A kids ride on toy is a really amazing gift and a very popular choice for birthday celebrations or Christmas. The excitement that they feel when they get to experience riding on a fun toy for the first time is really wonderful for them. If you have lots of space in your yard, or if you have a large garden, they can enjoy speeding about on their John Deere Power Wheels toy enjoying hours of endless fun and merriment.
If you’re thinking of what gift to buy for a toddler or even an older youth, then a John Deere ride on tractor for kids can be an excellent choice. Budget might be a consideration as they are substantial gifts, but quite often several family members can join together and pool their funds to buy it as a big birthday surprise.
John Deere ride on toys are extremely popular and its worth thinking about whether to buy the full tractor or to add an extra accessory like a trailer. Some are pedal powered, while others are electric and have several speed settings. Our helpful list of top rated products will help you work through which riding toy is best for your child.
10 Best John Deere Ride On Toys
1. Berg Go Kart
Little mini farmers will have hours of fun riding this go kart style toy. It is designed in the recognisable signature style of green and yellow, so it is eye-catching and cheerful for children, both boys and girls. John Deere riding toys come in all shapes and sizes and this one is pedal powered and a more streamlined and simplified frame that is suitable for children between the ages of three and eight. The benefit of this frame is that it will fit them throughout their childhood, during those ages when they really enjoy playing with these kinds of toys. It offers tires with a specialist deeper tread for extra traction if you’re pedalling through mucky areas or soft grass. There is a swing axle also which helps the tractor to stay put when pedalling over bumpy areas. The back pedal brake is also a really helpful feature. The steering wheel is also fully adjustable so it can be adapted as your child gets taller.
2. Three Wheel Tractor Trailer
More suitable for younger children, around 2 and a half to 5 years of age, this John Deere child’s tractor has a few really delightful features for them to enjoy. Made of specially moulded plastic, it is sure to be completely resilient and durable in all sorts of weather so there are no worries about bringing it indoors during rainstorms. It is another pedal powered model and has a really cute electric horn, which your child will find so much fun honking all day long! The pedals are driven by front wheel drive which is chainless, so the child will find it easier to move and cycle. The tires will help your child with their gross motor skills as they pedal around the fields or garden with their friends. It also boasts a fun trailer which is fully detachable – but most kids will love pulling things around inside it all day long.
3. 360 Degree Excavator
This is a really fun model. It isn’t just a ride toy but it is a fully working digger and excavator. Children just love digging and exploring and think of what fun they could have in the fields or garden just scooping away looking for buried treasure or pretending to plant their own crops or trees. It will teach them so much about the natural world. The features of this toy are great, not only do they enhance the co-ordination ability of the young person, but they have lots of fun aspects. The shovel is crafted of strong and durable resin so it will be able to manage all sorts of digging and the dual action lever system is really fun for kids to learn how to use. It is firmly set on four large moulded wheels which have excellent traction due to the rubber wrapping on the treads. The heaviest weight it can take is around 75lbs and it is suitable for children aged between 3 and 6.
4. Sit and Scoot Tractor
This is one for the babies, really. A great starter toy and one to encourage their love of tractors that won’t break the bank. This vehicle is good even for use indoors if you have a large playroom with a suitable floor, and they can start to develop scooting gross motor skills as they play around at home. A very clever feature of this design is that it has three settings, it can be used with the toddler scooting alone, or they can push it along themselves or a grown-up can push them so they can be brought to the park with their mom or dad to enjoy the outdoor space. Another cute aspect is the electronic sounds that it plays, with animal sounds and adjustable volume. Inside you can store the cute set of farm animals that come with the tractor. It even plays ‘Old McDonald’ when the horn button is pushed. This is a great toy for one year upwards.
5. Buzzy Ride On
This is quite a versatile Deere tractor. It is great for use with kids from age two upwards, especially if they are starting to learn how to ride a bike. It has a very lightweight stylish frame and this will be good for kids up to age five, so they will get several years use out of it. It won’t be a hassle for them to pedal because it is so light and uses ball bearing technology to enhance this lightweight design. The tires are created with material that does not puncture so there are no concerns about having to make repairs. The steering wheel boasts a spinner knob so they can advance their motor skills while learning how to manoevure the vehicle independently. The seat is adjustable so it will change as your child grows and the lovely recognizeable colors will really make them feel like a true farmer at work.
6. Ground Force Tractor Trailer
Absolutely packed with features this one is the real deal. Basically a mini version of the real thing, there is so much to enjoy with this toy. It has everything, and we mean everything. An adjustable seat to be used as your child grows, flip up armrests and automatic breaks. Other great features include a detachable trailer so your child can enjoy carting around other loads to bring them around the ‘farm’. A great safety feature is that parents are able to manage and limit the speed on this one, with a locking feature – so there is great peace of mind with this model. It is suitable from age two up to seven so there is a good span of age ranges and it will certainly occupy them for many years. It has proper tractor wheels as well as a rechargable battery and charger. The child driving it can speed up independently, break and have a very realistic experience. Believe it or not, it even has a fully working radio!
7. Pedal Power Ride-On Tractor
Another pedal style offering, this one also has an adjustable seat so children between the ages of three and five years of age can enjoy pedalling outdoors, pretending to work hard on the farm. The toy is made of hard moulded plastic so it will always show durability and resilience when used for years upon end in the outdoors. It can manage a weight of up to 80lbs and has a steering wheel that works very well, allowing your child to work on their motor skills and co-ordination as they learn how to steer and drive. This is a simpler style version but one that a child will really enjoy for many fun times in the outdoors and will develop a love of tractors as they play.
