My son Brian has a favorite new ride. It’s just his size. It keeps him active. It’s as cool as can be.

It’s his SmarTrike!

SmarTrike is a 4-stage stroller-to-tricycle brand that grows with a child from ages 10 months to three years:

Stage 1: At 10 months the baby safely uses the foot rest & has a padded high-back support.

Stage 2: At 18 months the seat converts while parents still push and control the trike, your baby enjoys the ride while developing confidence, balance & motor skills.

Stage 3: At 24 months it becomes a training trike – kids learn to pedal and steer.

Stage 4: At 30 months, remove parent handle, switch navigator button and the Spark becomes an independent trike that kids pedal by themselves.

That’s right – it’s designed to transform in stages from a stroller, pushed by mom or dad, to a child pedaling with parental assistance, to a tricycle where a little one plays and explores on his own.

Brian is 2 1/2 years old, so he’s just learning how to pedal on his own. He is doing awesome – in fact, when I try to help steer him, he tells me, “No, mama! My bike!”

I love seeing Brian gain some independence while also working on his coordination and fine motor skills. Riding his SmarTrike down our (long) street while I walk beside him has become Brian’s favorite thing to do every evening. I enjoy it so much, too! It is definitely a way for us to bond. He will stop his SmarTrike at anything he wants to get a closer look at – a fire hydrant, a lamppost, a flag pole – and we get to talk about that object together.

As an added bonus, once Brian outgrows his SmarTrike, we can convert it back into a stroller and use it for our baby Eve!

If you’re looking to get out and explore with your child in a fun way, a SmarTrike is for you!