My children range in age from nine down to one, so finding something that interests them all can be quite the challenge. My goal for Christmas 2017 was to find something that everyone could do together *and* that got us out of the house. We already have a pretty fun backyard with playground equipment and sandboxes. What we don’t have is a lot of convenient space for outdoor play with bikes and scooters. Solution? Ride on toys. (In other news, I didn’t really want to ever be able to park my car in the garage but for the first time I could. Added bonus of this years’ present for me: the husband was so excited about cars for the kids he cleaned the whole thing out!)
We decided, this year, Christmas would come early so they could enjoy their big gifts right away. Next, came choosing. My boys are obsessed with tractors so the Kid Trax CAT Bulldozer was a no brainer. The girls were a little tougher but as soon as I found out the Kid Trax Land Rover had a working radio (it plays FM and has an iPod dock), I knew it would be a hit for my music loving girls.
Onto our mini Christmas: we made a big deal out of it just like normal Christmas- we just celebrated two months early. Christmas festivities, movies, and music. We even went to afternoon mass just like we do on Christmas Eve every year. The excitement mounted as we decorated a mini Step2 Christmas tree and got dressed up in Christmas jammies. The kids were properly hyper and refused to sleep. It was a perfect replica of our holiday celebrations. The best part was they only had one toy to focus on.
I don’t know about your kids but, here, Christmas is pretty overwhelming- too much stuff. I’m sure that will be the case this year too (we have some great toys stocked up- stay tuned for our post coming soon on the best toys for kids) but it certainly wasn’t for our mini Christmas. Also, it wasn’t chaotic or rushed. They got to enjoy the anticipation, unveiling, and playing with their new gifts. They didn’t have to race off anywhere other than up the street on their new rides. Speaking of which, let’s take a closer look.
The Land Rover. It features a 12 volt battery, room for two, working stereo, and two speeds, 2.5 and 5 miles per hour as well as a reverse speed of 2.5 mph. My favorite thing about this one is the traction. It can go from grass to sidewalk to street with no problem. It easily handles bumpy terrain and hills. My six year old little girl’s favorite thing about the truck? Hands down the tunes. She didn’t even want to find the communal iPod to listen to her own music (though I’m excited about that feature). Instead, she just turned up the FM radio already programmed to a local station and cruised like an adult. I have to admit here that I’m really afraid for ten years from now after watching her drive. She only ran into my van, the curb, her brother’s ride on, her sister’s ride on (to see a ride on option for older children, stay tuned), and my husband. She was unphased. I’m worried for my wallet (insurance premiums and the therapy to go with riding in the car with her, though her little brothers didn’t seem to mind the bumpy ride).
The CAT Bulldozer. This one is definitely the show stopper and everyone from the littlest to the biggest wanted to give it a go. With its working front loader and realistic steering (according to my husband at least since I’ve never driven a tractor- city girl all the way here but I’m working on it), the CAT offers hours of fun for everyone. At a 55 pound weight capacity even my biggest girl could enjoy it (she’s petite so she’s just barely pushing the limit). This one has a tamer 2.5 mph ride that’s good for the littler ones. The steering is a little tricky but great for the hand eye coordination (you have to push forward on one lever and pull back on another to turn- for those like me who had no idea tractors don’t have steering wheels). Though it’s taking a little practice, the three year old is getting the hang of it, the older girls are already pros, and the littlest one just wants to sit and pretend to be in the driver’s seat for once.
Note: After a week of play with this one, I think I would recommend it for a slightly older age range- maybe 5+. I love the design and the realistic steering is a fun idea but it’s hard for the littler ones. That said, they also have a 6 volt CAT design available that comes with a steering wheel. For now, my six year old is loving this and the boys will grow into it faster than I would like.
Christmas 2017 bring everyone together: goal complete. We even made it for a family “walk” er ride, all around the neighborhood with not one complaint about tired legs or request to return home. The kids are already plotting to drag us out again tomorrow. I see high mileage on these two vehicles in our future. Thanks Kid Trax for making our Christmas wishes come true!
Note about assembly: These toys are always a bit of work to assemble. That said, they came with most of the parts ready to snap together. One thing that is not normal for rideons, they came with the stickers already attached. Do you know how exciting that was for me (because with huge decals inevitably comes a crooked placement or massive bubbles)?! Though it took several hours for one person to put both cars together (at a leisurely pace while fielding calls for work), the mechanic (aka the husband) said the ride ons had very well thought out designs. Final word: plan in advance to allow for assembly time but don’t worry about missing parts or confusing instructions.
We are proud to be official Ambassadors for the Kid Trax Brand. They sent us both toys to test and photograph throughout the year. We already know that we will be making Trax in style with these rides. Though we were sent these items for review, all opinions are our own. We never guarantee a good review, thoughts and opinions are always honest and without bias. We are really excited for this new adventure and will keep you posted on how they wear as we put on the miles.
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These look awesome! I like the look of them so much better then the other ride ons I was looking at. Kid Trax are going on the shopping list!
Yes! They’re definitely very high quality ❤️❤️❤️ went together like a dream!
That’s a big bonus. I have no idea how many Christmas Eves where we have spent the whole night trying to assemble a toy! It’s so frustrating……
Yes we’ve been there too! It’s definitely frustrating!
This is so awesome! What a fun break away from the boring, traditional ride on toys. Thank you for sharing this and I look forward to checking these out myself.
