How to Get Your Kid Into Go-Kart Racing

Whether it’s from playing Mario Kart on their games console or watching the thrills and spills of Formula One at the weekends, car racing is hugely popular amongst kids of all ages. 

But, there’s no getting away from the fact that go kart racing isn’t quite as accessible as hobbies like football, dancing or arts and crafts. Whilst they’ll probably get the chance to try their hand at all of these through school, go karting isn’t typically an extracurricular activity!

This can leave parents thinking one thing: how on earth do you get your kid into go karting?

In this blog, we’ll go over the basics of go karting, why it’s a brilliant thing for your child and how to get them started out on the track. 

New to the world of go karting? Check out our beginner’s guide to go karting to learn everything you’ll need to know to get your kid off to a flying start.

What are the benefits of getting your kids into go karting?

Alongside your child being the coolest kid in the playground with their exciting new hobby, go karting has more benefits than you might think. Let’s take a look at some reasons to get your kid into go karting.

1. Family bonding 

A fun experience that provides a learning curve is always a great way to bond with the people taking part. Go karting with your child is an amazing way to have structured fun and feel closer to each other.

2. Coordination and development 

Go karting helps your children develop various skills behind the wheel. It allows them an early start to improving their hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and reflexes as they drive their vehicle around the track and have to make decisions on the spot. It also improves their spatial awareness and concentration.

3. Car safety 

Being behind the wheel at a young age gives children valuable practice for their later years when they’re likely to be driving an actual car themselves. It could also reduce costs in the future for things like driving lessons, every little helps!

4. Sportsmanship 

Go karting is a professional, competitive sport; meaning your child may well lose sometimes. Interacting with other kids in a competitive environment will expose your child to different social situations, helping their development and in turn helping them learn to regulate their emotions in different scenarios. They’ll be learning to follow rules, listen to instructions and respect other members of the activity regularly.

5. Potential career 

You never know what could happen if you expose your child to go karting early enough. When you look at a lot of professional drivers, kart racing often serves as a stepping stone to their success in the field. Starting something young is a great way to ignite a passion for car racing and pave the way for future involvement in professional motorsport careers.

6. Fun 

It has to be said, go karting is a lot of fun, especially for children. It’s a great way to keep them occupied, engaged and happy.

Top tips on how to get your kid into go karting

Classically, children can be awkward and struggle to remain engaged in one specific interest. As parents, you’ll know how much your child can change their favourite thing from week to week. We’ve got a few top tips on how to keep your child engaged in go karting.

Find an instructor and book lessons

The best way to get a child to immerse themselves in kart racing is through local track-karting lessons. In these sessions, your child will be in a friendly environment, equipped with safety gear and taught the proper way to handle the vehicles by an expert.

Get the right kart for them

There’s nothing like the sense of ownership your child will feel with their own kart. Here at Kids Electric Ride On Cars, we have some great kid-karts and electric car options to help get your kid used to being behind the wheel in a safe and fun environment.

Not only this, but your child will love some of the accessories that you can add to their kart to make it their own. Check out our ride on car accessories for their go kart.

Find out what they like about go karting

The best way to help a child’s interest in something is to talk with them about it. Find out what they like about go karting, maybe it’s kart racing, maybe it’s driving fast, or maybe it’s simply the adult feeling of having ownership of a vehicle. Once you know more about their interest, you can tailor their experience to ensure they remain as engaged as possible.

Find them a karting role model

It’s fair to say that any budding kid racer needs a role model to look up to. As we all know, the reason you pick up a hobby as a child is because you are inspired by someone else. The modern-day has a load of driving icons to choose from, from the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel to Max Verstappen.

Patience

No matter how amazing your child is, no one can become a racing champion overnight. Like anyone learning to do anything, it requires a lot of patience, especially with a technical hobby like go karting.

Is go karting safe for young children?

As long as you take the proper safety measures and precautions, go karting is perfectly safe for younger children. 

When you’re trying to make go karting as safe as possible for your child, it’s important to consider what type of go kart they should be driving, the use of safety gear like helmets and seat belts, and adult assistance. With appropriate precautions in place, you can ensure you have provided your children with a fun and secure experience in their kart.

You can read a little more about if go karting is safe for kids in our blog post.

Where can you take a child go karting?

• Go karting tracks: The first, most obvious place to go is a dedicated local track, and there’s a great selection of these across the UK, catering to drivers of all ages, including children. These tracks provide the best possible environment for kids to experience go karting, as everyone is there to celebrate a mutual love of the karts.

• Amusement parks: Some of the larger amusement parks in the UK offer go karting attractions, specifically designed for children. These attractions feature smaller and slower go karts, providing an accessible  way for young children to experience being behind the wheel for the first time.
• Family entertainment centres: Indoor family entertainment centres are known to often include go karting as one of their attractions.
• Outdoor recreational venues: Some outdoor recreational venues, such as adventure parks or recreational complexes, have kart racing facilities suitable for children. These venues ensure a fun and exciting go karting experience for young drivers.

As we’ve said before, make sure that you research specific venues in your local area and check their age and size requirements to find the most suitable place to take your child go karting in the UK, and get the most out of your experience as possible.

Go-karts from Electric Ride On Cars

Here at Electric Ride On Cars, we have a wide array of options available to get your little one behind the wheel, supporting any age group and any level of experience along the way.

From our beginner karts like the Kids Huffy Green Machine 360 6v Electric Ride-on Spin Go Kart to something a little more advanced like our Kids Neo Outlaw Mud Monster 1000w 48v Powerful Electric GoKart/Buggy and everything in between, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re not sure about the right choice for your child, don’t worry, you can contact our team of experts, who can help you make the perfect choice.

FAQs 

How much does a go kart cost?

Due to the range of types of kids’ karts available, the cost can vary massively. If you’re looking to get a pedal kart to get your child started, you can find one for as cheap as £100. From there, the cost can go up to as much as £7,000 for a premium go kart.

What is the minimum height for go karting

The minimum height for go karting in the UK can vary depending on the go karting facility you’re going to and their regulations. While there is no national rule for height across all venues, most serious go karting facilities have a minimum height of around 1.2 meters (4 feet) as a general guideline.

If you’re taking part in sessions in less specific karting venues, like amusement parks, you may see more leniency. It’s always worth checking beforehand!

What’s the minimum age for go karting?

In the UK, the minimum age for go karting typically varies between different venues. It often depends on different factors such as the specifications of the go karts used and the track’s safety regulations.

Usually, kids can start go karting from the age of approximately six years old. However, some venues may have a minimum age requirement of eight or even ten years old. Some places can also judge it on the height of the child.

Before you visit a go karting track, it’s important to call in advance to ask about your child’s eligibility and avoid any disappointment on arrival.