A fresh layer of snow has fallen overnight, your kiddos look bored, and you’d like them to play outside for a while. What’s the harm in letting the kids drive their Power Wheels in the snow? Here’s why that may not be the best idea.

Power Wheels and Snow

While driving their Power Wheel through a heavy layer of snow would probably be a blast—after all, adults go off-roading in the snow for a reason—it may not be a great idea. This is because most electronic Power Wheels are not designed for this purpose.

The exposed battery and wiring can get damaged by getting wet, which is likely to happen if your kiddo is driving through deep snow. This means the life of your kid’s Power Wheel might get shortened considerably.

Power Wheels for Traction

If you understand the risks and don’t mind the car wearing out faster than usual, that’s fine! We just want you to know the risks. Electric cars with great traction are the best choice for extreme terrain like snow. 4x4 ride-on toys like kid’s buggies or jeeps will perform better than models based on sports cars.

What We Recommend

If you are trying to make your kid’s Power Wheel last as long as possible, we’d recommend not driving it in deep snow.

However, if there’s only an inch or two of snow on the ground, there may not be any damage done. Just be aware—it’s still riskier than driving on dry grass, and the battery will likely not hold a charge as long as usual due to the cold weather. You can fix this by plugging it back in, however!

That said, if your kid has almost outgrown their Power Wheel, you may not care. Letting your kids drive their Power Wheels in the snow might be the perfect final voyage before they upgrade to the next sized vehicle.