The 6 Best Kids Roller Coasters

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This wiki has been updated 28 times since it was first published in December of 2016. Just because most amusement parks prevent little ones from using their rides, that doesn't mean your children can't enjoy some excitement, thanks to these roller coasters for kids. We've included options that are appropriate for different ages, as well as large and small selections to suit various spaces. Make sure to outfit your youngster with a helmet and watch them closely as they play. When users buy our independently chosen editorial selections, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.

1. Step2 Extreme Coaster

2. Step2 Up & Down Ride

3. Step2 Thomas The Tank Engine

Editor's Notes

October 16, 2020:

During this round of updates, we streamlined our listing by removing the Lego Creator Expert and the K'Nex Thrill Rides Electric Inferno as these are model roller coasters to build and play with but cannot be physically ridden. Additionally, similar items are more extensively covered in our K'Nex Roller Coasters listing.

Although comparable to the Step2 Up & Down Ride, we've added the Step2 Unicorn as it sports a slightly different construction to the former and, more importantly, offers a cute mythical character to ride upon. This new selection also caught our eye due to its motion-activated light and speakers, which play charming magical noises.

August 02, 2019:

While there was very little movement in this category since we last checked into it, we have shaken up the list a bit in favor of slightly more exciting options. Both of the Extreme models by Step2 made their way into our top three this time around, with the Hot Wheels model pulling up in third due to the potential for the little bump that comes late in its ride to scare some children. The model at number one offers both speed and an easier experience for youngsters, as it runs in a pretty straight line. We also added another option like the K'Nex offering on our last ranking, one that kids can build, but that's decidedly too small for anyone to ride. This one comes from LEGO, and I suspect they drew their design from the shape of the famous Cyclone on Coney Island in New York City. It's an intricate and enjoyable model to build and to play with afterwards.

4. Step2 Extreme Thrill Hot Wheels

This item has been flagged for editorial review and is not available.

5. Step2 Unicorn

6. Radio Flyer 500


Cat Bushen
Last updated by Cat Bushen

Originally from Wales, UK, Cat skipped the country shortly after completing her bachelor of arts in English and social policy, with no real purpose other than to see the world. Years and countless jobs later, such as coaching tennis, teaching at the constitutional court of Indonesia, and building a guesthouse on a beach, she still has no intention of settling down. Having begun training in Taekwondo at the age of five, she achieved her black belt before going on to study kickboxing and Krav Maga, resulting in a good knowledge of all things related to martial arts. Through years of hiking up volcanoes and mountains, scuba diving, and just generally riding around on a motorcycle, Cat is well informed in the fields of outdoor clothing and equipment, camping paraphernalia, and of course travel.


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