I had been trying to get my daughter Jess more active outdoors for most of the previous year. Not in a pressuring way, just in the way that parents try things: suggesting walks, proposing bike rides, pointing out that it was a nice day. Jess is ten, she is bright and funny and deeply attached to her tablet, and the outdoors had been losing the competition for her attention for longer than I was comfortable with.
My name is Natalie Forsyth. I am a dental nurse from Nottingham, and I had tried various approaches to the outdoor activity problem. A bike that she rode enthusiastically for two weeks and then stopped. A badminton set that lasted one afternoon. A football that is still in the garden, untouched. I was not giving up, but I was running out of ideas.
The Scooter Idea
It was Jess who mentioned scooters, actually. A friend at school had one and she had been talking about it for a few weeks. I had been slightly dismissive, associating scooters with younger children, but when I looked into it properly I found that there is a significant category of scooters designed specifically for older children and teens, with proper aluminium frames, adjustable handlebars, and features that make them genuinely capable of sustained daily use rather than the plastic ones that fall apart within a month.
I found the EVOLAND Foldable Kick Scooter at ALTOE. The spec was exactly what I had been looking for: sturdy aluminium alloy frame, 4.7-inch wide non-slip deck for stability, three-level adjustable handlebar height so it would grow with Jess rather than being outgrown in a year, front suspension for a smooth ride on uneven surfaces, and a foldable design for easy storage. It also came with a maintenance kit, which I appreciated as someone who has no idea how to maintain a scooter but would like to be able to.
The age range of 8 to 12 was right for Jess at ten. At £97.65 it was a proper investment rather than a casual purchase, but it was also considerably less than the bike that had been ridden for two weeks, and the spec suggested it would last.
I ordered it as a surprise. It arrived in two days.
The First Day
I assembled it on a Saturday morning while Jess was still asleep. The assembly was straightforward, about twenty minutes, and the handlebar adjustment was simple enough that I could set it to the right height for her without any tools.
Jess came downstairs, saw it, and went outside immediately. Without being asked. Without finishing breakfast. She was out for two hours, came in for lunch, and went back out for another hour in the afternoon. The tablet was not mentioned once.
I stood at the kitchen window watching her and felt the particular relief of a parent who has found the thing that works.
Eight Months On
The EVOLAND scooter has been used almost every day since. Jess rides it to her friend's house, to the park, around the estate in the evenings. She has adjusted the handlebar height twice as she has grown. The aluminium frame shows no signs of wear or flex. The deck is still grippy. The front suspension still absorbs the bumps on the uneven pavement outside our house.
The foldable design has been practical for putting in the car when we go to the park, and for storing in the hallway without it taking up the entire space. The maintenance kit has been used once, to tighten something that had worked slightly loose after several months of daily use, which is exactly the kind of minor maintenance that would have been a problem without it.
Jess is now eleven and still uses it daily. She has asked for a helmet upgrade for her birthday, which I consider a sign that she is taking it seriously. The tablet is still in the house, but it is no longer the default. That is the outcome I had been trying to achieve for a year, and a scooter is what achieved it.
Two friends with children of similar ages have bought the EVOLAND after seeing Jess with hers. Both have reported the same experience: the child uses it constantly, it holds up to daily use, and the adjustable height means it does not need replacing as they grow.
The Verdict
If you have a child aged 8 to 12 who you are trying to get more active outdoors, and if previous attempts have not stuck, a proper scooter is worth trying. Not a cheap plastic one, a proper aluminium one with adjustable height and front suspension that will last and that they will actually want to use. The EVOLAND is the one I would recommend without hesitation.
Find the EVOLAND Foldable Kick Scooter at ALTOE. Listed in Latest Products, Sporting Goods, Outdoor Recreation, Riding Scooters, and Kick Scooters.
Find the thing that gets them outside. For Jess, it was this.
— Natalie Forsyth, Nottingham
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