The popularity of scooters for toddlers and children has shot up significantly over recent years. You may find one sitting at the top of your little one's birthday or Christmas wishlist. They're the ideal toy for giving your kiddy a little bit of independence as they can scoot slightly ahead of you on a walk. It will also keep them moving when they're not quite ready to walk everywhere. However fun a scooter is, it is important your child wears all the right equipment to keep them safe, like a scooter helmet.
Should my child wear a helmet on a scooter?
The answer to whether your child should wear a helmet on a scooter is simple. Yes, they should! You may think your toddler or child isn't going to rack up speeds that warrant wearing a helmet but accidents can happen at any time, regardless of how fast they are going. Your kid may even refuse to wear one but if they do end up falling off their scooter and injuring themselves, both you and your child will wish they had a helmet on.
Here are three main reasons why your child should wear a helmet on a scooter.
Reduces injury
It's not that uncommon for a child to hit their head when they fall off a scooter. A helmet will take the impact during a fall or other accident, significantly lowering the chance of a head injury.
Protects soft skulls
A child's skull is more fragile and delicate the younger they are. This means they're more susceptible to more serious injuries if they hit their head. A helmet will provide a tough yet cushioning barrier between the skull and hard surfaces to lower the risk.
Starts them early
As a child gets older, they'll probably start riding on the road more. When they become a teenager or young adult, they may even move on to wanting to ride a motorbike for example. By encouraging your little one to wear a helmet when they're out on their scooter as a toddler or young child, you're instilling that behaviour in them to hopefully carry them through their lives.
Best scooter helmets
Best shark-print scooter helemet
Description
Designed to be aerodynamic with 11 air vents and breathable foam, this helmet helps to reduce sweating, ensuring your child's head is kept as cool as possible while they scoot around. The shark teeth and eyes are an adorable finishing touch.
Pros: Flexible adjustment
Cons: Not all colours available have the shark print
Review: "My 2.5 year old wears this. And my 6year old has one which made me buy it again. Feels safe once you have adjusted to the child’s head. Lots of colours to choose from."
Best rocket-themed helmet
Description
Your little one will be ready to blast off on their scooter while they wear this helmet. It features a quick-release magnetic buckle on the chin strap to stop accidental skin pinching and extra padding that will make sure your little one stays comfortable even if they do take a tumble.
Pros: Retro rocket print, reflective logo
Cons: Designed for smaller heads
Best dinosaur-print scooter helmet
Description
Dino fans will go mad for this helmet with its wide eyes, big teeth, and other pre-historic markings. The sturdy and wear-resistant shell and the thick foam lining will keep your child's head safely cushioned in the event of an accident.
Pros: Lightweight design
Cons: Designed to fit head circumferences of 50-54cm only
Review: "The Kids Dinosaur Helmet is a great product for kids aged 2-8 years old. It's lightweight and easy to put on, and the dinosaur design is really fun and my son loves wearing it. It's great for protection while he's riding his bike or scooter, and I would definitely recommend it to other parents."
Scooter helmet with the best range of colours and prints
Description
This range of helmets is specifically designed for toddlers and younger children. There's a whole host of colours and prints to choose from, including floral, space and wildlife-inspired designs, but we like this particularly eye-catching fire engine one.
Pros: Available in two sizes, extra small and small, to fit the heads of smaller children
Cons: Some parents found that were too small for their child
Review: "Would recommend, good value for money."
Best for all round safety
Description
You'll get everything your little one needs to stay safe when scooting with this helmet as wrist guards, elbow pads and knee pads also come as part of the overall package. The helmet has an adjustable fit to grow with your child and all the pads are fastened with Velcro for flexibility.
Pros: Both the helmet and pads are made from a breathable material
Cons: Some reviews mention the helmet was smaller than they expected when it first arrived
Review: "This is the best helmet I've ever had, it's great quality and size can be adjusted to fit the child's head."
