraft Spinstep 5-in-1 Tricycle, £139.90

– Best multi-mode baby to preschooler trike

Age suitability: 9 months to 5 years | Seat height: 50cm | Weight: 10kg | Max child weight: 25kg |

This steel-framed trike has 5 modes – from parent-facing push trike to outward-facing push trike to 3 variations of trike – and can be used with a child as young as 9 months.

It has a detachable adjustable-height (up to 108cm) parent handle, solid tyres and a 360 degree-swivel seat that you position as forward-facing or parent-facing, as well as adjusting to be further from the pedals as your child grows. There's an adjustable 3-point safety harness and detachable, front-opening bumper bar to use when your child is small, and a plethora of other top-notch features and accessories, including a detachable waterproof UPF50+ hood, foldable footrests, 2 baskets (1 for you, 1 for your child), a bag, a cup holder and a wind-up bell. It also folds – not truly small but enough to make a difference if you're loading up a car.

It's not very lightweight and it is pricey, but it has a quality feel and you get a lot of flexibility. You may also think it's worth paying a little more for the parent-facing stroller option, the toddler-friendly basket and bell. There's also the fact that, when you're using the parent handle mode, you can disconnect the drive of the front wheels from the pedals (so your child can pedal away but you're still in control of the speed).

"Eibhlin loves being pushed about in this and really enjoys dinging the bell and shouting beep beep!" said Laura, mum of our child tester Eibhlin, 1 (pictured above). "Her nearly 3-year-old brother has been enjoying riding it too, using the pedals."

The Kindercraft Spinstep 5-in1 tricycle comes in pink, grey or green.

Pros: 5 modes, tool-free mode conversion, adjustable and removable parent handle, adjustable seat, great accessories, folds easily, suitable for babies
Cons: Pricey, not lightweight

Available at: Kiddies Kingdom, Baby and Child Store and Baby Birds

5. Steiff Tiny Tot Classic Trike/Bike, £99.90

– Best wooden trike

Age suitability: 2+ | Seat height: 23cm to 30cm | Weight: 2.7kg | Max child weight: 20kg

This cute wooden pedal-free trike transforms (with the use of tools) into a balance bike as your child grows in confidence. It has solid rubber wheels and an adjustable-height seat with a removable plush saddle cover and a furry Steiff teddy bear head on either side of the frame.

It's very well made, beautiful to look at and it's sturdy, too – it's not really meant for outside play but our child testers all took it outdoors and it coped really well. We like the adjustable seat (although it doesn't go up as high as we'd like) and love that the seat cover – which can't possibly stay looking that plush and clean for long – is both removable and washable.

It doesn't have all the baby or toddler-friendly multiple modes and bells and whistles of other trikes in our selection but it is certainly a stylish, smooth ride.

"I like my trike," said our child tester Rory, 3 (pictured). "It goes fast and it turns into a bike and I can beat my granddad down the street on it. It's super fun and my favourite."

Pros: 2 modes, sturdy wooden frame, adjustable seat
Cons: Needs tools for mode conversion, doesn’t fold away, not suitable for babies or young toddlers, seat height limits upper age limit

Available at: Toy Street and Steiff

6. Globber Explorer Trike 4-in-1, £140

– Best multi-mode preschooler trike

Age suitability: 10 months to 5 years+ | Seat height: 31cm to 35cm | Weight: 7kg | Max child weight: 20kg | Awards: Bronze, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2022

The lightweight, aluminium-framed Globber Explorer cleverly converts from an infant trike into a guided trike, a training trike, and finally into balance bike mode as your toddler develops their riding skills and grows in confidence. It's quick and easy to build (less than 10 minutes) and no tools are needed to convert between modes. The trike is easily transformed by just pressing the buttons needed to make the adjustments.

The adjustable parent handle in guided trike mode is great for teaching your toddler how to steer and allows you to remain in control. Once their confidence has grown you can remove it and the trike will easily convert into training trike mode — allowing your little one to practise steering and develop their balance. Finally, change the two wheels into a double-width wheel to create a stylish balance bike. Impressively, you can also store the pedals in the rear of the saddle when they're not in use.

