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The Top 10 Best Pull Toys for Toddlers

When growing up, not only does a little one need to progress emotionally, mentally, and psychologically, but physically as well. Physical coordination is a skill which is, at the very least, partially learned. But what can help to improve coordination in your little one? Push and pulling toys, that’s what.

Push and pulling toys come in a wide variety of styles and are designed to simply be pushed, pulled, or both. Not only will they improve your child’s coordination, they will provide him or her with a good time as well.

Looking for a push and pull toy for your little one? You’ve come to the right place.

Hape Wonder Walker Push and Pull Toddler Walking Toy

We’ll start off by reviewing the Hape Wonder Walker. While it’s a little on the expensive side, it supplies a number of different play components to make it worth its price.

It’s made almost entirely out of wood, giving it terrific durability compared to other push and pulling toys. There is, however, rubber on the wheels to give it traction regardless of where it’s being used.

In addition to its pushing and pulling functions, this toy offers a few other stimulating activities. It’s got designs, balls, and knobs which your little one can fiddle with whenever he or she wishes. In essence, this is an uber-functional, intricately-designed push and pull toy.

Hape Dancing Butterflies Toddler Wooden Toy

The next toy we’ll review is a more traditional push & pull toy. Possessing two different wheels, it’s equipped with a long handle which allows children to move it from place to place without having to bend over.

It’s made with 100% safe materials: wood and water-based paint. Like the toy reviewed above, its wheels are lined with rubber for optimal traction.

The handle on this toy is capable of expanding and contracting, allowing you to set it to the perfect size for your little one.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Chomp and Clack Alligator Wooden Push Toy

This next toy is highlighted by its intricate designs. Not only does it possess a series of alligators which move as it’s pushed or pulled, it also sports a collection of fish and butterfly pictures.

It can be both pushed and pulled, but is most easily pushed. Its handle stands at about 1 ½ feet off the ground, giving it appropriate height for the vast majority of toddlers.

One of the cool things about this toy is that it will make noises while it’s being pushed. This will help to stimulate your child’s mind, resulting in a more fun and rewarding experience overall.

Little Tikes Shopping Cart

If you’re looking for a play shopping cart for your little one, you might want to consider this one from Little Tikes. Available for a middle of the road price, it offers plenty in the ways of functionality and performance.

It measures in at 16 inches x 23.5 inches x 12.5 inches, making it the ideal size for toddlers. Made entirely out of plastic, it’s reasonably durable, capable of withstanding some general wear and tear.

Of course, as a shopping cart, it’s got ample storage space. Kids can use it to transport other toys from place to place with ease.

VTech Pop-a-Balls Push and Pop Bulldozer

This next push and pull toy is a play bulldozer which is capable of picking up balls from the ground. It measures in at around 6 inches x 6 inches x 6 inches, and has a handle which extends around 12 inches off the ground.

Equipped with a series of buttons, this toy is capable of making noises. In order to make noises, it requires 2 AAA batteries.

This toy promotes all types of skills. Not only will it help with coordination, but with numbers, letters, and music as well. Available for a middle of the road price, there’s no good reason not to buy it.

Hape Kid’s Toy Lawn Mower WoodenPull Toy

Another solid push and pull toy is this one from Hape. Available for a middle of the road price, it’s fairly basic, but is still a great tool for building coordination and stimulating the mind.

Made out of plastic, it’s got good durability, and will hold up admirably through wear and tear. With an adjustable handle, it can be extended and retracted to meet the specific size of your child.

This toy sports the appearance of an old school lawn mower, and even makes a sound reminiscent of such a lawnmower. Though it’s not loaded with play components, it serves its intended purpose very well.

VTech Pop and Count Vacuum Push

Perhaps you’re interested in a play vacuum. If so, this one from VTech is a great selection. Possessing excellent durability, it will last through years and years of wear and tear.

This vacuum measures in at around 16 inches in height, making it the appropriate height for most toddlers. Its handle moves up and down so that it can be reached at several different levels.

However, this vacuum is not only a push toy; it’s loaded with other features as well. Equipped with 3 buttons, it produces light patterns and sounds, visually and sonically stimulating your child as he or she plays.

Fisher-Price Little Snoopy Toy

The last push and pull toy we’ll review is this one from Fisher-Price. This toy is a great deal smaller than the others on our list, but can still help to improve coordination skills in children.

It possesses the look of a dog, and is equipped with four textured wheels. These wheels can roll over carpet, hardwood, vinyl, and many other surfaces. As it’s being pulled, it wobbles back and forth.