Best customisable helmet
Description
Let their creativity loose and let your child customise their new scooter helmet with the sticker pack included. Aside from being fun to design, it is lightweight while being durable to ensure the helmet is both comfortable and long-lasting.
Pros: Chin strap and the dial is adjustable for the best fit
Cons: Stickers may be hard to remove if your little one changes their mind about having them on there
Review: "Beautiful and safe helmet bought for my toddler daughter. Fits extremely well, and can make the inside larger as she grows. The stickers add a very unique style to it and my daughter loves it 💖"
Best personalised helmet
www.my1styears.com
Description
Is your child's scooter helmet going to be a gift? This is a lovely option to consider. It can be personalised with their name for that extra special touch. It's got an LED light on the back so your little one can scoot safely even on cloudy days.
Pros: Soft chin strap, safety light on the back
Cons: Not suitable for children with a head circumference larger than 45-51cm
Review: "I thought the product was very good for my grandson and putting his name on was ideal."
Best polka dot scooter helmet
www.halfords.com
Description
How adorable is this polka dot helmet? It's perfectly sized for toddlers and with removable padding and dial-fit adjustment, it'll be comfortable for them to ride about with it on all day.
Pros: Has ventilation spots for keeping cool
Cons: Clip on chin strap could accidentally pinch the skin when fastening
Review: "I bought this at Christmas so my granddaughter could ride her new scooter. She loved the pretty design and it was easily adjustable to fit her. Excellent value for money."
Best monster helmet
www.micro-scooters.co.uk
Description
We couldn't think of a more perfect helmet for the little monster in your life. It's covered all over in cartoon creatures and it has monster eyes on the top for a decorative touch. The fastening on the strap is easy for little hands to do up and the LED light at the back ensures your little one will be seen when they're out and about.
Pros: Has child-friendly features
Cons: Could have a larger size range
Best dragon helmet
www.currys.co.uk
Description
Enter the dragon! This super detailed reptile helmet will have your kid looking cool while keeping safe. Its features include removable padding, ventilation holes and rear LED light.
Pros: Fairly light to carry
Cons: Some children may not want to wear a helmet that stands out as much as this one
Bets plain helmet
www.kidly.co.uk
Description
If you're looking for a no-fuss, plain-coloured scooter helmet that does the job, this Trybike helmet is definitely one you should consider. It has a hard outer shell for the ultimate protection and durability and foam lining inside so it'll feel comfy on your child's head.
Pros: Robust design
Cons: Some children may want a more decorative helmet
FAQs
How tight should a helmet fit?
Fitting a helmet to a child's head is the same for scooters as it is for bicycles. It should be tight enough that it won't come loose as your child is moving about but it shouldn't be too tight as it'll be uncomfortable to wear.
To ensure you have the perfect fit, you should get your child to move their head from left to right while wearing the helmet with the strap undone. You should also get them to bend over so their head is pointing at the floor. The helmet shouldn't fall out of place as they do this.
If the helmet does fall at any point, there are three things you will need to do or consider. If your child's helmet is adjustable, you should turn the dial at the back to make it tighter. You could also need to readjust the foam inside to make it fit better and make it more secure. If after doing both of those adjustments, the helmet still doesn't fit, it may mean you need to buy your child a smaller size.
How do you know what size scooter helmet to buy for a child?
There are many different sizes of scooter helmets to choose from so how do you know which size to buy for your child? Some helmets have a recommended age. However, it is best not to rely on this method for deciding what size you require. The size of your child's head has no correlation to their age. Some toddlers and younger children could have a larger head than a child twice their age. An older child might have a smaller head than someone younger than them.
To ensure you get the right fit, you'll want to measure the circumference of your little one's head. Micro-scooters recommend using a tape measure above their ears and eyebrows to see how many centimetres your child's head measures all the way around. This will then give you the measurements you need to compare different helmets to each other for the perfect fit.