Prince Lionheart Balance Scooter Review + Giveaway

My son has enjoyed using a balance bike for years now. At this point he actually prefers it to the “big boy bike” we bought him in the spring. Knowing him, I think he likes the control he feels, the ability to scoot and cruise with his feet always near the ground. I like knowing that he’s moving and active and learning to balance – a step towards riding that bike should he ever decide he wants to. Given that he loves it, I was super excited to get a special balance scooter bike for my daughter – and the Whirl Balance Scooter by Prince Lionheart seriously couldn’t be any cuter.

About the Prince Lionheart Scooter

Prince Lionheart’s whirl balance SCOOTER™ will teach your child how to balance – a crucial skill necessary before transitioning to a two-wheeled pedal bicycle. Your child’s sense of independence and self-confidence will become evident as they learn to balance and steer at their own pace: first walking, then gliding!

• Solid rubber handgrips.
• Height adjustable, padded seat 15in – 18.5in.
• 12in rubber tires.
• 100% birch frame from an FSC certified forest.
• 2-5 years.

Scootin’ with the Whirl

My daughter is fearless - like, scary fearless. She will seriously try anything and she was so eager to get moving on the Whirl and chase her brother down the sidewalk. Luckily, the Whirl was quick and easy to assemble – it was literally only a matter of minutes from box to scooting as the majority of the box was pre-assembled.

Once the bike was assembled we hit the sidewalk for some test runs. My daughter was surprisingly resistant to actually move on the bike. I adjusted the seat height to its lowest setting, making it 15 inches from ground to seat, and that helped a bit. (For reference, my daughter is two and a half years old, 30 pounds and 36 inches tall.) In an effort to encourage my daughter, my son took a “whirl” – Ha! Get it? – on the balance bike and he loved it. He zoomed up and down the sidewalk without hesitation. My daughter really loves the bike and is pretty enamored of it, but she spends most of her modeling and posing on it. Much to my surprise, she just doesn’t seem interested in racing down the street.

Note: We recommend a helmet when moving and scootin. And not just posing.

After playing around with the bike myself and watching both my kids with it, I think the issue for my daughter is that the Whirl is heavier than other balance bikes we’ve used. The Whirl weighs 12.4 pounds and another balance bike we use weights 7.6 pounds. The weight isn’t an issue for my 4.5 year old son, but the extra five pounds does make it harder for my daughter to ride and scoot. Of course, that weight looks good! The Whirl is just adorable – from the faux pink light at the front to the racing stripe on the side, it is really a great looking bike.

Chop Balance Bike

If the pink cuteness of the Whirl Scooter isn’t a good fit for your family, check out Prince Lionheart’s other scooter the Chop. Also high in style, the Chop is purposefully reminiscent of a motorcycle. Isn’t it great?

To Buy or Not to Buy

To Buy… Balance Scooters are a great stepping stone for toddlers and preschoolers toward riding a bike. The bikes are a fun way to get moving and the Whirl design is unmatched – it’s so stylish and unique.

Or Not to Buy… The Whirl is on the heavy side, making it a bit more challenging for smaller kids. I definitely think it’s better suited for kids on the older end of the 2 to 5 year old recommended age group.

Shop! The Prince Lionheart Whirl Balance Bike is available for $99 at Toys R Us.

How to Enter: Visit Prince Lionheart and leave a comment here with another product you’d like to try.

Bonus Entries – valid only after completing the first required entry. Please leave a separate comment for each you do.

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Giveaway ends July 22. Open to US residents only.

Thanks to Prince Lionheart for providing a sample and the giveaway prize.