At our house, remote control cars are a prized possession. With two boys, we have (and have had) many remote control cars. The best overall remote control car for 3-6-year-olds is the Cartoon Police and Race Car. With its durable construction and parent-controlled speeds, this remote control car should last through the destructive times and into the more controlled racing times.
Read below to find out more about the best remote control cars for 3, 4, 5, and 6-year-olds.
Best Remote Control Cars for a 3-Year-Old
Both the Prextex Cars and the Disney Mickey Racer include 2-button remote controls, making it easy for 3-year-olds to use. Unlike the Disney Mickey Racer, the Prextex Cars have removable characters and feature lights and sounds on the vehicles.
Prextex Police and Race Car
Out of all the remote control cars that are suitable for 3-year-olds, I picked this Police and Race Car as the best. I love that two cars come in the pack and that they’re on different frequencies so you can race.
Features
This remote control car set is actually a double! You get both a remote control police car and a race car in this set. They also come with interchangeable figures.
Because both vehicles come together in the set, the manufacturer has set different frequencies on each vehicle. This means that you should be able to race them against each other without the remotes controlling both cars (sometimes, when you buy remote control cars, they can be set to the same frequency. This makes it impossible to race since one remote will control both cars).
The two-button remotes make it easy for your 3-year-old toddler to drive the car with minimal help. Press one button to go forward and the other button to turn in a circle.
Also, the vehicles make music when you push the buttons. It makes an excellent gift for 3-year-olds.
Technical Information
- Car Dimensions: 5 x 4 x 7 inches
- Manufacturer Recommended Age: 3+ years
- Batteries Needed: 5 AAs per unit (10 AAs total)
- Are Batteries Provided?: No
Possible Issues
- The vehicles make music when you push the buttons. This could possibly be annoying.
- Sounds from the car is also said to be quite loud
Jada Toys Mickey Racer
In my house, we have lots of love for Mickey Mouse, so it was really tempting to choose the Jada Toys Mickey Racer. We loved the older model where the car would transform from a car into Mickey’s roadster, but this model is more simple for a younger boy. It does have a cool spin feature, where you can press a button and make the car spin 360-degrees.
A big reason why this didn’t make it to the #1 spot is that some of the pieces may fall off after big crashes. Several people reported that pieces of their car fell off after it crashed against a wall. If you have a new driver (like a 3-year-old might be), this car for kids might be a bad choice. However, if you had a good driver who loved Mickey, or Minnie Mouse, this would be excellent!
Best Remote Control Cars for a 4-Year-Old
Haktoys Stunt Car
The Haktoys Stunt Car will catch your little one’s attention right away with its bright flashing LED lights. Crazy stunts include 180-degree and 360-degree movements. A charged battery offers about 25-30 minutes of playtime, which isn’t much time, but it only takes 1.5 hours to charge it back up. You may think this remote control car looks too difficult for your 4-year-old, but parents say even their 3-year-old has been able to drive it!
Best Remote Control Cars for a 5-Year-Old
Both the Amicool Car and the Drift Stunt Motorcycle are designed for acrobatic stunts. Unlike the Amicool Car that cannot be recharged, the Drift Stunt Motorcycle can be recharged multiple times.
Amicool 4WD 2.4Ghz Car
Even though the manufacturer recommends your child be 8 or older to play with this remote control car, I think the Amicool 4WD 2.4Ghz Car is perfect for a 5-year-old. The promo video shows a younger boy playing with the car with zero problems controlling it.
Features
This remote control car looks kind of like a monster truck. It has a cool z shape that allows for fun moves. It also has bright colors and big, colorful grip tires. The reason why I love this RC crawler is that it flips over whenever it hits something. This means that even terrible drivers can operate this car and not tear it up.
The remote control has two joysticks. One drives the car forward and backward. The other turns the car left or right. Then there’s a power switch, and that’s it. Definitely simple enough for a 5-year-old to figure out without help.
With this car, there is only one speed–fast! It’s fun to watch this speedy car zip around the room or flip off some stairs.
Another benefit of this car is that it’s relatively inexpensive. So many remote control cars are relatively expensive. If your child accidentally breaks it on the first run, which is a possibility, it can be really frustrating. When you buy an inexpensive car, it’s not such a big deal if something breaks.
That being said, we’ve had ours for a couple of years now and nothing has broken. My older son has always been a good driver and taken good care of the car, but my younger one is a relatively horrible driver and more reckless with its care. There are many crashes and he pulls the tires off, but nothing has ever broken and everything goes back on just as if it never came off.
Technical Information
- Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 6.3 x 2.8 inches
- Manufacturer Recommended Age: 8 years and up
- Batteries Needed: 4 AAAs, 2 AAs
- Are Batteries Provided?: No
Possible Issues
- There seems to be an inconsistency with quality. Some people even report their car breaking within the first day or showing up broken.
- It doesn’t go over huge obstacles, despite having the big tires and flexibility. It’s mostly meant for the road.
Drift Stunt Motorcycle
Okay, I know I said the best remote control cars, but you have to check out this Drift Stunt Remote Control Motorcycle. The crazy thing about this remote control motorcycle is how the wheels rotate to spin, drive backward, and “side wheel race.” Parents say the Seliever Remote Control Motorcycle is pretty entertaining and honestly, you can’t beat the price!