Overall, this is a very basic toy. It’s best pulled when sitting on the ground. Children could potentially put some small toys on top of it, but it’s principally designed to be used solely as a pull toy.

Fisher-Price Corn Popper

As your toddler pushes this toy around the floor, you’ll hear the pleasantly familiar noise of corn popping, but you won’t need to pick up any corn from the grocery store. Of course, you won’t be able to eat the corn produced by this push and pull toy — but your child will enjoy using it all the same.

The height of this toy makes it difficult to use for shorter toddlers, but the majority of young children won’t have any problems.

Award Winning Hape Walk-A-Long Snail Toddler Wooden Pull Toy

With this push and pull toy, your child will gain the ability to take their favorite snail out for a walk. Or, they can choose to play basic block games using the set’s included wheel hub.

For children who aren’t motivated to push and pull a lawnmower-style toy around the house, having a snail to drag behind them can make all of the difference. Thankfully, unlike with real snails, the wooden snail toy doesn’t leave behind any sludge and it is fairly durable.

What Types of Push and Pulling Toys are There?

Push and pulling toys come in a wide variety of styles and configurations. While some of these toys can only be pulled, others can only be pushed. In some cases, they can be both pushed and pulled.

Popular push and pulling toys include wagons, fake lawn mowers, and mini shopping carts, to name a few. There is sure to be something that your child will enjoy.

What Should You Consider When Choosing The Best Pull Toys?

When you peruse push and pulling toys, you’re likely to come across a wide variety of styles and configurations. There is quite a bit of difference from toy to toy. However, there are four baseline aspects you should be considering when looking for the best pull toys. They include size, construction quality, ease of use, and safety.

Size

Push and pulling toys come in all different sizes. Whereas some are ideal for toddlers, others are ideal for older kids. When choosing one of these toys, consider the size of your child as well as your storage capabilities.

Construction

Some push & pulling toys are made out of cheap plastic. Others are made out of uber-sturdy wood. Ideally, you want to choose something that’s going to last a while. Consider the nature of the toy’s function and determine whether or not its material can hold up under the duress.

Ease of Use

While some of these toys are as simple to operate as pushing or pulling, others are a little more intricate. They may require that your child presses down buttons or engages a lever of some sort. Make sure that your child is coordinated enough to operate a specific toy before making a final purchase.

Safety

In the vast majority of cases, push & pulling toys are very safe. However, there are some toys on the market which could pose a threat to your child’s safety. Keep an eye out for protruding handles and excessively heavy foundations. Try to choose something that’s appropriate for your child’s age.

I have wood floors in my house, will push and pulling toys scratch them?

Wood floors are expensive to restore, and if you are renting, damaging them is a real concern. Thankfully, most push and pull toys will not scratch wood floors; however, if you’re nervous about it, then you can glue felt material to the bottom of the toy to ease your mind. Felt is cheap and is available at any craft store and most stores like Target or Wallmart so it won’t be a major expense to offer you peace of mind.

Should I let my baby use push and pull toys outside or only inside?

Push and pull toys can be used both indoors and outdoors. Each has different benefits. Outside there will probably be fewer obstacles in your baby’s path. However, the ground outside may be rough and uneven, and if your baby pushes their toy through dirt, which they inevitably will, you might not want them bringing the toy back inside and tracking dirt around the house.

Inside the floors will likely be more level, but your baby will have less room to maneuver around obstacles in their way. Never allow your baby to use their push and pull toys near fireplaces or at the top of stairs as this could result in serious injuries.

Also, do not let your baby play with push and pull toys when you are distracted or trying to get other things done. No matter where you choose to let your baby play, always make sure they are being supervised by an adult to avoid accidents.

Should I let my child use their toy around my pets?

If you have pets, make sure your baby isn’t playing with their toy around them as you do not want either your pet or your child getting hurt. You don’t want your baby accidentally running over your pet’s paws or tail.

Pets may also get underfoot while your child is playing and make your child trip. You also don’t want an animal to get scared if the toy makes a sound as a frightened animal is unpredictable and could hurt themselves or even worse your child.

At what age should I introduce push and pull toys into my child’s play?

Between 12 and 18 months is a good age to start to introduce push and pull toys into your child’s play. It’s a good idea to wait until babies can sit and stand before adding these types of toys but don’t worry if they aren’t walking yet. At this stage, they enjoy moving objects, and if the toy makes interesting sounds or has lights so much the better.

Children who are walking will still enjoy these types of toys since many of these toys let them imitate you. Children at this age like to copy those around them, so things like toy vacuum cleaners, shopping carts, or lawnmowers are extra appealing to them if they see regularly see you using these objects.