Are you looking for something to distract those busy hands during a road trip?
A steering wheel toy for toddler could be the solution to your problem.
Some toddlers are driving enthusiasts, and nothing will be more fun and fantastic for your child than pretending to drive a vehicle while actually being in a car!
You will find all kinds of steering wheel toys for toddlers out there – which is why we have reviewed and compiled a list of eleven best (and our personal favorite) steering wheel toys below.
You may be interested in: Best Car Seat Toys
- Why Use Steering Wheel Toys For a Toddler?
- The Best Five Steering Wheel Toys For Toddlers
- Our 11 Best Steering Wheel Toy For Toddler Reviews
- #1 VTech 3-in-1 Race and Learn
- #2 VTech Turn and Learn Steering Wheel Toy
- #3 Battat Geared to Steer Interactive Driving Wheel
- #4 BEST LEARNING My Spin and Learn Steering Wheel
- #5 John Deere Tomy Busy Driver Car Steering Wheel Toy
- #6 Baby Einstein Driving Tunes Musical Toy
- #7 Casdon Sat Nav Steering Wheel
- #8 Playgro Drive and Go Steering Wheel Toy
- #9 KIDDOLab My little Driver Steering Wheel Toy
- #10 Facaily Portable Steering Wheel Toy
- #11 COLOR TREE Kids Pretend Ride-on Toy Steering Wheel
- What to Look For In A Steering Wheel Toy
- Safety Tips on Using Toy Steering Wheels in The Car
- Takeaways
Why Use Steering Wheel Toys For a Toddler?
Steering wheel toys engage and keep busy hands entertained on a long trip while aiding in the skills development process.
Many spin toys for toddlers have cause-and-effect characteristics. Certain models of steering wheel baby toys may even light up or play musical tunes when your baby pushes a button.
Apart from walking, rolling, and crawling, grabbing is another important motor milestone. Learning these skills teaches kids about cause and effect and grows their hand-eye coordination through play. [1]
They also learn all about direction as they steer the plastic wheels for toys that make them feel like they are in the driver’s seat. Some steering toys also include additional educational features that teach numbers, colors, and age-appropriate characteristics. [2]
That being said, not all steering wheel toy cars are made the same. These outdoor toys have different accessories and are geared towards more than one age group.
This is why it’s essential to know what to look for as you search for the best toy car steering wheel for a toddler.
The Best Five Steering Wheel Toys For Toddlers
Our 11 Best Steering Wheel Toy For Toddler Reviews
#1 VTech 3-in-1 Race and Learn
As our overall best toy steering wheel for your child, the VTech 3-in-1 Race and Learn is an exceptional steering wheel toy for baby and older toddlers.
This steering wheel for car seat comprises three ways of racing play, i.e., the car, jet, and motorcycle modes visible on a screen. It has nine features for your child to explore in exciting missions.
This steering wheel provides your young one with a close-to-real driving experience as every time they change the gear – it gives an authentic racing sound among many other features.
Children also get to learn about numbers, hand-eye coordination, shapes, spellings, letters, and more with this cool toy.
Pros:
- Three modes of play to keep children entertained
- Comes with volume controls and an automatic shut-off button
- Teaches hand-eye coordination, numbers, letters, shapes, and more
- Vibrating controller to enhance driving simulation and pretend play
- Nine courses for kids to explore and keep them entertained
- Durable material
Cons:
- Product comes with a dark screen
- Racing toy features 3 ways to play: car, jet and motorcycle
- Features nine courses to explore
- Gear Shifter plays real racing sounds
#2 VTech Turn and Learn Steering Wheel Toy
With the VTech Turn and Learn Steering Wheel Toy, your toddler is sure to have a first-hand driving feeling.
As one of the many popular play steering wheels, this brightly colored fun toy will capture your kiddo’s attention for long periods thanks to its five buttons, three play modes, a gear shifter, and a signal lever.
It helps trigger your kid’s imagination as they learn all about the concept of traffic lights and signal levels.
