I always smile when I see a Little Tykes Wagon. So, coming across this The Little Tykes Endless Adventures Ride brought a grin to my face.  It reminds me of my yearly visit to my sister’s house.

My nephew received a Little Tykes Wagon on his 1st. birthday. Now he’s almost 16.  They STILL have that wagon! Yes, it’s now mostly used by brother-in-law to haul mulch or yard clippings or assorted bits of furniture.  But, the kids still pull it out from time to time too!

And these Little Tykes wagons last!  For YEARS, my sister’s children found some way to play with that wagon.  Whether it was racing each other down the driveway or tying boogies boards to the back of them so they could “surf” or seeing how many friends they could cram in to them, this toy never got old.

And now 15 years later – there’s still not a dent to be seen.

Of course this one is the Cadillac of  wagons.  The Little Tykes Endless Adventures Ride and Relax wagon has so many more features than my nephews does. It boasts flip up seats for back support, drink holders, seat belts and removable sides for safety and in case you need to haul something extra big (like some mulch) It’s a great alternative to the stroller too for when your baby just doesn’t want to be a baby anymore.

Seriously, every kid needs a wagon and this one is built to last.

Scooters have been around for ages and have never gone out of style, from the old wooden ones with the box on top, to the new Steel Razor Pro Model Scooter. My nephew tells me that’s the one to own!

The thing that is great about a scooter is that kids of all ages can ride them.  Just step up, grab the padded, adjustable handlebars and you’re “scooting”.  The teens will do tricks while the youngsters can just glide down the sidewalk with you while you’re walking the dog.

With its lightweight aluminum frame and folding capability, it’s hard to destroy and easy to transport to a friends house or your local skate park.  It’s amazing to me to see teenage boys not old enough to drive, zooming around the neighborhood, not yet tired of their wheels.

The little ones may want to use the handy brake located beneath the back tire, but really that’s what God gave you two feet for! You may need to replace the wheels depending on how much your child rides it, but the cost is minimal.  For the money, the Razor Scooter offers hours of outdoor fun and endless cries of “Mom, watch this!”

A prize winner – I can’t go into all of the different ones this Wheely Bug Walker has won. I like this walker because of a several things. First it’s a friendly, unisex character, sure to please just about any child. It’s also sturdy and not easy to tip over. And, the soft padding makes it easy on little bottoms.

There’s always the question of whether to go totally retro and get a wooden walker, but experience has shown that those walkers tend to tear up hardwood floors so are not good for inside use. On the other hand, all plastic ones tend to be less decorative and not as nice to have around the living room.

You may see a theme here in my posts – I like things to look nice to both children and adults.

So this little bug fits in the middle. The padded plastic seat is soft and easy to clean. So, it’s great for spills and accidents. The sturdy construction and wide base make it unlikely to tip over. All the benefits of plastic with a real world construction made just for little bodies.

If you and your child like  bugs and a walker you can hand down to your grandchildren, this Wheely Bug may just be the way to go.

Your teen isn’t quite ready for a car…or maybe you’re not ready for to stay up nights worrying. Buying a teen this year is an even bigger challenge. Besides the inevitable nail biting and wincing, spiraling insurance and gas prices make this a monetary challenge as well.

If your teen’s only traveling a short distance to get to school, a Vespa Gas Motor Scooter might just be a better choice. O.K. it doesn’t quite have the cachet of a car and it’s hard to squash 10 of one’s closest buddies on a scooter, this long established mode of transportation, popular in many major cities in Europe and is rapidly becoming the vehicle of choice for hip urbanites.

The easy-to-maintain, 4-stroke engine accelerates to 60 miles per hour, but scooters are restricted to city streets. The range is 100 miles to a tank of gas, making this a great economical choice.

Unlike their cousins, full fledged motorcycles, scooters are lighter and easier to maneuver with smaller wheels and a smaller engine. The rider’s feet rest on the floorboards rather than on foot pegs, and you’ll still need a helmet to ride one.

Your teen will have so much fun, you’ll want to try it too!

The easy pre-sport toddler days rapidly wane and your preschooler or kindergartener now wants to try everything. Soccer season melts into baseball season and summer sports are transcended by winter ones. Meanwhile an expensive pile of equipment grows in your storage room, garage or basement.

I’m often amazed by the amount of equipment required for each sport. Who knew shoes came in a variety of “sports”? Baseball shoes, soccer shoes, skateboard shoes…the list goes on.

When it comes to individual sports, especially those that require, not shoes but skates or boots, the price tag inches up and the lifespan of each seems but a nanosecond. So, I’ve tended toward the cheaper or rental version whenever possible.

Since I’m an eager participant in several of these, fun but expensive, sports, skiing and ice skating, and my son is too, I’ve taken him straight to the rental counter each time we go. Unfortunately, he is less than enthused by my real passion, rollerblading.

Worse yet, renting rollerblades for him isn’t really an option since my preferred path is around our neighborhood. And buying a new pair each year for an unenthusiastic participant seems somewhat wasteful.

So, I’ve invested in a pair of adjustable skates. While they don’t provide the best fit, they do the trick and save me money in the long run. These unisex adjustable skates are great starter skates and are handy to have around for small visitors if your child really gets into skating and wants his or her own pair. These Kid Meteor adjustable skates are a little less “clunky” and feature the “cool” look boys covet.

I’m a firm believer that a wagon is a required accessory when one has children- mostly because it is virtually impossible to go anywhere with kids without a load of accessories. Diaper bags, snacks, water, baby wipes, sports equipment, blankets and, of course a change of clothes; all seem to be required at one time or another. And…as the kids get older and the family gets bigger…carrying them around no longer seems to be a viable option. That’s where a wagon comes in handy.

With gas prices so high, I’m also looking for more places where we can walk, further and further distances. This is, of course, great for mommy exercise too. Yes, the stroller will do in a pinch but a wagon is just so versatile, especially as kids get older. My husband has found our wagon quite useful too, for carrying groceries, gardening accessories and firewood. I don’t know what we would do without it.

Since I’m a sucker for old fashioned styling and quality materials I’m willing to pay a little more. So, these Radio Flyer wagons I think are perfect. I like the sturdy construction and the real wood and metal. It just makes me remember when I was a kid.