A ride-on excavator is a child’s toy that looks and operates like a real excavator. An excavator is a piece of heavy machinery with a boom arm and a bucket on the end that is used to dig trenches or holes. The excavator’s body is made up of a base with tracks or tires and a rotating “house” where the driver sits to operate the vehicle. The excavator can access all areas around the house because it rotates 360 degrees. The ride-on excavator is a much smaller, non-motorized version of this machine designed for children’s play.
A ride-on excavator’s size and function vary, but most models are small enough to accommodate small children aged three to nine or ten years old. The machine’s quality varies by brand, and while higher-end models may have wheels or rotating tracks that allow it to move forward, lower-end models may only be stationary. Some models have a rotating house, similar to that of a full-sized excavator, while others are static. A moving boom arm and bucket are standard on almost all ride-on excavator models, though they are not powered by hydraulics like a full-sized excavator.
On top of the house, a seat is usually mounted behind the boom arm; this seat is usually hard plastic, and the child can sit on it to position himself or herself behind the boom arm controls. The arm is controlled by two hand levers: one extends the boom, while the other controls the bucket’s position. Some models of ride-on excavators have metal buckets, while others have plastic buckets; the bucket’s and boom arm’s durability will often determine whether the machine can do any real digging. The machine may not be very good at actually moving materials in some cases, in which case it is best used in a sandbox. Others are capable of digging and even moving heavy soil.
Many parents purchase a ride-on excavator for their child not only because it is entertaining, but also because it can aid in the development of dexterity and coordination. A child’s hand-eye coordination and strength can both benefit from operating the controls. The excavator is generally a safe toy, though some may have small parts that could cause choking in very young children.