It tackles different terrains with ease and its 5-point safety harness with soft shoulder pads, safety bar, high-back seat and footrest means that your toddler will have a comfortable and entertaining ride. The detachable and adjustable anti-UV canopy is a great addition for the summer months, too.

The Globber Explorer Trike comes in lime green, mint green and pink.

"My son loves this trike," said Keeley, mum to our child tester Oliver, 1 (pictured). "He cannot reach the pedals yet, but I like that they can be removed so that he doesn’t get his feet caught as we move along. The footrest is an excellent feature to support this too. It is easy to manoeuvre using the handle, including moving up and down kerbs."

Pros: 4 modes, tool-free mode conversion, adjustable and removable parent handle, adjustable seat, suitable for babies, toddlers and older kids
Cons: Doesn't fold, pricey

Available at: Amazon and Argos

7. Trybike Steel Balance Trike, £144.95

– Best balance trike

Age suitability: 15 months to 6 years | Seat height: 30cm to 45cm | Weight: 6.3kg | Max child weight: 35kg

This vintage-style, steel-framed trike can be converted (with supplied tools) into a balance bike and features 12" spoked steel wheels (the front wheel is height-adjustable), extra wide pneumatic tyres, a very generously adjustable-height saddle and handlebars, built-in footrest and easy-grip handles.

It doesn't have pedals in trike mode, though: the idea is that your child pushes it along with their feet, just as they would in balance bike mode. Amy, mum to our child tester, Heidi, 3 (pictured) said: "I wasn't sure about this initially but it’s actually been great as a pedal-free trike."

It's very sturdy and strong and, as it's pretty low to the ground, even our youngest child testers found it easy to scramble on and off. We really like that the front wheel is height-adjustable as well as the seat and handlebars: this is a trike that should fit your child well for years.

We also rate the steel frame and vintage look – it gives it a nice, premium feel – but obviously this is a trike that isn't designed to fold. We found it straightforward, although not super-quick (allow a good 30 mins), to convert between modes. Comes in white, grey, blue, pink, green and red.

Pros: 2 modes, sturdy frame, adjustable seat, wheel and handlebar height, suitable for babies, toddlers and older kids
Cons: Pricey, doesn't fold, not lightweight, needs tools (included) and time for mode conversion

Available at: Samuel Johnson, Kidly and Kiddies Kingdom

8. Beehive Toys Ladybird Balance Bike, £39.99

– Best for eye-catching colour

Age suitability: 1 to 2 years | Seat height: 28cm | Weight: 2kg | Max child weight: 20kg | Awards: Silver, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2022

We love the wonderfully quirky, eye-catching design of the Beehive Toys Ladybird Balance Bike that's sure to make your toddler stand out. It takes just a few minutes to put together so your toddler will be out and about on their ladybird in no time.

It's not style over substance with this trike, either. Its sturdy, lightweight frame is made from high-quality PP plastic and provides stability and durability. It has a comfortable saddle, cushioned handlebars, a washable frame and fully enclosed safety wheels that prevent little fingers getting trapped. Also, with anti-skid EVA wheels that can tackle any floor type, your toddler will be ready for adventures on any terrain, both indoors and outdoors, as their confidence develops.

Donna, mum to our child tester Isaac, 2 (pictured), said: "My son loves this bike. It’s bright and attractive to little ones and the quality of the bike is excellent. My son has been able to ride over carpet, sand, patios and grass, and it really does glide over all surfaces."

It doesn't offer the longevity of some other trikes due to its non-adjustable seat and handlebars, but it's comfortable and easy for toddlers to use. We really rate its striking, bright design. The Beehive Toys balance bike comes in a giraffe and a zebra option too.

Pros: Lightweight, sturdy frame, minimal assembly, good value
Cons: Seat isn't adjustable, single mode, doesn't fold, not suitable for younger babies

Available at: Beehive Toy Factory

9. Tricycle MINIBI by Kinderkraft, £39.00

– Best small and compact-sized trike

Age suitability: 1 to 3 years | Seat height: 24cm to 27cm | Weight: 2.1kg | Max child weight: 15kg | Awards: Gold, MadeForMums Toy Awards 2022

This stylish, plastic toddler trike has wide EVA foam wheels, a padded adjustable seat unit and an incredibly lightweight design that means your toddler can easily carry it out and about with them.

