Ride on cars first appeared in around 1890, with the production of Daimlers, but became very popular in the 1950s and 1960s. Right when I was growing up in fact.

In those days we like to think we made the cars ourselves, but Dad probably did most of the work! And for well-off kids – well their parents probably bought them ready made from the shop. The cars were made from wood or metal and they were generally copies of the “real thing”. Since they generally used lead paint they probably weren’t safe as modern ride on cars.

Why would you buy a ride on car these days? Is there any educational benefit, for instance? Well there probably is. As children grow up, learning is going on all the time, and zipping along in a ride on car is providing both mental and physical stimulation at the same time. Ride on cars are great for eye-hand coordination, and help to prepare kids for their later driving experiences.

Have to pay attention to the safety aspects of ride on cars too. Children don’t usually think of consequences like adults (are supposed to) do, and they are only interested in the thrill of the moment.One major no-no is for grown ups to push the car along with the kid inside. They’ll invariably push too hard and fast (because they get caught up in the fun too), and that will only end in tears!

Some other safety factors to think about:

* Make sure your child uses the ride on car on a hard, level surface, away from any open water (for instance an unfenced pool)

* Look after your child’s feet, since most ride on cars have no floor. Make sure they’re wearing the right shoes with laces tied, and also make sure their clothes can’t get caught up in the moving parts.

If you’re happy to let your child overdose on TV and become a slob, that’s a shame. Why not get them their own ride on car, so they can spend the day in the fresh air getting exercise and mental stimulation?

We all know how important exercise is, and we know very well that most kids simply don’t get enough these days. Fix it now!

Most people don’t know that there are loads more ride on toys than just cars. You can find tanks and bikes, trikes and tow trucks, airplanes and bulldozers.

Do it now – get one of these great healthy toys for your child!

Although the first vehicle to move under its own power (for which there is documentation) was built by M. Brezin in 1769, it really wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that a flurry of automobile-building activity took off.

One of the first cabs off the rank (sorry about that!) to start to pull things together was Karl Daimler, who set up a deal with William Steinway (of piano fame) to produce petrol engines for tramcars, boats, quadricycles and fire engines. In fact Steinway was the owner of the Daimler Motor Company which by 1891 was in full production.

Interesting sidenote – Karl Benz never actually met Gottlieb Daimler…

It was the Duyrea brothers who actually developed the first gasoline automobile in the US in 1893. They modified an old horse buggy and drove it around for about 3 months. Maybe it didn’t run very well, because it didn’t run again, and some 25 years later ended up in a museum.

In 1893 Henry Ford joined the fray. However it wasn’t until 3 years later that he finished his first car. Another 3 years later he established the Detroit Motor Company but never actually sold a production automobile. He shut down the company 2 years later in 1901.

These early days of automobile development also saw the birth of the very first pedal ride on cars. Of course, just like the automobiles themselves, these were very expensive and only for the very wealthy. Most were modeled on the real cars around at the time

The popularity of ride on cars rose in the 20s and 30s, right alongside the rise of better automobiles. However, production slumped in the 40s, when all metal was diverted for the war effort.

After the war, through the 50s and 60s, ride on cars became very popular, and far more affordable. Indeed in the new-found postwar prosperity, ride on cars were available in all major stores. Again, these models basically copied the design of real automobiles, with many different designs and colors. All kinds of detail, such as chrome detailing, white walled tires and fancy paint jobs were everywhere.

As plastics became the materials of choice for manufacturing ride on cars, so it was at the same time that they no longer copied the “real” cars’ designs.

At the same time as the prevalence of plastics, the new designs no longer copied the adult automobile designs any more.

So where are we today?

Although most ride on cars and toys are made of plastic, there are still some companies making old style replicas. However, as you’d expect, they aren’t going to be cheap! These days, too, we aren’t limited to ride on cars, but also fire engines, jeeps, bulldozers and planes.

Of course, because most ride on cars are made from plastic, it means they don’t cost a fortune. So you really don’t have any excuse NOT to get one for your little tyke, do you?