What brakes does it have? Toddlers don't tend to have the gross or fine motor skills to operate hand or foot brakes. If you have a little speed demon on your hands you may want to consider a scooter with parental controls, so you can hold the handle and control your child's speed, especially when scooting alongside a road. How does it steer? Two-wheeled scooters, which are aimed at older and more experienced riders, are turn-to-steer: moving the handlebar changes the direction of the front wheel, which gives more control and tighter turning. How adjustable is it? You can expect a few growth spurts during the leap from preschool to Year 1, so you want a scooter that can adapt as your child grows. Many scooters feature height-adjustable stems that allow the handlebars to be set at the correct height for the rider for a safer and more comfortable ride. As a general rule, the handlebars should be set to match the rider's waist height. Can you buy replacement parts? When buying a scooter for an older child it needs to be durable enough to match their energy levels. Rather than having to replace a scooter, look for a model which offers replacement parts, keeping the overall cost down.

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How does it steer? Most 4 and 3-wheeled scooters are lean-to-steer – as the rider leans left or right, the scooter gently curves in the same direction and the handlebars provide balance rather than controlling the direction of scooting. This makes for easier, smoother and safer scooting for younger and less experienced riders.