Ride on Toys

Having a rocking horse in the home was quite common just a century ago. This toy was designed in the 17th century, but it didn’t become popular until the 1800’s, when children began seeing these fun toys in shop windows and at friend’s houses and parents started purchasing them for their own homes in droves. It quickly became a staple of childhood, and it’s little wonder why. This is a toy that sparks the imagination. It is also one that is good for children in a variety of age groups. Very small children enjoy the rocking motion most of all, and older kids allow the toy to play a number of imaginary roles. Many little girls have settled for rocking horses when they wanted to have a real horse for Christmas, and most were extremely content with the toy. This is one item that’s popularity has never waned, and parents and grandparents alike often purchase one before a child is ever born.

Types of Consider

If you’re thinking about buying one of these classic toys, there is one thing many parents don’t realize until they start looking: there are many different types. There are three basic categories, and each category has different makes, models, and styles. Moreover, though, these days, not all of these popular toys are made to look like horses. Some look like trains, dogs, or even exotic animals. But before you can choose which character you’d like your child to have, you need to first take a careful look at the different categories that you can choose from.

The first category is those horses and animals made of wood, and this is where the popular toy began. Horses were carved easily out of durable wood in the early days of the toy. Once the rockers were added on, you had a toy that was sure to entertain kids for hours. You can still find wooden rocking horses from a variety of different companies. Most of these types of horses are designed for either younger children or collectors. The easy way to tell the difference is to look at how elaborately the horse is designed. If there is a great deal of beadwork and leather work, and especially if the horse is large, it is likely that the the oneyou are looking at was designed to be a collector’s item. If the toy is fairly simplistic and looks as though it is something a child would enjoy, especially if it has a flat seat, then it is likely created for young children. Remember, however, that with a wooden horse comes the possibility of splinters, so make sure that the toy is fully sanded and stained, and continually check it if it’s used frequently.

Plush rocking horses are much like the wooden version, only quite a bit more comfortable. These toys usually start as the wooden version and accessories are added to make them both more comfortable and more fun. The company takes the wooden horse and adds wiring and plush material to the frame. Then a body is sewn onto the horse so that it is much softer when the child climbs on. There are some collectors options available, but the majority of items that you will find that are plush will be for children to play on, as fabric tends to break down much faster than wood does, and collectors often don’t like to have items that can break down over the years.

Much like a plush rocking horse is the spring version. The spring version of this popular toy often does not move backwards and forwards, but bounces up and down. The horse is suspended from a wire frame on heavy duty springs. The child can then sit on the horse and jump up and down. If done correctly, the child can move backwards and forwards a bit, but most likely they will find themselves jumping up and down more than doing a rocking motion. While many parents like spring horses, it is a good idea to buy one that has guards on the springs, as more than one child has gotten pinched on the leg or arm due to the spring. It is also a good idea to watch younger children who are on the horse, as some of them can buck pretty wildly!

Brands to Watch

There are a number of companies out there that make this popular toy, but not all of them make the same version of the toy. For instance, Melissa and Doug have become known in the toy world for making high quality, inexpensive wooden toys. They are trying to bring back the wooden toys that we, and our grandparents, and our great-grandparents, used to love when we were little. They also have made a line that have become extremely popular. It is easy to trust a company like Melissa and Doug when they make a wooden version of this toy because they have become so well known for their manipulation of wood into beautiful, and safe, children toys.

Another well-known name in the toy world, and one that makes a number of different types of horses, is Fisher Price. Fisher Price has been making children’s toys for a number of years and is one of the leading manufacturers of safe and fun children’s toys. They make not only wooden ones, but are probably the most well-known for their plush rocking horses.

Before you buy any horses, make sure that your child is old enough to handle one properly, and make sure that both the company, and the specific toy in question, have good reviews. Once you find the right toy, your child will be able to spend hours pretending that they’re an adventurer, or a circus performer, or a rider in the great West, while you watch them and remember what it was like to have a toy that you loved when you were little.