Young kids love ride-ons—there’s no doubt about that. Parents, on the other hand, have more mixed feelings. The main reason for this is that the batteries don’t have a very long lifespan. While that’s an understandable concern, most parents don’t realize that there are steps they can take to significantly increase how long these batteries last. Here’s our list of ways to preserve the charge of your child’s electric car battery.

Fully Charge It Before the First Use

If you want to get your child’s ride-on started on the right foot, make sure you charge it completely before your kid gets on for the first time. This initial charge will take longer than all the following ones. It’ll be a different length depending on the voltage, so be sure to check your manual before starting.

Let It Fully Deplete Before Recharging

You don’t want to get into the habit of topping off the battery after each use. This will slowly damage the cells inside. Instead, wait until the toy starts to slow down before charging it again. Just make sure you don’t let the charge deplete entirely. This will cause the battery to deteriorate faster than usual.

Don’t Overcharge It

The longer a battery sits on the charger, the more likely it will damage itself. That’s why you need to be aware of how long it’s been charging. You can’t just put it on the charger and forget about it until the next time you see it. You need to set a reminder on your phone to remove it immediately after it finishes charging.

Make Sure It Gets Charged Every Few Weeks

If it’s been a few weeks since your child has last used their ride-on, it might be time to charge it up again. Batteries deplete slowly over time when plugged in. In order to avoid the previously mentioned problems, you’ll want to get the battery to a full charge every so often.

If your kid has been taking a long break from their vehicle or they’re unable to ride it, given the season, it would be best for you to disconnect the battery before placing it in storage. This will keep it in a healthy state until the next time you use it.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures

Very high or low temperatures can also negatively affect your ride-on’s battery. That’s why the last way to preserve the charge of your child’s electric car is to simply regulate its temperature. We previously mentioned putting the vehicle into storage for the winter. If you need to do that, be sure to put it somewhere warm.

Heat is definitely harder to control. Not only can the vehicle heat up in hot weather, but general use will warm it up too. If your child’s car is a low voltage model, you’ll want to make sure they don’t push it too hard. Fortunately, if you get one of our kids’ ride-on two-seater cars, you’ll likely have a 12V battery, which is better at driving through rough terrain without experiencing strain. Also, be sure to avoid fast charger cables. They can quickly heat it up as well.