Winter is almost upon us, so for the kids who still like spending lots of their time outdoors, the shorter days and poor weather conditions can make it a pretty dull season.
But that doesn't mean they need to stay indoors to spend yet more time in front of their screens! Although winter is by no means the best time of year to scoot, if certain safety measures are put in place, your child should be able to use their scooter safely.
In this post we’ll offer some safety tips to ensure your little ones can enjoy their scooters in the colder months. Some of the tips may seem obvious, but we hope everyone can take something from this guide to ensure their kids stay safe on their scooter this winter.
Safety Gear
The first and most important step to scooting safely in winter is to wear protective equipment. In fact, this is crucial at any time of year, but in winter when the ground can be more slippery, the need to wear protective gear is even more pressing.
So before you let your mini daredevils leave the home on their scooters, make sure they’ve got all their gear. Regularly explaining the need to wear a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads can help drive home the importance of scooting safely and ensures they can be trusted to wear their safety gear without you needing to remind them.
Warm Clothing
With winters seemingly getting colder with each passing year, you probably don’t need reminding to make sure your child wraps up warm. However, it'd be remiss of us to leave it off this list so we decided to include it anyway!
The often sub-zero temperatures of winter can be a real challenge. As well as compromising your little ones’ immune systems which can make it more difficult to fight off viruses and infections, the cold weather can hamper their enjoyment which, when all is said and done, is the name of the game!
So to ensure your kids stay healthy and enjoy their scooting as much as possible, make sure they’ve plenty of layers on. Gloves and a scarf will also provide insulation by preventing warmth from escaping.
High-Vis
Winter can bring some pretty dire conditions, with fog and especially dark evenings making it difficult to see.
If visibility is poor then consider a high-vis vest. This will help ensure your child is easily spotted, helping them avoid collisions on the skatepark and ensuring any traffic or cyclists can see them.
Having said that, if visibility is particularly poor, you might decide to keep your children indoors. If the weather is especially bad and it’s pitch black outside, even a high-vis vest might not be enough to make them seen.
Take It Easy
Fuelled on adrenaline and boundless enthusiasm, many kids love nothing more than whizzing up and down, practising jumps and performing sharp turns. However, if your child fancies themselves as a mini Evel Knievel, it might be a good idea to temper their enthusiasm just a tad, to help keep them safe.
Whether it’s black ice, frozen puddles or slippery tarmac, winter can create unexpected hazards that your child may not be prepared for. So while we’re not saying you should stop them from riding, a gentle reminder to take it easy should hopefully be enough to keep them aware.
Regular Maintenance
This one’s for the parents – if you want to make sure your child stays as safe as possible then regularly checking and maintaining their scooter is a must. Be sure to give the brake system, wheels and handlebars a once-over before they set off.
By checking their scooter regularly, you can spot any mechanical faults, preventing unnecessary mishaps and ensuring their scooting is as safe as possible.
So those are our main tips for making your sure child stays safe on their scooter this winter. Obviously some of these are pretty obvious, however others might prove useful, helping keep your little scooting enthusiast out of trouble.
We stock a wide range of kids scooters that are perfect for use year-round. So our premium-quality kids scooters, combined with the safety tips you’ve learned here, means your child can enjoy their favourite pastime, come rain or shine!