The Vtech toy is one of the most lightweight wheel toys for toddler that has realistic racing sounds and volume control for parents to turn down. It is also budget-friendly, which is a bonus!
Pros:
- Easy to assemble and disassemble
- Three different play modes with gear shifter and signal lever
- Realistic racing sounds with many songs, phrases, and words
- Affordable and lightweight
Cons:
- Absence of tool kits to hold on to tabletop or tray
- May be too advanced for younger toddlers
- Your little one will love pretending to drive using the steering wheel toy that causes the cute dog character to move back and forth
- Press the five colorful buttons on the learning toy and your child will be introduced to different animals and vehicles; great early education toy
- The fun baby car toy design encourages imaginative play with a traffic light, a signal lever that triggers fun sounds and music; gear Shifter that pushes and pulls to introduce opposites
#3 Battat Geared to Steer Interactive Driving Wheel
The Battat Geared to Steer Interactive Driving Wheel car wheel toy is perfect for your toddler to imitate you while on the road. It has realistic sounds when turning the key on to accelerate the engine and press the horn while in the ‘driver’s seat.
It features driving sounds, signal lights, songs, a moving odometer, and gear shift, ensuring your kiddo does not miss out on the thrills of driving. It also includes a traffic light driving game – when the light turns red, your tot must press the red buttons, hit the brakes, and press the green button to speed up.
Kids get to learn about different colors while enhancing their motor and sensory skills. Although it is suitable for two years and above-aged kids, it can also appeal to your under two years.
Pros:
- Wide range of sensory play with traffic light driving game, gear shift, and signal lights
- Suitable for kids older than two to develop fine motor skills
- Realistic sounds with two volume controls
- Portable with easy-to-hold handles
Cons:
- Not durable
- Product does not mount onto the car seat
- Turn and learn little one: this interactive steering wheel with lights and sounds is a great way to promote hours of imaginative pretend play. Ideal for the long car rides.
- Realistic sounds: turn the key to rev the engine or honk the horn when your little sister gets in the way! Shift the gears and see the odometer move as you hear speed sounds. Zoom ! turning left or right? Signal the imaginary cars around you with the signal lights! Also plays 2 catchy songs, perfect for a pretend road trips (or a real one )!
- Game mode: learn about colors and play an all-time favorite the traffic light game! Press “go” whenever you see the green light and “stop” whenever the red one appears!
#4 BEST LEARNING My Spin and Learn Steering Wheel
Let your toddler exercise their arms and learn with this BEST LEARNING My Spin and Learntoy steering wheel.
It offers fun interactive options with three different playing modes: color, shapes, and feelings.
As your kid enjoys learning about color and shape, they will also learn about emotions such as surprise and joy through the special features and tactile options (with light-ups).
Babies also get to develop hand-eye coordination and speech development as they play tunes without the vocals and work out their hands on the colorful balls, rings, buttons and spin the steering wheel.
These functions all help develop gross and fine motor skills. It is recommended for kids between the age of six months to three years.
Pros:
- Comes with three choice play modes
- Suitable to boost hand-eye coordination and speech development
- Colorful balls, rings, and buttons to enhance kids’ gross and fine motor skills
- Made from durable materials
Cons:
- The toys can be quite pricey
- Drains batteries fast
- MULTI AWARDS WINNING FUN LEARNING TOY - Tillywig Brain Child & Mom's Choice Gold Metal Award Winner! Creative Child Toy of the Year & Creative Play of the Year Award! An interactive and educational light up toy to stimulate your little one's hand and eye coordination.
- DURABLE & FUN with 3 modes to play. A simple touch or spin to learn about the colors, shapes, feelings, and play lovely songs and music - while having fun!
- BEST GIFT IDEAS for both baby boys and baby girls, our educational toy for toddlers is super easy to use. A simple tap on the colorful shapes or just spin the wheel and let the fun begin.