8. Pedal Tractor
This option is great for toddlers as they start to get a little older but aren’t quite ready for a larger version yet. What is particularly clever about this design is that the manufacturers have given it a wide wheel base which means that it is lower and more secure to the ground and is less likely to tip over, offering more security and safety for your little one. It is somewhere between a trike and a bike, but with all the fun of a tractor toy. The added bonus of a wagon to haul will make the child who receives this as a gift just jump for joy. The colors are the typical much loved John Deere signature green and yellow, and they will really feel the part as they pedal themselves around playing and enjoying the outdoors.
9. Two Speed Gator
This version is another excellent standard, offering a range of very advanced features that make it just that little bit more special. It drives at two speeds, going up to 5 mph. Again, this offers the safety lock feature so parents can purchase this with reassurance that it will always be safe for their child. It has real accelerator and brake pedals so the driving experience will be as realistic as possible for them. Other accessories include the Adventure Trailer which they will just love, because they can haul their bits and bobs around and feel like they are really helping out around the farm or garden. The wheels are designed with rough terrain in mind and are resilient and strong as well as the locking hinchpin feature, which is really excellent. It can carry two children weighing up to 130lbs in total so your child and their friend can have amazing fun times driving around together.
10. Indoor/Outdoor Tractor Trailer
This product is a little different as it is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. So, depending on the weather or your home layout, you can opt to have your child use it either in the garden or fields, or perhaps in a large lounge or playroom – the choice is yours. It can manage grass or gravel and it also has an accelerator and is powered by a rechargeable battery. It helpfully comes with a charger so your little one will never have to worry about running out of power and they can play as long as they like. A great added bonus with this purchase is that you can have a normal warranty and also add in a second year to the first.
Our Top Pick
Ground Force Tractor Trailer
Kids will have all the bells and whistles with this model. It just had so many features that we felt it was worthy of our top pick. The fact that your little one can listen to music on their own radio as they drive was a particularly cute feature. The two speed settings were great too, with the higher being 4 and a half mph was so much fun, but it was also reassuring that parents would be able to lock the settings for their child’s safety. The feature of the adjustable seat promises many years of use and fun so it is definitely a good investment. Several generations of children would be bound to get years of fun from this tractor. Other selling points that made this toy stand out were the detachable trailer, automatic breaks and the rechargeable style battery which would mean no having to replace them frequently.
Best Budget Gift
360 Degree Excavator
There was just so much excitement packed into this vehicle. It was so different from the others yet didn’t cost too much, offering lots of fun features for the owner that would occupy them in so many different ways. The fact that it was almost two in one, being a digger and a tractor at the same time, so kids can have that extra bit of fun playing with digging sand or soil in the garden. The moulded wheels allowed for proper firm traction and make it easy to manoevre as well. The idea that the lever system would allow your child to enhance their skills and dexterity was really appealing also. We liked that it worked for a range of age groups and that the resin it is made from would endure for years even if left outdoors. We felt that for the budget of this item, it was more than worth the money.
Things to consider when selecting a John Deere Power Wheels:
There are many things to think about if you want to buy one of these as a gift. Firstly, every parent will want to make sure that the toy is as safe for the user as it can possibly be. You want to know that when they play that they are totally secure and safe from harm, and this can be a concern with ride-ons. Reading reviews of other parents can help with this.
Another consideration is the type of vehicle and whether is has a battery pack to power it, or if it is a pedal powered tractor. The age of the child will influence this decision, as well as the terrain that you are going to be using it on, because if you have a hilly or large garden then a battery powered tractor might be a better option. If you have a smaller space then a pedal powered option is perfectly fine as they will be able to scoot round the yard to their heart’s content.
Age is another factor to consider – the idea of a toy like this can be really exciting but it is important to ensure that you buy it with the age of the child in mind. If they are too young, their little feet might not reach the pedals, and if they are too old they won’t fit in the seat! It is also worth thinking about how many years play they will get out of the tractor and if it will grow with them to give them years of fun.
Another factor to consider is their taste – do they have a favorite model of tractor that they particularly love? Maybe they live on a farm and want a tractor that looks like their Dad’s or older brothers. They might also have a favorite color so you will see the delight on their face when they see their new toy waiting for them to try out.
What age are John Deere ride on toys best for?
Once your child is up and on their feet toddling they are usually ready for a ride on, even one that can be powered by pedals. They might take a bit of practice but once they figure it out they will be unstoppable. A child as young as 1 year old can enjoy these vehicles and they can carry on playing with them up until around eight years of age. This is why they are a great gift to buy throughout early childhood.
What safety considerations are there with ride on tractors?
Safety is paramount with any child’s toy. Firstly, you can think about getting your child a set of safety work wear clothing to wear as they ride their vehicle. Usually you can buy a high visibility vest so that they are visible in low light and if they are far away in your garden or grounds. A hard hat can also be purchased to encourage them to wear as they ride and it will make them feel the part but also keep them safe. Some tractor toys have a seat belt and others have a speed limitation setting which is very clever.
Which is better, scoot or battery powered riding toys?
The joy of a scoot ride toy is that the child gets lots of exercise and it improves their gross motor skills as they play. They will learn how to manage and be in control of their vehicle and they will experience a tactile and sensory interaction with their tractor. The bonus of a battery operated one is that they can ride with ease and enjoy the feeling of a ‘real’ vehicle. They can also have a slightly smoother ride and won’t feel as frustrated if the pedals are challenging for them.