Don’t get me wrong. It’s incredible to see the connection develop between my wife and the baby she just carried for nine months. But sometimes they seemed so attached, especially when she was breastfeeding, I wondered where I fit in.

Now, I have a fantastic bond with both of my kids (including the mostly-breastfed-seven-month-old), and I can confidently say there are plenty of ways for dads to build connections with their newborns—no lactating required.

In this article, we’ll discuss why bonding matters and how to do it. Read straight through or jump to what you need:

• Why bonding with your baby matters
• 7 ways to bond with your newborn
• Signs you haven’t bonded yet

Why bonding with your baby matters

First, let’s get one thing straight: Your baby needs you just as much as they need their mom. Studies show that active involvement from dads helps with a newborn’s emotional development, cognitive skills, and even reduces stress levels for both baby and parents. Plus, building that bond early on lays the foundation for a strong relationship as they grow.

Second, and as any formula or combo-feeding mom (including my wife) will tell you, breastfeeding is not the only way to bond with a baby. Your baby loves to snuggle, play, and generally take as much attention as you’re willing to give. All that attention, aka love, helps them grow into confident, well-adjusted individuals.

• Baby still on the way? Check out this pregnancy checklist for dads.

7 ways dads can bond with their newborn

Look no further for some highly practical ways you can work to establish a bond with your newborn on a daily basis.

1. Master the art of skin-to-skin contact

Skin-to-skin isn’t just for moms. Strip down to your chest, place your baby against your skin, and let the bonding begin. This helps regulate their body temperature, heartbeat, and breathing—plus, it releases oxytocin, a.k.a. the “love hormone,” for both of you.

2. Be the diaper change MVP

Okay, it’s not glamorous, but hear me out—diaper changes are prime bonding time. Your baby learns your face and voice during these moments. Talk to them, make silly faces, and turn a mundane task into a connection-building routine. Bonus: Your partner, who has potentially just recently had a human exit her body, will be glad to give this task up.

3. Talk and sing (even if you’re off-key)

Babies don’t care if you can’t carry a tune. They just want to hear your voice. Read books, narrate what you’re doing (“Alright, time to clean up this poop-tastrophe”), or sing whatever song comes to mind. Your voice becomes a source of comfort.

• Check out more tips for first-time dads

With both of my girls, I liked to narrate getting dressed (“ok, put your right arm in”). I have no idea if this actually helps them learn their left from right, but I like to think it does.

4. Take charge of bath time

Babies love routine, and bath time is a great one to own. Babies actually tend to like relaxing in the warm water, so it’s a chance to interact with them while they’re happy. Plus, the more your baby associates you with comforting care, the stronger your connection becomes.

5. Get on your baby’s level

Tummy time, playtime, or just lying on the floor next to your baby helps them recognize you as a safe, fun presence. Make eye contact, smile, and let them explore your face (yes, tiny fingers in your nose are part of the deal… get used to it).

6. Wear your baby

Invest in a baby carrier and wear your newborn while you walk around, do light chores, or just chill. Not only does this free up your hands, but the motion, warmth, and closeness reinforce your bond. Plus, it’s a solid dad move that earns you extra cool points.

7. Develop your own special rituals

Maybe it’s a morning cuddle session, a particular song you always sing before naps, or a signature rocking motion that only you do. These unique interactions help create a dad-specific bond that no one else can replace.

What if it takes time to bond?

Not every dad feels an instant connection, and that’s okay. Bonding is a process. The key is consistency—show up, be present, and keep engaging. Your baby doesn’t need perfection, just your effort.

• Worried you may not be ready to be a dad? Reassure yourself with our dad quiz and resources.

Signs dad hasn’t bonded with baby yet

Every dad-baby relationship looks different, but here are a few signs that bonding might need a little boost:

• You feel disconnected or uninterested during time with your baby
• You avoid baby-related tasks like feeding, diapering, or holding
• You’re unsure how to comfort or soothe your baby
• You feel overwhelmed or even resentful about your new role
• Your baby doesn’t respond as readily to your presence compared to others

If any of these sound familiar, don’t panic—it doesn’t mean you’re failing. It just means your bond is still developing. Note: if you’re feeling disconnected, angry, or sad, you could have postpartum depression (yes, dads can get postpartum depression, too). The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to ask for help.