Best Remote Control Cars for a 6-Year-Old
The Jada Toys GIRLMAZING Jeep features a vehicle big enough for Barbie dolls and stickers to decorate it with. On the other hand, the EpochAir Wall Climbing Car is able to drive on walls and even comes in a Transformers design.
EpochAir Wall Climbing Car
Simply put, the Wall Climbing RC Car blows my mind.
Features
Not only does this remote control car race across the floor, but it also climbs the walls and does stunts. The car uses air suction technology to climb the walls and move quickly. Because of its 360 Stunt Rotation capabilities, you can race the car across the wall and even perform stunts while it’s up there!
The infrared remote control has two joysticks–one for moving forward and backward, the other for driving clockwise and counter-clockwise. It also has 3 frequency settings so you can have the best reception and ensure that your fun is uninterrupted.
There are flashing red and blue LED lights. This is particularly neat looking at night.
Although the car body is lightweight, it’s also strong. This means that your car is less likely to get damaged if it accidentally falls off a wall.
Technical Information
- Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 3.3 x 1.6 inches
- Manufacturer Recommended Age: 5 years and up
- Batteries Needed: 6 AAs
- Are Batteries Provided?: Not the AAs. A rechargeable 3.7V 120MAH battery is provided for the car, and the AAs are for its remote.
Possible Issues
- There’s always the chance that you may get a defective product. Truthfully though, so few people have had issues with this car that I struggle to find complaints aside from the occasional person who has gotten a defective car right out of the box.
Jada Toys GIRLMAZING Jeep
You may be wondering if there are any girly remote control cars out there and we’re here to say, YES! The GIRLMAZING Jeep is not only super cool looking, but it comes with a set of decals so your child can decorate their Jeep however they want! Unlike many remote control cars, this Jeep RC features open space for placing toys, dolls, or anything else inside.
Comparing Remote Control Cars
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
| Drift Stunt Motorcycle | 6.9 | 8.8 | 38.99 |
| Prextex Police and Race Car | 9.9 | 9.2 | 34.99 |
| EpochAir Wall Climbing Car | 9.9 | 8.4 | 30.99 |
| Jada Toys Mickey Racer | 7.7 | 9.0 | 24.99 |
| Haktoys Stunt Car | 6.5 | 8.6 | 24.99 |
| Jada Toys GIRLMAZING Jeep | 9.0 | 9.0 | 24.18 |
| Amicool 4WD 2.4Ghz Car | 3.9 | 8.6 | - |
FAQs – Remote Control Cars for Kids
What is the best age for a remote control car?
Age 2 or 3 can be a great time to start using a remote control car.
Many models, like the Best Choice Products RC Cars, have simple controls with forward and reverse functions only. The cars and remotes are sized for little hands so they’ll be easy to use. They’re also made from durable plastic with no little parts to break off.
As long as your child can understand that pushing a button makes the car go forwards and backward, they’re ready to give an RC car a try.
How much do remote control cars cost?
RC cars are a hobby that can get really expensive really quickly. For the biggest kids (aka grown-ups), you can spend upwards of $200 on an RC car. Some cost twice that! For kiddos, you can find great RC car options under $100.
For little kids, I wouldn’t spend more than $50 to $75 on an RC car. You can find great and durable options in that price range. Until you know that this will be a hobby that sticks, I recommend buying fun and inexpensive toy.
How fast can RC cars go?
RC cars for adults can clock in at speeds in excess of 50 mph! Some can even a top speed close to 100 mph!
For little kiddos, RC cars will only go 1 or 2 mph. Some models, like the Amicool one on this list, will go up to 7 or 8 miles per hour.
Save the faster cars for the older kids because they’ll need more experience and quicker reaction times to accurately control them.
What’s the difference between an RC car and an RC crawler?
The design is the biggest difference. RC cars are meant to go fast and can handle only small bumps or obstacles. These are best for starting out and for just driving around the house or down the street.
If you want cool tricks and flips, then an RC crawler is a great choice. These have big wheels and a flexible, jointed design so that they can tackle big jumps or obstacles. They can also do tricks, spins, and flips.
What is the difference between a remote control and a radio remote control?
When the radio remote control is specified, you can be sure that the toy is wireless. Some remote control toys have a wire leading from the controller to the toy.
Is there a remote-controlled monster truck for my 3-year-old?
The Monster Jam Official El Toro Loco Remote Control Monster Truck is rated for kids 3 years and up and, aside from the rare occasion when a customer received a defective product, buyers are very happy with it. For age 4, there is the Monster Jam Official Megalodon Remote Control Monster Truck. There is a much wider selection of monster trucks appropriate for kids 6 years and up.
Are remote control toys a good choice for little ones?
Certainly, they are not a bad choice if you don’t mind paying the price of the toy — and batteries. Operating a remote control vehicle assists in the development of both cognitive and fine motor skills. It is also a hands-on activity that may be played outside, so it might be a good change from electronic gaming.
What should I consider in choosing a remote control toy for my child?
● Age range – choose a toy appropriately rated for your child
● Control – is it truly a radio remote control (wireless)?
● Abilities – what does the toy do?
● Durability – will it last? (check reviews)
● Reliability – will it work? (check reviews)
● Battery requirement, and are the batteries included
● Appearance – this should be of less concern than abilities; the abilities create the fun.
