If it’s not yet clear from the pages of Cool Mom Picks, the holiday season is upon us. And for a lot of us, that means time to come up with a standout holiday gift for the little guys and gals on our shopping list will be a hit without breaking the bank.
You may know we’re big fans of balance bikes here, from the Y-Bike that grows with your child, to Christina’s top pick, the Micro-Mini 3-in-1 scooter which transforms from balance bike into a mini-scooters to grow with your child. Now there’s one tailor-made for the youngest biking enthusiasts, and get this: this awesome first balance bike for toddlers is under $50.
Appropriate for children as young as one year (wow), the Bunzi balance bike from Chillafish features a neat 2-in-1 design that allows you to switch between two and three wheels in seconds (no tools required), depending on what you feel your tot is ready to handle.
It’s super light, easy to assemble and a cinch to switch between the two modes. Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it. I am not a tool belt kind of a mom.
The three-wheel seat position is lower to the ground than most bikes to make it more stable as a first balance bike for those little toddler legs, while the two-wheel seat position is a little higher for mini-speedsters. It’s definitely a baby’s first (or second) holiday gift, but can be used by kids up to three years old. And I can personally say it’s been a consistent playdate fave with the one to three-year-old set since we’ve had one in our household.
I actually had to (gently) fight my 17-month-old off of the Bunzi balance bike so I could assemble it for him first.
Now if your little riders are total amateurs like mine, they might be a little unsure of how to use the Bunzi at first. It did take him a couple times to understand that you’re supposed to use your legs to move it along and that just straddling and walking won’t cut it. But once he got it–well, let’s just say, he was thrilled.
Bonus: The seat actually doubles as a storage trunk, and I’m saving the extra gift of that news from my little hoarder until Christmas Day.
The Bunzi balance bike is not a beautiful wooden keepsake looking bike, but it is made of high-quality ABS material to keep it rugged. Plus it can be used indoors or outdoors without the wheels scratching your precious hardwood floors. Because you know a kid on his very first bike simply sees no boundaries.
The Chillafish 2-in-1 Bunzi gradual balance bike for toddlers retails for $49.99 and is available at toysrus.com in blue, lime, red, and pink.