#5 John Deere Tomy Busy Driver Car Steering Wheel Toy
Does your toddler love to play pretend as a farmer? Then this classic John Deere Tomy Busy Driver Car Steering Toy Wheel is the top baby steering wheel toy for your green thumb kid to play at home.
It has mellifluous tones of a deep rumbling tractor-like engine with realistic buttons, interactive levers, and knobs.
Kids can learn how to play independently as they start the engine with a lock and key ignition, switch gears, flash the turn signals, spin the steering wheel, and press the hazard button.
This tractor steering toy has an odometer that clicks when rotated plus flashing lights for reverse.
With musical tunes to enjoy and indicator light-ups, while driving, your younger toddler might find this musical toy steering wheel appealing. This creative child toy is appropriate for kids between eighteen months to five years.
Related: Best Musical Toy for Baby
Pros:
- Turn signals that make realistic clicking noises when engaged
- Realistic tractor-like engine sound and flashing reverse lights
- A licensed John Deere Product
Cons:
- No volume controls for loud sounds
- No power button
- Toy activity center featuring 12 interactive and fun actions
- Turning key starts tractor engine and back up with a Beep! Beep!
- Working levers, turn signal and horn; lights, sounds and music
#6 Baby Einstein Driving Tunes Musical Toy
The Baby Einstein Driving Tunes Musical Toys is a great steering wheel for car seats toy for younger children thanks to its small size and lightweightness.
Your kiddo can comfortably place this tiny steering wheel on their laps during travels. A side hoop allows it to be attached to a stroller with a clip, so you will have one less missing or falling toy to worry about.
It plays eight classical melodies and lights up, ensuring your baby is amused, especially for long car rides.
As one of the best steering wheel toys with flashing lights, it encourages your baby to tap buttons, turn the wheel, and dance to the music. The lights help develop their sensory and motor skills.
This toy is good for kids aged three months to three years old.
Pros:
- Tilingual toy featuring English, French, and Spanish, and plays classical melodies
- Lightweight enough to sit on your kid’s laps
- Can be attached to a stroller with a side hoop and clip to avoid misplacements and dirt from falls
Cons:
- No turn-off buttons
- Less durable
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#7 Casdon Sat Nav Steering Wheel
The Casdon Sat Nav Steering Wheel Toy resembles an actual steering wheel that has an interactive display (GPS – style) and 12 spoken commands that help your toddler learn about directions.
Your kid is prompted into action with its choice of command, and the navigator instructional voice together with the light-up arrows leads them to the location. The arrows installed on the screen can react to the wheel’s direction.
It blinks when you take a wrong turn, and a voice praises you if your baby has chosen the correct answer.
It includes buttons for stopping and starting, slowing down, speeding up, or beeping with many various fun sounds. This steering wheel toy is recommended for ages three to 9 years.
Pros:
- Has commands that help your kid learn about directions
- Interactive controls to teach about domino effect
- Practical motoring that sounds like a revving engine, braking, and more
- Introduce your child to maps and systems of navigation
Cons:
- May be too advanced for younger kids
- Cannot be mounted, so it can be quite uncomfortable to place in between legs while playing
- INTERACTIVE FUN: With 12 spoken commands and interactive responses, children will learn how to react to instructions.
- MULTIPLE ROUTES OF PLAY: Respond to commands, turn the wheel, use the indicators and much more.
- SUPER REALISTIC: The simulated driving sounds make using this toy steering wheel feel just like a real experience!
#8 Playgro Drive and Go Steering Wheel Toy
The Playgro Drive-and-Go Steering Wheel Toy makes an excellent amusement toy for your budding future driver, with superb sound and music effects, plus a basic wheel in a dashboard setup.
This small plastic dashboard toy can be attached to your front bar of a baby stroller or played on the floor.
It includes left and right arrows that flash when your little one plays a tune and has a wiggly bar across the top that holds a pair of teething rings.
It also features a horn that squeaks when pressed, gear shift, a simple key, a spinning ball with tiny beads within, and a blinker setup.
