Best Hoverboards For Kids

“Hoverboards” don’t really “hover”--at least not yet. They’re more accurately called, “self-balancing scooters”: they still rely on wheels that maintain contact with the ground. But they can be tremendous fun, whatever you call them!

There are hoverboards designed just for children and young teens--even for kids as young as nine years old! These hoverboards won’t be able to support an adult’s weight, and they don’t travel as fast as an adult model. But there are still lots of great features--colorful lights, Bluetooth hookup to a smartphone to stream music, and the ability to go on all sorts of terrain. Just ensure that your child takes all the necessary precautions--like wearing a helmet and protection for their knees and elbows--and they should be good to go!

However, you’ll see hoverboards differ in many of their features: how fast can they go, what kind of tires do they use, weight allowance, and whether it’s just for city use, or even on rough terrain. We’ll go through some of the most popular models, and what they have to offer, to help you make a wise decision.

What’s the difference between a hoverboard for kids and a hoverboard for adults?

There will be a few specs that define a hoverboard being exclusively for kids:

• Weight allowance: Hoverboards for kids will typically have a lower weight allowance. For example, the Hover-1 Helix Hoverboard has a 160-lb weight limit. But many allow for a 250 lbs maximum. Even with such a large weight allowance, you should play it safe and stay at least 10% under that payload limit. But note: there is also a minimum weight requirement as well. The Gyroor Warrior is an all-terrain hoverboard, with larger, 8.5” wheels and a more powerful 300 Watt motor. To operate properly, a child must weigh at least 15 kg (33 lbs).

• Maximum speed: These hoverboards will not be able to go as fast as adult models. The fastest that we noticed in the top 10 hoverboards for kids is the Uni-Sun hoverboard, which can go at a maximum speed of 9.3 mph. Others are somewhat slower, only allowing 7.5 mph.

• Easy to use: Hoverboards for kids will be simpler to use so that a child can get used to maneuvering on them: speeding up, slowing down, and turning. Also, children have fewer fears and inhibitions, so they’ll get used to riding more quickly!

• Tires: You’ll see hoverboards with pneumatic tires, that you have to inflate, and others with solid rubber tires. The pneumatic tires give a smoother ride, and can adjust to different, more uneven terrain. But, the Gyroor Warrior has solid rubber wheels, and it’s still able to go on grass, gravel, and even wet surfaces.

• Power of the motor: You’ll see variation among hoverboards as to how powerful their motors are. The Hover-1 Hoverboard has two 250-Watt motors. Other models are similar, with two 200-Watt motors.

• Exercise: You might think that passively standing on a hoverboard isn’t very much exercise at all. But, in fact, it can teach your child to maintain proper posture! When you lean forward on a hoverboard, it makes you go faster. In order to slow down, it’ll force your child to stand up straight. It also trains a child’s balance and exercises certain muscle groups to travel straight or to make turns.

• Direction: When you step on the hoverboard’s pedals, it activates the device’s sensors. You shift your weight forward to propel yourself forward and lean back to slow down. Pressing with your left foot only will cause you to turn to the left while pressing with your right foot will make a right turn.

• Safety: Take precautions against falls and other bumps: Ensure that your child wears a helmet, as well as knee and elbow pads. Also, cheaper models have been known to cause a fire when being charged, or even in the middle of riding. Look for hoverboards with UL2272 certification. This means that the hoverboard has passed electrical testing against overheating.

• The Sisigad Hoverboard is an easy-to-learn hoverboard for kids and people just starting out--most can master it in as little as two minutes! It uses a wireless speaker that hooks up to a smartphone or other mobile device to stream music.

Sisigad Hoverboard

• The Lieagle Hoverboard is also suitable for kids and adults, and is heat and fire resistant. It has 6.5” wheels, LED headlights for night riding, and red-green-blue sidelights. It is capable of even doing a 360-degree rotation.

Lieagle Hoverboard

• The Uni-Sun Hoverboard for Kids is a self-balancing scooter that can go up to 9.3 mph and 12.4 miles on a single charge. They come in three series: the Chrome series for children ages 9-12, the Pure-Color Series for children 4-8 years old, and the Funny series for teenagers.

Uni-Sun Hoverboard for Kids

• The Hover-1 H1-100 Electric Hoverboard Scooter has a built-in Bluetooth speaker so that you can listen to music as you ride around, Infinity LED wheels and customizable headlights. It has a maximum weight capacity of 220 lbs., and can travel up to 7 mph. It has three skill modes and can travel up to 10 miles on a single charge.

Hover-1 H1-100 Electric Hoverboard Scooter

• The Swagtron T580 is an app-enabled Bluetooth hoverboard, which allows you to listen to songs from your smartphone. You can also check your speed and battery life with the app, and map out where you’ve been, and where you’re headed. The hoverboard weighs 20 pounds and can travel up to 7.5 mph. It can support riders ranging from 44-220 lbs and can go up inclines as steep as 30 degrees. It goes up to 8 miles on a single charge.

Swagtron T580 Bluetooth Hoverboard