I was never a very sporty, active child but my Emma takes after her daddy and she is a ball of energy. Literally.
I have many times struggled to keep up with her and her boundless drive to be constantly in motion. I have learned to plan our week accordingly as I know that by mid-week she would need to be out and doing something different and exciting.
Yesterday, when I read the touching article BBC News had published in honour of Richard Taylor, the pro-athlete who tragically died when he was only 23, following a skating accident, I was able to relate so much to his parents’ account of how themselves had found it scary and exhausting at times, trying to guide his energy in the right direction!
Energetic children live on adrenaline and many times cannot grasp the concept of danger that comes with speed. Other times, they just simply ignore it for the sake of the thrill. Constant reminders in the form of cool ads and safety gear that appeals to their sense of style can make nowadays a world of difference!
The article I read yesterday about Richard Taylor said that he wasn’t wearing a safety helmet at the time of the accident. Had he worn one of the sturdy, high performing ones that are available now, he would have survived it.
I am sure that there have been many requests put in for Santa to bring scooters this Christmas and that on Christmas Eve there will be many a vivid dream of performer level tricks on brand new toys.
When I heard that Halfords had put together a handy infographic to assist the aspiring young scooter enthusiasts and keep them safe at the same time, I knew it would be something that it would be widely appreciated and had to have it featured in a blog post!
If you are planning to buy your little (or not so little) ones a scooter this year, do take a few minutes to run over the infographic I have included below with them. They will not only get a dozen of handy tips on how to perform clever tricks but they will be reminded of the very important safety issues that come with running around at high speed.
Do you have a highly energetic child and if you do, what are your tips to other parents for keeping them safe?
Are your children getting a scooter this year and the essential safety gear that comes with it? What brands would you recommend for Emma’s age?
Disclosure: this article has been put together in collaboration with Halfords and we were remunerated for our time and effort. The opinions expressed are truthful and entirely our own.
Mama's Haven 
I love this – I must get my son trying some of this out on his new stunt scooter.
You’re right that getting rid of that energy can be great fun, but it’s so important not to forget about the safety aspects too. Lovely, helpful infographic.
My two love their scooters but they know they have to be careful as the pavements are in such a terrible state round here!
This is something that’s so important but not many people actually take notice of unfortunately.
Our school won’t let kids take their bikes or scooters unless they have a helmet but other local schools don’t seem to have the same policy x
my boys always wear helmets when on scooters or bikes. A little boy died near us when he fell off his scooter and his head hit the curb, it put the fear of god into me
Thanks for sharing, my kids adore scooting and spend lts of time doing it. Mich x
We have got Isaac a stunt scooter for christmas as he says his current one is too babyish
Great tips – I have shared too. The safety tips are especially important. Kaz x
My son’s also always been a speedy one. My advice would be, make sure they do something every day to burn up energy. Always walk to school (if it’s in walking distance). And allow them a little freedom so they can learn to be safe by making the occasional (non-serious) mistake.
Great tips, will give my daughter a look as she really wants to try some stunts 🙂
Great tips, we love our scooters and my 8 year old is just starting to learn tricks!
This is really good Oana and will be super useful too if POD gets to ride her scooter more. We bought one a couple of years ago and she rarely uses it (hasn’t mastered steering!). She’s one of those adrenaline types though, even at nearly five, with bags of energy and zero sense of danger!