This one encourages imagination with STEM learning as it boosts your kid’s bilateral hand coordination.
Pros:
- Velcro straps make it easy to attach to stroller bar
- Stimulates your baby’s fine motor skills and bilateral hand coordination
- Lightweight and convenient
Cons:
- Baby has to lean forward to gnaw on the textured teething rings
- Only features two tunes that can become boring very quickly
- Steering wheel turns while horn squeeks and indicators make sounds assisting bilateral hand coordination
- Gears, twisting features and spinning features will stimulate baby's fine motor skills
- Velcro straps make it easy to attach
#9 KIDDOLab My little Driver Steering Wheel Toy
The KIDDOLab My Little Driver Steering Wheel Toy is specifically designed for toddler use. The three different bright fabrics on the wheel create visual stimulation for babies. It is also soft for a baby to easily grasp.
The plastic centre has lights, a mirror, and a pair of indicators to ensure the gas does not run out or over speed.
For safety purposes, the keys remain stacked and cannot be removed. The toy makes a clicking sound when turned on. The toy can be used in a stroller, car, floor, and other places.
Pros:
- Multiple physical experiences
- Easy for children to grasp
- Attachable to a stroller or a car seat
Cons:
- Narrow age limitations
- Fabric is non-washable (except the surface) and can become stained
- A TOY THEY CAN’T LOSE – In a couple of seconds, a strong velcro strap attaches this fun fabric toy steering wheel to your car, stroller, play pen or high chair. Baby toys for the 3 to 12 months set tend to be quickly dropped or thrown, but not this one!
- SAFE AND STRONG – Suitable for babies from 3 months, this toy steering wheel has been fully safety tested to ensure your child can play safely. Made from premium materials, it includes robust stitching, BPA-free plastic parts and a secure battery compartment (2 AA batteries required; batteries not included).
- FUN ON THE GO – Designed for use in the car, this is a great choice for families on the go. As well as attaching firmly to a post or strap, it offers a mix of fabrics, lights, sounds, a mirror and interactive switches which will fascinate older and younger babies alike.
#10 Facaily Portable Steering Wheel Toy
The Facaily Portable Steering Wheel is a fun toddler’s toy. One can attach it to a tabletop, a chair, or a stroller.
Toddlers get easily entertained since the toy has an odometer display with over ten music and sound buttons – including siren sounds used by police cars, ambulances and fire extinguisher trucks!
The toy functionalities are something that will make a young toddler enjoy more than a kid of 3+ years as labelled on its age range. It can be used with your car seat and tabletop.
Pros:
- Younger toddlers are likely to find its unique audio sounds fun and entertaining
- Comes with a working signal for turning
- Realistic design
Cons:
- Not fit for the age range of 3 years and above
- Doesn’t work in the back of a seat
- ♫【Fun education toy for kids】Turn the key to start the engine, with light and sound effects are more realistic and interesting. and it has left and right turn signal,which is realistic and interesting.Your little one will love to pretend he’s driving around.
- ♫【Back seat steering wheel toy】Help your baby develop motor skills, senses, imagination, and teach baby causality. Let your baby get more fun in the imitation,and enrich children's imagination.
- ♫【Driving simulator for kids】Light and sturdy, this steering wheel is very suitable to be brought into the car,and it fits all models, and we believe that no matter how old your child is, he will love this toy.
#11 COLOR TREE Kids Pretend Ride-on Toy Steering Wheel
The COLOR TREE Toy Steering Wheel is a very realistic toy as it has a mini car on the screen that drives according to the rotation your kid steers the wheel. With this toy, your kid learns about road safety as they pretend to drive.
It features three buttons, the firefighting truck, ambulance and police car and is ideal for your 3+ year toddler. It is a great choice for your toddler to learn about cause and effect as they check the review mirror, use the turn signals and honk the horn.
Pros:
- Fun scrolling images
- Realistic features like a responsive brake steering wheel and accelerator.