Keep showing up, ask for support if needed, and remember that even the strongest connections often grow slowly and steadily.

The bottom line

You don’t need to breastfeed to form a deep connection with your newborn. Skin-to-skin, talking, diaper changes, and just being involved daily are what make the bond strong. The more you interact, the more your baby learns to recognize and trust you—and before you know it, you’ll be their favorite person (or at least tied for first place).

Meet Fathercraft

Thanks for reading! We’re Fathercraft, founded by dads for dads. Our goal is to help make your parenting journey the best it can be with product reviews, courses, and the best dad bag you’re going to find on the internet. If you’re expecting, we recommend checking out our baby essentials list next or checking out our YouTube channel.

We’ve been using this baby monitor for five months (and counting) with our now-five-month-old infant (who is, of course, the light of our world)… needless to say, our standards our high. In this Harbor baby monitor review, we’ll chat about whether or not we feel like this new brand delivers on their promises, including a bottom line on how much we truly rely on Harbor’s connection (TLDR: We keep Harbor turned on even when trying out other monitors, because we know it has our back).

Read straight through for the whole picture, or skip to what you need:

• What makes the Harbor baby monitor different from other wifi monitors?
• The pros
• The cons
• Bottom line on connection quality
• Pricing and where to buy
• Final verdict

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning, at no cost to you, we may earn a commission if you buy after clicking an affiliate link. Learn more.

What makes the Harbor Baby Monitor different from other wifi monitors?

Positioned as a direct competitor to Nanit, Harbor promises to outperform other wifi monitors with a connection that doesn’t fail. They back this promise up with two distinctions from other popular monitors:

• Most wifi monitors rely on your phone or tablet to act as the “parent unit” (i.e., the device you use to see and hear your child). With Harbor, you can use your phone, but Harbor also supplies a large, high-resolution, dedicated unit.

• Although Harbor is primarily a wifi monitor, it can automatically switch to a closed, direct connection (i.e., not your internet) if your wifi goes out. No matter what happens to your internet, you’re always connected to your child’s camera!

So, is the Harbor seaworthy? While it wasn’t smooth sailing from the get-go, we’ve come to rely on this monitor as one of our personal favorites. Even when we use our other monitor (the CuboAi), we leave the Harbor on as backup, because we know we can rely on its connection.

Harbor baby baby monitor review

Here are the pros, cons, and the final verdict:

Harbor baby monitor pros

High-quality hardware

From the beginning, we could tell it was quality hardware. With packaging similar to how Apple packs its products, the care for the product was apparent when opening the box.

Easy setup and app installation

Setup and installation was a breeze and took less than 5 minutes (i.e., much shorter than getting a baby to sleep so we could use said monitor).

Picture quality

The picture quality is terrific on the app and not too shabby on the tablet. We love the size of the tablet because we can set it up far away and still have a clear view so we don’t always have to have it right next to us.

Customizable notifications

The ability to receive actually helpful notifications to your devices is, in my opinion, one of Harbor’s best features. At first, our notifications were overly sensitive and picked up random noises like our other daughter singing the entire Frozen soundtrack a capella in her room next door. However, after some tinkering in the settings, I was able to set up specific notifications based on noise level and duration. So, if our precious little baby child is crying softly for 30 seconds we get a notification. If she is crying loudly for 5 seconds, also a notification. You can easily set up multiple different notifications to fit your preferences.

The notification settings also determine when the tablet automatically lights up and transmits audio. You can set it a “smart” feed, and you will only hear noise if the alerts are triggered. This is great if you want to block out white noise when you’re trying to snooze yourself. But if you’d prefer to have a constant audio feed, you can opt for that. We loved the ability to toggle between the two options.

Battery life

The battery life on the Harbor tablet is incredible! We are not known in our house for remembering to plug things back up. In fact, as I type this my partner’s Apple Watch is dead and in need of a charge but cannot because my phone is also on low battery and in need of a charge. Needless to say, having a tablet with a long lasting battery is quite nice.

Harbor baby monitor cons

Non-wifi expectations vs. reality

We had originally wanted to use the monitor without our wifi, but found out that the direct connection feature was primarily meant for wifi outages and/or traveling purposes with a limited range of 50 feet. Naturally we decided to connect to wifi–this improved the monitor’s functionality considerably.