Despite its small size and weight, its incredibly durable and robust. What's more, its wide, non-scratch wheels not only guarantee stability, but also allow it to be ridden easily outdoors on different surfaces. They also protect your flooring when the trike is ridden indoors!

We really like the unique design of this trike — its low, rounded frame means that it's not too challenging for your toddler to climb on and off, and the limited handlebar turning prevents sudden turns and tipping.

Its comfortable, adjustable seat allows it to grow with your child, and with a 10-year warranty you can count on its longevity. The Tricycle MINIBI comes in green, yellow and pink.

Anna, mum to child tester Iris, 1 (pictured), said: "This product is well made and of high quality, it is a robust and durable item, which is likely to stay in good condition. My daughter was really excited to see a trike which was the perfect height and scale for her size. This bike has been intuitively and carefully designed in order to allow a very young child to safely mount and ride it."

Pros: Lightweight, 2 modes, adjustable seat, minimal assembly
Cons: Not suitable for babies, doesn't fold

Available at: Kinderkraft and Pramworld

10. Scuttlebug, £24.99

– Best budget toddler trike

Age suitability: 1 to 3 years | Seat height: 25cm | Weight: 2.4kg | Max child weight: 20kg

This sweet, brilliant-value plastic 'foot-to-floor' toddler trike has front-wheel steering and is suitable for indoor and outdoor use. Like a 2-wheel balance bike, the absence of pedals means your child scoots rather than having to learn to pedal. This helps them to pick up the essentials of balancing and steering, without grappling with anything too complicated. It's single mode though, so no balance bike variations.

Price aside, the star feature of this trike is how quickly and easily it folds down – and how compactly. In 3 steps, you can fold your trike down into a lightweight package that'll fit into most pushchair storage baskets. What's more, when your Scuttlebug first arrives, there's almost no assembly to do.

Elaine, who's a member of our Top Testers Club, and mum to Willow, 3, said, "It’s really sturdy and solid but light enough to carry. It's great value and has been much loved over the 18 months or so that we’ve had it."

The Scuttlebug comes in 4 bug-themed colours: green grasshopper, a red beetle (pictured, above), pink butterfly and yellow bumble. You can also buy a Scuttlebug XL, a slightly larger version that's suitable for 1 to 4 years (pictured with our child tester Finley, above).

Pros: Brilliant value, lightweight, minimal assembly, folds very easily
Cons: Seat isn't adjustable, single mode, not suitable for young babies

Available at: Argos, Scuttlebug and Smyths Toys

11. TP Toys 4-in-1 Trike, £94.99

– Best multi-mode trike for comfort

Age suitability: 10 months to 3 years | Seat height: 31cm | Weight: 6.1kg | Max child weight: 23kg

This metal-framed 4-in-1 trike converts from stroller mode to push trike to training trike to independently pedalled trike. It has a luxurious padded seat that makes it a lovely ride for babies but it doesn't extend in age-range beyond 3 years.

It has a detachable adjustable-height parent handle and wide, shock-resistant wheels. That lovely padded seat has a 3-point safety harness and bumper bar. It also features easy-grip handles, a retractable sun hood, removable footrests, a drink holder and a storage basket. And there's a parental steering lock, which means you control the steering even if your child's pedalling until you feel they're ready to take over.

We like the drink holder for your child in the front but it's too small to take the more chunky toddler beakers. We also found the trike a little clunky to steer, and it doesn't fold.

"You feel like your child is really safe in this," said Lou, mum of our child tester Bonnie, 19 months (pictured). "The seat seems much comfier to sit in than other trikes we've tried. Bonnie's quite happy to sit in this trike for ages."

The TP Toys 4-in-1 trike comes in Dusky Pink and Midnight Blue.

Pros: Lightweight, 4 modes, super-comfy seat, adjustable and removable parent handle, tool-free mode conversion, suitable for babies
Cons: Seat isn't adjustable, doesn't fold

Available at: Argos, TP Toys and Pramworld

Read more:

• Best balance bikes
• Best scooters
• Best ride on for toddlers
• Best scooter and bike helmets for kids