Author Topic: Kiddie Clown Cars  (Read 8224 times)

FreeWheel

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Kiddie Clown Cars
« on: October 12, 2014, 09:40:54 PM »
They’re semi popular in our neighborhood… you’ve likely seen ‘em too. Mini motorized cars for tiny tots to drive around in!

REALLY?
 
No matter how many times I see some tot operating one of these toys, I can't help but wonder the thought process the parents went through to come to the conclusion that their child, who only recently learned how to walk, should now be using a motor to move around while playing.

Hey, I remember well what it was like being a kid. Playing with, and especially DRIVING toy vehicles was darn near the top of our "most funnest things to do" list. But back then any drivable vehicle required us to scoot or pedal it for power, so we got the much needed exercise that is important for keeping bodies healthy and strong. And we LOVED it!

And guess what? Human powered kiddie vehicles are still available today. For less than units with unnecessary motors and batteries. And they're still fun fun fun!

austin

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2014, 10:09:39 PM »
There's a ~10yr old or so kid in my wife's old neighborhood that has a motorized standing scooter. Make that kid get some exercise.

flamingo25

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2014, 10:35:55 PM »
I used to babysit some kids who had one of these. It made me very nervous as they were always flying over potholes while trying to shove each other out of the car. Not fun!

shitzmagee

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2014, 05:39:39 AM »
We just finished fighting off the urge to get on of these for our 2 y/o. We opted for a much cheaper, foot-powered tricycle instead. I'm glad we did!

hdatontodo

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2014, 08:04:15 AM »
A friend gave us their old Peg Perego John Deere that worked for 6 months. It sat in the garage until I figured out it needed a battery. I also added an external Battery Tender cable so it could sit on a trickle charger. Cost $75. Kid used it more, but, he is tall for 6 and outgrew it. We just sold it for $75.

gt7152b

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2014, 01:13:26 PM »
I had to fight against the power wheels and electric scooters many times with my wife but always prevailed. Then my dad went and bought my kids an electric scooter for Christmas last year. Thankfully they prefer to ride bikes most of the time. Smart kids.

FreeWheel

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2014, 02:18:14 PM »
Is it more mustachian if the toy car in question is a hand-me-down? My parents (who are frugal in some ways and it-would-be-funny-if-it-weren't-so-sad overconsumers in many others) bought me and my siblings a motorized toy Jeep in 1990. We played with it, it was passed around to a few cousins, and now my son plays with it.

I'd never buy it, but I don't have a problem with it as a special "Only at Grandpa's" toy.

Well, it's certainly much better than the ones that end up on the curb on trash day after only a few years.

austin

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #7 on: October 13, 2014, 04:44:04 PM »
Is it more mustachian if the toy car in question is a hand-me-down? My parents (who are frugal in some ways and it-would-be-funny-if-it-weren't-so-sad overconsumers in many others) bought me and my siblings a motorized toy Jeep in 1990. We played with it, it was passed around to a few cousins, and now my son plays with it.

I'd never buy it, but I don't have a problem with it as a special "Only at Grandpa's" toy.

Not really, the fuel, maintenance, and insurance payments are going to keep costing you as long as you have it.

guitar_stitch

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2014, 01:02:05 PM »
Is it more mustachian if the toy car in question is a hand-me-down? My parents (who are frugal in some ways and it-would-be-funny-if-it-weren't-so-sad overconsumers in many others) bought me and my siblings a motorized toy Jeep in 1990. We played with it, it was passed around to a few cousins, and now my son plays with it.

I'd never buy it, but I don't have a problem with it as a special "Only at Grandpa's" toy.

Not really, the fuel, maintenance, and insurance payments are going to keep costing you as long as you have it.

Fuel and insurance on a battery powered Jeep replica?

zinnie

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2014, 01:07:38 PM »
Oh my goodness, I almost posted about this the other day. A toddler and her father came by my house and the kid was in a, wait for it: BMW SUV toy car. The kid wasn't even that in to it, but dad kept trying to get her to go faster and get more excited about it. It was clearly something daddy wanted more than daughter.

gimp

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2014, 02:04:55 PM »
I'm gonna build one of these for my nephew. Maybe make it look like a tank. The best part is that it'll have a remote control for the parents, which needs to be present for the car to work, that can override the steering. Haters gonna hate.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2014, 03:01:06 PM »
I'm gonna build one of these for my nephew. Maybe make it look like a tank. The best part is that it'll have a remote control for the parents, which needs to be present for the car to work, that can override the steering. Haters gonna hate.
Bonus points if you put real steel treads on it and use it to run over the expensive-but-cheaply-built plastic ones the neighbors' kids drive!

ruthiegirl

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2014, 03:10:52 PM »
Oh, my kids love these things. We have never owned one, but have played with many and the kids have an outrageously good time on them. 

Buy one?  No way.
Play with the neighbor's kiddie car?  You betcha. 

gimp

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #13 on: October 14, 2014, 04:19:39 PM »
Bonus points if you put real steel treads on it and use it to run over the expensive-but-cheaply-built plastic ones the neighbors' kids drive!

I thought about using aluminum eighth inch plate. That's still a bit heavy but it might be doable.

eyePod

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #14 on: October 15, 2014, 09:50:02 AM »
I was close to buying one for $50 at a yard sale because my wife wanted me to get it for our daughter. But she's a maniac on her push cars (daughter, not wife) and we live in a townhome. Why do we actually need it? We didn't buy it and have completely forgotten it!

Dicey

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2014, 10:04:39 AM »
It was clearly something daddy wanted more than daughter.
Very true, but are we all so old we don't remember how desperately we wanted to learn to drive when we were kids? Emulating grownups is how we learn to be, well, grown-ups.

Spending money you don't have is stupid, but the cars in and of themselves are not inherently evil.