Note: How much is 50 feet? We live in a 1,800-square-foot house. If my baby is sleeping upstairs in her nursery, and I’m downstairs in our kitchen, we’re about as far away from each other as you can get in our house. The direct connection (i.e, no internet) is spotty at this distance. If we’re both upstairs, it works. This is good news, because if our home’s wifi goes out overnight while we’re asleep, Harbor’s closed connection works just fine (all of our bedrooms are upstairs). So, it works as intended. But if you’re hoping to not use your wifi, this may be a struggle depending on the size of your home… for now. Word on the street is that the direct connection range will be improving to up to 150 feet pretty soon.

Wall mount vs. bird’s eye view

Out of the box, Harbor monitor only comes with a wall mount, so there’s no option for a bird’s eye view. But, Harbor sells a $20 mount that will allow you to attach the Harbor to a standard floor stand, like this one on Amazon.

Some connection issues at first (resolved with updates)

When we first received the Harbor, we had some connection issues (more on that below). We have also had some instances where updates occur at inopportune moments. This is a double-edged sword, though. With each update, the quality of the Harbor monitor has improved, which is nice. However, when the update comes mid-nap it is not nice. Most of the time we are able to put off the update for a better time, but once or twice we ran into a snafu.

Bottom line on connection quality

The Harbor’s whole shtick is superior connection quality.

Straight from the Harbor website: We started Harbor after Nanit failed us. We learned the hard way, apps on phones are not baby monitors.

We had our hands on a Harbor basically as soon as they’d ship one out (so very, very early). They quickly released updates to get their connection capabilities in line with what they promised. Now, Harbor is the monitor we never turn off, because we know if another monitor we’re trying fails, the Harbor will have our back.

A note on the remote night nanny program

I didn’t feel like I could write a review on Harbor without mentioning their remote night nanny program, but the honest truth is that we didn’t use it. For an additional cost, this feature grants temporary, secure, remote access to an actual and credentialed human who will monitor your child and alert you if you’re needed.

My wife and I didn’t feel totally comfortable with this, but I’ll admit it is a super unique feature. I’ve also seen genuinely positive reviews. One that stood out to me involved a mom who used the service when her partner was traveling. She was happy to have an extra set of eyes on the baby, and the service worked well for her.

Pricing and where to buy

Harbor actually changed their pricing model after we received our model. Instead of offering different subscription tiers, everyone now pays one flat fee for the camera, parent unit, and all the features (for life!)—no subscription required. This change was made in response to customer feedback, and honestly, we’re here for it… subscriptions for monitors and other baby gear are all the rage, with Harbor, no subscription required.

Here are the details:

Harbor baby monitor price: $499

This includes the following features for life (no need to renew in a year):

• 1 camera
• 1 tablet
• Desktop and mobile app (currently compatible with Mac and iOS)
• Record & Rewind
• Always on Failsafe Notifications
• Smart Audio
• End-to-End Encryption
• 30 Days of Moments
• On Device Storage
• Access to Remote Night Nannies (additional charge)
• Streams up to 2k
• Split Screen Views (up to 4 kids)
• Control Volume/Zoom Across Cameras
• Customized Guest Schedules
• Apple® Watch Notifications
• Complimentary Care Text Line

You can purchase the Harbor directly from their website or from Amazon.

Harbor Baby monitor final verdict

The tablet, reliable connection (that seems to only get better), and straight-forward pricing make this monitor a yes for us. We’re crossing our fingers for a solid future for Harbor… and maybe a floor stand

Looking for more baby monitor reviews?

Here at Fathercraft, we pride ourselves on being baby gear experts. We’ve tested the best of the best and (let’s be honest) the worst of the worst when it comes to baby monitors. Looking for other resources? Check out our checklists, product reviews, and our guide to the third trimester.

In this article:

• A bit about our family
• A bit about Big Little Feelings
• About the courses
• What we liked
• What we didn’t like
• Did the courses work?
• Pricing and where to buy
• The awesome, the wish-it-were different, and the final verdict

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

Our Big Little Feelings Course Review

At the timing of writing this review, my wife and I have spent about eight months with these courses. We implemented the potty training course almost immediately (and I’ll go ahead and confirm: our child is fully potty-trained now). But we’ve been watching (and re-visiting) the “Winning the Toddler Stage” course across all this time. We’re going to let you in on course structure, what we liked and didn’t like, and, of course, the answer to the big question: Do the Big Little Feelings (BLF) courses work?