You won’t be disappointed! They’re so much fun!!!
Those look like so much fun!
You guys are the cool house! Once my baby girl gets big enough i can’t wait to get her a car!
Yes! It’s so fun. I can’t wait to have a big ride on party over here..
Those look amazing! I think the two seater would be perfect for my children. I did not even know these things were out there. I need to consider these for Christmas!
Yes! It’s actually really amazing with the iPod dock and real radio!
I love this! What a great gift and perfect for multiple ages. I always love reading your blogs, they are honest and detailed – I appreciate that!
This is so fun!! My three year old would go NUTS over the bulldozer! What great early Christmas presents 🙂
Seriously this is a kid (and mama) dream! Kiddos out playing and having fun is a huge Mama win! I’m sure your kiddos will be enjoying their new toys immensely!
Looks like the kids are really enjoying their early Christmas. I was impressed at how well they could maneuver the ride ons.
They love them and it’s good practice for hand eye plus it encourages them to get outside which I’m always a fan of!
Oh wow! What a fabulous early Christmas! Those ride-on vehicles are incredible – either would be a massive hit in our home – have fun!!
Thanks! We are. The kids are asking for ride on time every day! So much better than iPad time imo!
Thanks for the review! Loved to hear about the reaction and how the ” digger” handled.
I’ve always wanted one of these… now I want one for my kids!
Come on down and play ❤️❤️❤️ we’ll have to talk!!
These ride-on toys are amazing. I would have been in heaven if I’d had these when I was a kid! And how lucky are your kids to have basically 2 christmases!
I know! They’re so spoiled haha.
OMG Jackson would love this! Thanks for the recommendation!
My kids would love these Trax vehicles! I really like the Land Rover one. Your kids are very lucky. Looks like they had an awesome early Christmas!
O my goodness we have been looking for something like the Cat Bulldozer for our son! Sounds awesome!!
Those look amazing! They looks like so much fun too! My daughter would love this too!!
Oh wow, the CAT bulldozer is amazing! They look like they all had a lot of fun!
They had so much fun! ❤️ I love that this is going to be fun for years to come too!
Oh how fun! We will definitely be adding a couple of these to our wish list as we are cutting down on quantity and really focusing on quality gifts this Christmas season!
Us too! Somehow the kids always ask for the toys with the tiny pieces though ???
Those are so great!! My daughter would LOVE that Land Rover…well, she would probably love the CAT truck too! I love toys that get the kids of out house and playing!
Xo
Katrina
My 6 year old girl is the best at driving the CAT go figure lol it has a real learning curve with the dual stick steering but she’s a pro.
I absolutely love this! I’m going to look into getting one for my nephews!
Oh boy my 4 year old walked by and saw the CAT one and now desperately wants one LOL. Very cool looking toy. Gonna show the hubby. It just may be in our houses future.
It’s so fun!!
It’s such a great idea to get something that you guys can together outside!
That is a pretty awesome toy. I like that it has more interactive features. Your kids must have been thrilled!
My kids would love that CAT toy. They love watching construction equipment but to actually own some would be so cool for them.
Yes! Though, the John Deere is still a coveted ride even with their own tractor- go figure haha.
Oh my son would love this, he has a red viper in the garage, and he hasn’t played with it very much, might be because Mommy always forgets to charge it.
Those look like a blast and what kid wouldn’t love one of these? We don’t have a yard, but I know Nana & Papa would make room for one of these! Love the pictures you captured, too.
These look like so much fun! My kids have something similar and they really think they know how to drive now. lol
Oh my goodness!! So fun! I’m glad you guys didn’t wait until Christmas for these gifts! They look like they are having so much fun! And I bet the mini-Christmas celebration will be something you all remember!
What a fun Christmas gift ideas for the kids! I have a lot of friends that are thinking about getting some sort of vehicle for their kids for Christmas this year. I really wasn’t sure but this post may have changed my mind. Something I definitely am going to look into now. Thx!
My son would love this! He’s obsessed with all kinds of cars and trucks.
You take the sweetest pictures! I can’t wait to have kids!
This is so crazy and stunning.. I am now just imagining going back to when I was a kid and riding on those amazing vehicles. They’re really every kid’s dream.. and even my dream till now (y)
These look like so much fun, my daughter is approaching that age and you just gave me ideas for a practical toy. thanks for sharing.
Wow that bulldozer looks SUPER AWESOME! I kind of love that it is geared for older kids because so many of the ride on cars are made for toddlers. And my toddler can’t handle it at all lol.
Oh my goodness! My little one would go absolutely crazy for that tractor! I love the idea of a mini Christmas, we just set up our tree and it has me wanting to celebrate already. Looks like your little ones are having a great time with their new presents!!
Those look amazing!! My girls would love them! And great idea to have a mini early Christmas!
Oh my goodness, that looks like so much fun!! WOW. And the mini Christmas idea… intriguing! 🙂
they are brilliant. my 7 year old would love them.
This is amazing!! My son would absolutely go crazy over this!
Even as a kid I wanted one of these and I still want one as an adult! I can’t wait for my littles to be a little bigger to enjoy this! Thanks for sharing at Confessions of Parenting #WanderingWednesday!
My boys would love this! i LOVE all the different styles you could get! They’re huge fans of dump trucks and excavators so I just know they would enjoy this!