‘My 2-year-old tried the stroller that turns into a trike. Here’s her verdict.’

One of my favourite daily rituals with my toddler is our morning walk. We walk along the main street of our neighbourhood, hand-in-hand looking at the window displays, telling each other stories, and buying our lunch and snacks for the day.

It’s a leisurely but long thirty-minute walk and when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping, it almost feels like we’re in a Disney movie.

Except, in recent weeks, Miss 2 hasn’t been so interested in doing the actual walking part. About three minutes into our walk she throws herself onto the ground and screams so loudly that the lady across the street peeks through her front curtains.

And so, our once perfect walk has turned into a toddler tantrum which ends with me carrying her and both of us regretting ever leaving home.

Which was precisely why I was so excited to get my hot little hands on the SmarTrike STR7. Spoiler alert: My daughter is officially obsessed and now begs me to let her go on her “big bike”.

It's the only stroller-certified stroller-trike on the market, and with effortless one-handed steering it is easy to manoeuvre (even up hills!).

But this particular edition, my friends, is special. Why? Well, it's the limited edition Imagine model, which was very coolly designed by London-based artist, Kelly Anna. Yep, it's that cool. 

Alongside the Imagine model, she's also designed the Explore, both bringing her trademark bold and unique style to the designs. Drawing on her own experiences as a mother, Kelly wanted to reflect on the excitement of accompanying your child through their early childhood exploration and development. The result is an eye-catching colour palette and abstract design, making it a practical (i.e. no strawberry stains in sight!) and visually very funky, too. 

Image: Supplied.

The designs further represent SmartTrike’s mission of providing children with a continuous learning experience through movement from as early an age as possible. The seven stages from a baby push tricycle to an independent toddler tricycle, helps children develop the motor skills, confidence, and balance needed for independent riding.

Now, you've got the 411, here's our verdict.

The set up

Oh, yes. The part almost every parent hates: assembling... well, anything.

Thankfully, though, it was super quick and easy (even with a toddler grabbing at everything). 

It's also tool-free so you don't have to rummage through the toolbox to find that pesky screwdriver you swear has always lived there. Instead, it just takes a few clicks, and it's ready to go. 

The changeable modes

The reason the internet is obsessed with this stroller? It turns into a trike. YES, I repeat: It turns into a trike (!!!). 

My daughter is growing so quickly and becoming more independent with her movements, so she loves the fact that she feels in control. She has been able to experiment with the movement of the trike, and I have watched her grow from novice to professional trike driver in just a short space of time. 

I also love that in the press of a button I can easily give control of the trike to her, or switch it back into a push tricycle when she is tired... which let's be real, with toddlers, happens quite a bit. 

It has a reclinable seat so I can adjust it to suit whatever mood my daughter is in, and she looks comfortable and supported. The seat also has a fully padded cover that can be easily removed and washed when sticky banana hands go everywhere (love that for me). 

I am also a big safety Sam (*insert salute emoji*), and the SmarTrike definitely delivers. It has a five-point harness and detachable front safety bar, so my girl not only looks happy in the trike, but safe too. It also comes with a handlebar strap, perfect for downhill walks and getting that extra bit of support and control. 

The parent-controlled brake system is also pretty darn nifty. Like a true life action hero, I smartly used the brake system when my 18-month-old niece thought it would be fun to steer my daughter down the footpath! (Whoops, she said.)

Image: Supplied.

The storage

As mothers, we carry... well, absolutely everything. (Mental load included.)

So naturally, one of my favourite parts is the inclusion of two bags. The first sits high on the handles and is perfect for keys and your phone. The other is a larger storage bag at the bottom – perfect for holding a few groceries or carrying a range of snacks, water bottles, and soft toys if your toddler is anything like mine. 

The best part is that even with the bags full (believe me, I’ve tried), the trike is still lightweight and easy to push.

With summer coming up, I particularly love the fact that it folds down easily for storage and travel – perfect to take with us on our summer road trips. 

Image: Supplied.

My only regret? Not knowing about the SmarTrike earlier because it would have been a game-changer during my little girl's "I hate the pram" phase. The fact that it is super versatile, easy to change from stroller to trike, and is suitable for children aged between 6-36 months, means that you’re getting a product that will grow with your child (a rarity in the baby world!).

The versatility and longevity of use for the SmarTrike make this a must-have piece. Take it from me, we’ve gone from middle of the street meltdowns back to birds-chirping, peaceful outings. (Thank. Goodness.)

Check out the limited edition SmarTrike STR x Anna Kelly range to find a stroller trike kids will actually want to hop in. 

Find your perfect SmarTrike from a variety of different price points, including the STR3, STR5 and the STR7. Shop now from Baby Bunting, Toymate, Mr Toys Toyworld, Toys R Us and Catch.

Feature Image: Supplied.