- Versatile – can turn from a sit-on toy to a floor-based one.
Cons:
- Difficult to assembly
- Quite large, not portable
- 🚗 Simulated driver: The mini car on the screen will drive according to the rotation of the steering wheel, very realistic. It will allow children to experience the real joy of driving.
- 🚗 Pretend play: Innovative accelerator & brake pedal with interphone make children feel they are really driving a car on the moving screen.
- 🚗 with Music and Lights: Toddlers pretend car toy features songs and lights, allowing your child to enjoy in the music and real world. Also three button on the learning toys introduce fire fighting truck, ambulance and police car to your child, lead children to experience a different career.
What to Look For In A Steering Wheel Toy
Here are some factors to consider when choosing the best toddler steering wheels:
Age Suitability
Age is a significant factor when choosing the right steering wheel for your toddler. Ensure that it is age-appropriate for your kid to have fun and to avoid posing any danger to your toddler.
For preventive purposes, you should ensure the toddler driving toy has a label of 0–3 years. Within that bracket, they are safe and fun to play with.
Related: How to Play With A Newborn
Safety
Ensure the steering wheel toddler toy has BPA-free plastics and materials plus meet government standards. Chemicals like phthalates can be dangerous for kids.
The steering wheel toy for car should also not be too heavy as it may cause accidents in the vehicle as your child imitates you.
Also, check the battery compartment to ensure the screws are tight so that your child can not access them. Additionally, look out for hard edges and pieces that could become loose and harm your child if dropped.
Educational Features
Your growing child is always in need of toys that encourage imaginative play and increase various social skills and brain functions. So, take a look at the steering wheel toy’s features.
With educational steering wheels, your child is sure to learn numbers, colors, songs, feelings, and other age-appropriate characteristics.
You may be interested in: Montessori VS Play-Based Learning
Child’s Interest
Is your child a fan of a particular character, style of vehicle, or color? Do they get bored easily by toys? Answering some of these queries might help you purchase the suitable steering toy that will engage them.
Design and Versatility
Some steering wheel toys are specially made for a car or car seat.
Read the packaging so that you get the toy you intended and the right place to position it. Some car seat steering wheel toys can be played on the floor at home.
Some toddlers are picky and want a model that looks exactly like a real car while some are more excited by the play potential. Consider the design and versatility factor if you do not wish to have a whole arsenal of steering wheels.
Budget
How much are you willing to spend on your tot’s car seat light-up toys? This is a query that you should consider to ensure you do not overspend as you have already window shopped.
Safety Tips on Using Toy Steering Wheels in The Car
- Understand that if your toddler likes to place their steering toy on their laps, it may become a projectile in the event of a collision.
The toy might also hit the ones in the front seat as it will most likely thrust forward. Remind and ensure your child holds the steering wheel in their hand or places it next to them on the car seat. - Most of the steering toys have sounds and bright lights that can distract a driver. Ensure to stop the car to put off the music or at least reduce the volume to low and not allow your child to play with their steering wheel while driving at night because of the glaring lights.
- Steering wheels can unfasten, becoming a danger in case of a crash. The most dangerous ones are the ones attached to a rear-facing infant carrier. You can add more fastening belts to the toy to ensure it will not unfasten.
Further reading: Baby Carrier VS Wrap VS Sling
Takeaways
A steering wheel for toddlers can teach your child sound and effect, which are excellent for your tot’s concentration and imagination as they develop your child’s motor skills and coordination from a young age.
From this round-up, we adore the VTech 3-in-1 Race and Learn for all its wonderful features! And since it is recommended for kids ages three to six, it is a toy that will last for a while.
Which of the toys above is your favorite steering wheel? Hope you find this article helpful. Don’t forget to comment below if you have thoughts and questions!
Last update on 2023-06-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Very useful information is this. I would like to share with my online parenting community.
Glad to know you find this list useful, feel free to share our best steering wheel toy list with others! 🙂