For a 3 year old?

[Exalted85]

My son is about to hit 3, and I'd like to get him an rc vehicle. I'm thinking a crawler would probably be best, something slow..so slow that when (not if :p) he runs into ppl's ankles (mine) it won't hurt

I'm hoping to keep it under a hundo, but didn't want to get him a Wal-Mart special. His current rc truck can barely move on carpet, heh.

[durok]

Under a hundred typically means you'll be limited to the tiny crawlers in the 1/24th scale range.

For a 3 year old, I personally wouldn't want to go with one that small.

I'd think around $150 would be best - look at the ECX Temper or Barrage.

[svt923]

My son is 3.5 and he absolutely loves driving the SCX24.

Totally worth the $110 for the enjoyment he gets out of it.

[Shinchu]

my son got a barrage for his 9th and was out-driving some grown men with SCX10 at proline by the fire 2018 lol

but 3? hmmm... yeah just get something cheap (used?) and turn throttle trim all the way down. SCX24 sounds ok but might be fragile at that scale. bang good? WPL Toyota thing?

[rattmobbins]

Jeez, my kids could barely walk without falling down constantly at 3, much less have the coordination needed to drive an RC car. My almost 6 year old still struggles with steering and is constantly running into curbs and whatnot. LOL!

That being said, I'd say get your kiddo a used Traxxas Slash and put it in training mode (1/2 speed) on a 2S LiPo or NiMH battery. The Slash is damn near indestructible, parts are dirt cheap and EVERYWHERE if you do manage to break something, and used Slash's can be had for next to nothing on Craigs and FB and stuff.

[Voodoobrew]

You can buy yourself a crawler and replace the esc with a hobbywing 1080 and just set the max forward and reverse speeds to 20% no need to buy toys that you don't enjoy too.

I just let the kids play with my crawlers, and if they break wife can't complain when they get upgrades

[LSXGMC]

I just bought my 3.5 year old a ECX Brutus and he absolutely loves it. His next rig will be a TRX4 Sport.

[GrimmTheTourist]

My now 4.5 year old son drives my rcs since he is about 2.5 years old. Just reduce travel on the transmitter.
Tamiya Neo Fighter is a really cool buggy for starting.
Besides the crawlers he drives now even my Losi Tenacity on 50-75% Speed depending on the size of the place we are driving
His new favourite is the bomber. It just drives over everything which is pretty cool for a young one

I totally agree with voodoobrew, don't buy toy grade stuff, not worth it.

[zane!]

My 3.5 year old is getting better with my yard basher ECX Barrage, they hold up to a decent amount of abuse.

[brimdogg]

I'd suggest finding a Redcat Everest 10. New they're only about $150, used can be found for less yet.
Very forgiving, and easy to work on.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[svt923]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

SCX24 sounds ok but might be fragile at that scale.

You said this and later that day my son drove our SCX24 off a 9ft flight of stairs. No problems outside of a body clip popping off so decidedly not fragile.

[Shinchu]

nice.
try that on rocks though? ;)
my son tumbled his barrage down my father in law's backyard waterfall (STEEP 15-20 ft, some pics in my 79 ford thread) and it cartwheeled, pirouette, etc... got to the bottom and the rear axle shaft was doing about 45 deg. at the lockout. YIKES! soft enough i just bent it back straight and he kept driving lol


this is a good thread even though its been done several times, as new products get relased its good to revisit. my little guy Tyler is 9 months and 1 day today. maybe when he turns 3 he'll be tearing up the pebbles with a WPL Toyota methinks!

[Thorsteenster]

Nothing wrong with a Wally special for a 3 year old, and well under a hundred. Most I've seen are fairly durable for what they are, and probably easy to patch up. Let him bash on it while getting some basics down and then look at something a little more mainstream.
That's my $.02

[TexasSP]

Originally Posted by Thorsteenster

Nothing wrong with a Wally special for a 3 year old, and well under a hundred. Most I've seen are fairly durable for what they are, and probably easy to patch up. Let him bash on it while getting some basics down and then look at something a little more mainstream.
That's my $.02

Agreed, your better this route than a cheap "hobby grade" RC. I have been there with two boys now 8 and 13. Neither really have had a lasting interest and they mainly like them because "daddy has one".

They had as much or more fun with cheap Walmart ones that grandparents bought them as they did with ones I built or bought them.

Scalers/Crawlers are designed and geared toward the adult market, the Walmart stuff is geared toward kids, they know what they're doing.

[Shinchu]

my kids have a few wally specials. with zero suspension, good luck on anything but smooth concrete. they hop and bounce around so much on the smallest pebbles its impossible to keep them pointed in the intended direction. no torque and couldn't even climb over a gardenhose. yay? could satisfy a 3 year old for getting the hang of controls i suppose?
mine are in a pile in a large box, filed under "maybe i'll use them someday for something..." but probably not.

[rkj__]

Originally Posted by Shinchu

my kids have a few wally specials. with zero suspension, good luck on anything but smooth concrete. they hop and bounce around so much on the smallest pebbles its impossible to keep them pointed in the intended direction. no torque and couldn't even climb over a gardenhose. yay? could satisfy a 3 year old for getting the hang of controls i suppose?
mine are in a pile in a large box, filed under "maybe i'll use them someday for something..." but probably not.

When I was 4 or 5, I was amused by a basic RC car with no suspension.


When I was 7 or 8, I was amused by an RC car that was a little faster, had some suspension, and could do some jumps.



As an adult, before I got my Ascender, my wife bought me a $20 (on sale from $60 or so) RC truck as sort of a gag gift for Christmas one year. It was moderately fun, but yes, it was not for rough terrain at all. It had suspension, but it did not articulate under its own weight. It was fun for a quick drive around the house. It was fast enough that it could catch a touch of air, if you set up a good jump. I got $20 of fun out of it then sold it for $15 to a man who was going to give it to his grandson.

[Shinchu]

oh yeah i agree there are certainly "stages" of RC growth. i just want to spoil my kiddo without going broke ;D

[wheelhaus]

I say go for it, just make sure its something durable and you won't feel guilty about the cost if he doesn't get into it.

I got a 1/24 Deadboldt for my 5yo daughter (and then one for myself two days later because it was too much fun) and she loves it. Its been fun helping her learn how to modulate throttle to clear obstacles, otherwise she just wants to go full throttle over everything... We build little ramps, obstacles, and trails around the living room or just outside the house and she puts on this deep voice and says stuff like "C'mon Bro, lets see if we can make it to the end and get some tacos and burritos at this really good place to eat I know about" XD

[Thorsteenster]

My first RC at, shoot I don't remember but under ten, had no suspension and only went forward and turned in reverse. You know what, I played with that thing to no end.
At 3, he isn't going to care if it has suspension, how well it traverses terrain, or doesn't traverse, he just cares he's controlling it. Bouncing or bump soaking isn't going to alter the fun factor much at that age.

[Shinchu]

not a pic of mine but i had one when i was... 5? then in '90 i got a Tamiya blackfoot. i guess i was spoiled lol

i'd love to find one of these and put some modernization under it. new shocks/suspension geometry, maybe brushless lol