How to Choose the Best Electric Scooter for Kids

Before you decide on a scooter based just on looks or price, you should consider these additional features:

What age can a child ride an electric scooter?

Electric scooters can get going pretty fast. So when is a child developmentally ready to safely ride an electric scooter? That answer will vary. While scooter brands offer age recommendations, only you know your child and what you think is safe for them.

Most kids electric scooters have a maximum speed of 10 mph. There are a few designed for older kids that max out at 15 mph. For younger or less coordinated kids, there are some that max out between 6 and 8 mph.

These “max” speeds are the only speed on an electric scooter. They do not have the ability to go slower. You’re either stopped, revving up to the max, or at the max.

That said, the maximum speed on a scooter changes based on riding scenario. Electric scooters tend to go much slower while going up an incline. Conversely, they can go a lot faster than their stated maxiumum MPH while going downhill. The speed also varies by brand. When testing 10 mph scooters against each other, they all went a different speed!

Be sure to choose a scooter with a maximum speed that you think is safe for your child’s age and ability, and also factor in any downhill riding they may be doing.

Getting Your Electric Scooter for Kids Started (Throttle Style)

How does your child start their electric scooter? There are two primary types of throttles – push button and grip twist. They are both exactly what they sound like.

Push buttons require a child to push down on a button to go. More advanced push buttons are more like a push dial (blue button above), where the child pushes a dial forward. Our kid testers found this style much more comfortable than simply pressing straight on a button (green button above).

Grip twist requires the child to twist and hold onto a handlebar grip. In the image above you can see the light gray twisting piece.

All throttles require continuous pressure on the button or grip twist to keep power going to the scooter. If a child removes their hand, the electric scooter will naturally slow down and stop over time.

Some scooters have an additional safety mechanism to get the scooter started. “Kick to start” requires a child to get the scooter moving to about 2 MPH before the motor kicks in. This prevents a sudden jolt upon starting, which can be quite jarring for a younger child.

Size – Foot Deck Space and Handlebar Height

Foot deck length and width

The size of a scooter’s foot deck has a huge effect on the comfort of the ride. Longer or wider foot decks provide more room for kids to place their feet as they ride. This becomes more of an issue as kids get older, so you’ll need to look for a scooter with a foot deck that will still be big enough a few years from now.

In our testing, our kid testers didn’t mind a more narrow deck if it was long enough for them to comfortably rest both feet. For example, they loved the Segway Ninebot (middle below). While not as wide as the Mongoose (top), its additional length offered plenty of foot space. The Razor, which is both narrow and shorter, was not preferred.

Are the handlebars adjustable?

The height of the scooter’s handlebars in relation to a child’s body is another important comfort factor. We’ve found that the best spot is usually at waist level, or within a few inches above or below.

While our testers really didn’t mind where the handlebars were within that range, an electric scooter with an adjustable-height handlebar does help you customize the fit for your child. That way you can adjust the height for maximum comfort as your child grows.

Take a look here at the Razor Power A2, which has height adjustable handlebars. They are shown at their lowest and highest points. (For reference, our kid tester is 4’8.)

Most motorized scooters for kids don’t have adjustable handlebars, so the manufacturer sets them at a height they feel is best for the average child. As an example, look at the Segway Ninebot E8 vs. E10. The slower E8, which is meant for younger kids, has lower handlebars.

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Maximum Ride Time

How long can an electric scooter run before the battery goes out? The kids electric scooters we tested had quite a range of maxiumum ride times. The shortest was just 4 miles, while most are about 40 minutes or about 6 miles. The longest was about 12 miles.

If you know your child will be commuting to school or play dates with their scooter, this is a pretty important feature to pay attention to. You don’t want them getting stuck somewhere! (This is also why you should consider getting an electric scooter that can be used as a kick scooter when the power runs out!)

But for our riders who were using the scooters for afternoon fun in the neighborhood, we rarely had an issue with the scooters running out of power before the kids got tired of playing with them. This was in large part because we taught them to be diligent about charging their scooters each night.

Can you ride the electric scooter when the battery runs out?

When kids electric scooters first came out, they were bulky and clunky and incredibly heavy. When the power ran out, it was cumbersome to get them home.

Luckily times have changed and many electric scooters can be used as a standard kick scooter if the battery dies. So while you still want to encourage your child to keep their scooter charged, they won’t be up a creek if the battery dies when they are away from home. They can simply get a little unanticipated exercise by using their leg power to get home. 🙂

Brakes – Foot or Hand?

Brakes on a kids electric scooters come in two main styles – a foot brake or a hand brake. The foot brake is engaged when a child uses their foot to push their weight down on the rear wheel fender. A hand brake works like a bike’s hand brake – by squeezing a hand lever.

While most electric scooters for kids have one or the other, a few of the higher-end scooters have both hand and foot brakes. Hand brakes tend to stop the scooter more quickly, while foot brakes can be used for a gradual slow down.

Can it Fold for Easy Storage and Transportation?

Many electric scooters for kids can fold down for more compact storage or transportation. If you have a garage and your scooter is only going to be used around home, this won’t matter much. But if you live in an apartment or need to transport the scooter in your car, this will definitely come in handy.

Wheel Material and Suspension

There are three primary types of wheels or tires (1) urethane, which is a type of plastic, (2) rubber air, and (3) solid rubber (non-air). In the image above, the first two are solid rubber, and the third is urethane. Sometimes the front and rear wheel are the same, while other electric scooters have different style wheels in the front and back.

Urethane are the cheapest wheels and require basically no maintenance. Because they are plastic, they don’t provide any real cushioning over cracks and obstacles. They also provide minimal traction in wet conditions and also tend to result in a bumpier ride.

Rubber pnuematic (air) wheels provide better traction than urethane wheels, and much better cushioning. They have the disadvantage of being able to go flat. The Razor E100 is the only kids electric scooter to even offer air tires anymore.

Solid rubber, non-air tires provide great traction and can’t go flat. While they don’t offer as much cushioning as air tires, they are generally better at dampening vibrations than urethane wheels. Most new scooters offer solid rubber tires because they have the most benefits and fewest drawbacks.

Higher-end kids electric scooters usually have rubber non-air tires and a suspension system to help smooth out the ride. You can see the spring dampening system on the front wheel of the Segway Ninebot here.