By Jasmine Stephens, family editor
As TLE’s family editor, I get sent information about all kinds of child related products, toys and events, but it’s rare that I see something that I think will be a sure fire success.
I’m always on the look-out for products that encourage parents and their children to spend more quality time together as opposed to toys that keep kids quiet and distracted and if they get everyone outside in the fresh air, then all the better. Then I heard about the latest offering from Kiddimoto, the company better known for producing award-winning balance bikes and I knew straightaway that the BoxKart would not only be a parent-pleaser and a hit with the kids, but would get the grand-parents wallowing in nostalgia as well.
Kiddimoto has developed the BoxKart in kit form in the style of old school soapbox racers with the idea that the assembly of the racer is a project that parents and children can get involved in together without having to search out old pram wheels and chop up pallets for all the necessary components. Their vintage designs have cross-generational appeal and any anxious parents will be placated by the in-built safety mechanisms such as the steering restriction and the straightforward but effective brakes.
I was ably assisted in the construction of the BoxKart by my two pre-school aged children and despite their ‘help’ and my innate lack of talent with flat-packs, the racer was ready to go in about an hour. The assembly does require some adult input, but it would make a great team project for an older child and parent to undertake together over a few sessions.
The BoxKart feels very robust with a solid plywood frame, pneumatic tyres and a sturdy steering rope and it has an adjustable frame which means the length of the cart can be increased as your child grows. Kiddimoto says the BoxKart is appropriate for children aged six to twelve, or up to 50kg, which of course had me and my husband running to the laptop to google a stone-to-kilogram calculator.
Not able to tolerate waiting any longer to give the racer a go, we decided to ignore the drizzle and set off to a local park with a good variety of hills and the beauty of this was that we were able to adapt the ride to suit everyone. Our two-year old got pushed around on the flat by his siblings, our four-year old enjoyed a ride down a nice gentle slope and our six-year old daughter was game enough to try a slightly longer and steeper run.
One of the great things about the BoxKart is that the experience is not too polished. The pneumatic tyres absorb bumps to make for a smooth ride and the steering is sensitive, but a 12-year old riding down a slightly steeper slope certainly wouldn’t feel they were above the challenge and although I couldn’t possibly confirm, I’m sure a grown woman only slightly over 50kgs would find it great fun too.