Elderwood17

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2014, 10:42:56 AM »
We had one in our neighborhood that was a mini Escalade- way to set a nice bar for the kid to shoot for when they are an adult!

naloj

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2014, 02:59:51 PM »
I live on the same street as a high school so I get to deal with teenager clown cars.  I guess taking the bus isn't cool.

paddedhat

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2014, 03:27:01 PM »
Our daughter, who is currently 22 years old, still gives us light hearted abuse over the fact that she is emotionally scarred from being denied the "Barbie Jeep" in her younger years. We always found just the right thing to say, whilst addressing the problem when she was little. Since we were big fans of treating our little spawn as the princess she was, we just told her, "I'm sorry sweetie, we have plenty of money to buy you a Barbie Jeep, but it is never going to happen". When she would beg and ask why? we would look he in the eye and tell her, "well, obviously that little girl's mommy and daddy must love her more".

This helped her to develop the wicked sense of dry humor that runs in our blood. She was recently discussing a family friend who devoted her life to taking care of her elderly father. We told her that we expected this devotion if the need should ever arise. She responded in a flash with, " not happening, remember the Barbie jeep?" 

As for the OP, the whole idea of letting barely mobile toddlers "behind the wheel" of a slow, plastic wheeled toy pales in comparison to a lot of the local rednecks in these parts, who think that getting junior on a dirt motorcycle or miniature four wheeler, at five years old is a great idea. What could go wrong, eh?
« Last Edit: October 15, 2014, 03:32:16 PM by paddedhat »

RFAAOATB

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2014, 06:36:35 PM »
I live on the same street as a high school so I get to deal with teenager clown cars.  I guess taking the bus isn't cool.

Was it ever?  Beach Boys were singing about their cars, not the bus.

FreeWheel

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #20 on: October 16, 2014, 08:22:55 AM »
I live on the same street as a high school so I get to deal with teenager clown cars.  I guess taking the bus isn't cool.

Was it ever?  Beach Boys were singing about their cars, not the bus.

Teens in cars is a different topic. Beach Boys never sang about putting 2-3 year olds in motor driven toys.

For me, it's not the safety issue at all. These tots do crash into stuff but the speeds are so low that injuries are rare. It's the entire mindset of "Motor Over Muscle" at such a young and impressionable age. Why walk or pedal a bike when a motor can do the work for you. Big fail in my book.

crazyworld

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #21 on: October 16, 2014, 12:46:25 PM »
Lighten up, ladies & gentlemen! These are toys.  Our son played outside ALL the time when he was younger and they get bored. Over the years he has/had a trike, bikes (going up in size), a push scooter, a motorized scooter, skateboards, one of these little cars (which I got for a steal at $20, new at toys r us!).  We eventually gave it to the neighbor next door who had a little boy, younger than our son.  My son remembers the little car, but has no inclination to buy the exact same one when he is older.  So far, he does not have much interest in cars at all (at 11 years).  I have spent a bigger fortune in legos.

Bobberth

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #22 on: October 16, 2014, 12:56:12 PM »
I saw a pink Hummer one of these for sale at a garage sale last weekend.  They were asking $200 for it!  I have no idea how much it originally cost but $200 is ridiculous even if new.

sky_northern

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #23 on: October 16, 2014, 05:02:08 PM »
There is a girl ( about age 10) down the street from me that has one of those 120 snowmobiles. She drives around pulling her friend on a plastic toboggan behind her.

DecD

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #24 on: October 16, 2014, 05:08:38 PM »
I might need to lighten up, but I wouldn't have one in our family even for free.  Kids need to be using muscles, not riding around in a motorized car.

Neighbors behind us a couple houses ago had twin boys my son's age and a pair of motorized vehicles.  My son LOVED playing with those cars (and the twins- how we miss those twins!) but they're not for us.  We have trikes, bikes, and a foot-powered cozy coupe.  That's plenty.

Self-employed-swami

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #25 on: October 16, 2014, 05:11:31 PM »
There is a girl ( about age 10) down the street from me that has one of those 120 snowmobiles. She drives around pulling her friend on a plastic toboggan behind her.

One of my favourite winter activities as a kid, at my grandparent's farm, was being pulled behind the snowmobile on a toboggan, across the bumpy, frozen fields!  My cousins and I would pile on the toboggan, and hold on for dear life, as my Dad or uncle would turn sharply, and try to fling us off.  We never broke any bones, or had any injuries.  Part of that might actually be due to the amount of winter clothing required though, we were always dressed like little marshmallows. 

I actually broke my ankle when I fell over on my bike at 9, just for an antidotal experience about 'redneck' activities.

sky_northern

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Re: Kiddie Clown Cars
« Reply #26 on: October 17, 2014, 12:02:42 PM »
There is a girl ( about age 10) down the street from me that has one of those 120 snowmobiles. She drives around pulling her friend on a plastic toboggan behind her.

One of my favourite winter activities as a kid, at my grandparent's farm, was being pulled behind the snowmobile on a toboggan, across the bumpy, frozen fields!  My cousins and I would pile on the toboggan, and hold on for dear life, as my Dad or uncle would turn sharply, and try to fling us off.  We never broke any bones, or had any injuries.  Part of that might actually be due to the amount of winter clothing required though, we were always dressed like little marshmallows. 

I actually broke my ankle when I fell over on my bike at 9, just for an antidotal experience about 'redneck' activities.
I'm not sure what you mean buy 'redneck' activities, none of your activities I would classify as 'redneck'.

I have no judgment about the safety of the girl's activities - a 120 goes far slower than the big 800+ most adults drive around here. But I think it's a rather expensive toy, that requires gas to run. I make my nieces play on regular old plastic toboggans with out the extra gas assistance when they come to visit.