But first, a little bit about our family to set some context. All toddlers are different, and what worked (or didn’t work) for us may be different for you. We hope you’ll use this review to make the best decision for your family.

• Looking for more reviews of toddler stuff? Check out our Woom 1 balance bike review.

A little about our family

My wife (whose name is Kristan—not to be confused with BLF’s Kristin Gallant) and I are parents of one energetic three-year-old with another on the way. So, we decided to get a little extra help before all hell br—I mean, before we welcome a new bundle of joy into our home. Our daughter, Fia, is the best (according to us), but she’s no stranger to the odd tantrum… especially as we try to move past the toy section of Target. She’s also what’s often deemed a “high-spirited child,” aka a child with a lot of energy and even more opinions, who enjoys bouncing wildly off the walls… and our couches… and anything else she can feasibly climb.

So, after bedtime, and over the span of several months, Kristan and I sat down together and dove into the BLF courses.

Note: It was important to Kristan and I both that we did these courses together, because we believe we both should be involved in researching and learning about how to best raise our children. So, that’s partially why this review about a course that (as we found) is largely geared towards women is written by me—a dad.

A little about Big Little Feelings

The Big Little Feelings duo joined Instagram in 2018. Since then, they’ve amassed 3.5 million followers on Instagram, 3 million podcast listeners, and 400,000 course-takers. A parent coach and child therapist, respectively, Kristin and Deena have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt (I’m honestly surprised they’re not selling t-shirts). They started Big Little Feelings “to give parents the resources they need to not just survive the toddler and preschooler years, but to thrive.”

About the courses

Big Little Feelings currently offers two courses:

Winning the Toddler Stage ($99)

This is the big one, with five basic modules, two bonus modules, and downloadable resources and content, all focusing on kids aged 1-6. The modules break down into 65 different videos, ranging from a few minutes in length to 10-12 minutes. BLF’s website says you should expect to spend about six hours total on the course (my wife and I have some thoughts about this… more on that later). The course is priced at $99 and includes lifetime access to all the videos and PDFs.

The five basic modules:

• Module 1: Five Founding Principles for Happy Homes
• Module 2: Managing Tantrums
• Module 3: Preventing Tantrums Gameplans
• Module 4: Discipline
• Module 5: Specific Situations

And the two bonus modules:

• Module 6: The Ultimate Guide to Feeding Toddlers
• Module 7: The Ultimate Guide to Toddler Sleep

Plus, there are 14 PDFs provided throughout the course that are also all conveniently available for download in their own “module.”

Potty Training Made Simple ($34)

This supplemental course is shorter, focusing solely on potty training—supposedly in three days. It’s structured similarly to “Winning the Toddler Stage” with six modules that should take about 3.5 hours to complete.

The six modules in Potty Training Made Simple are:

• Module 1: P is for Potty
• Module 2: How to Prepare for Potty Training
• Module 3: The Three Phase Method
• Module 4: Responding to Pushback and Tantrums
• Module 5: Poop! There it is!
• Module 6: More Toilet Topics

Similar to the other course, you can also find all the PDFs (23 in total) available for download at the end. Priced at $34, all the content is available via lifetime access to the learning platform.

• Not quite in the toddler stage yet? Check out our online course for expecting dads.

What we liked

Both courses had a few things in common that we really liked. First and foremost, Kristin and Deena know their stuff! Both courses are packed full of knowledge that goes way past surface level and gives insight into the rationale behind the irrational toddler. A few other course perks:

Specific situations

The last modules in both courses tackle specific situations. For example, “Potty Training Made Simple” covers things like swimming, travel, and big life changes like divorce. “Winning the Toddler Stage” contains material on things like biting, pacifier weaning, and sharing.

To be honest, out of the entire “Winning the Toddler Stage” course, we found this module to be the most helpful and adaptable to our needs. Our kid was never a biter, for example, but we’ve had a hard time with the pacifier. So, when we were ready, we referenced that video. And, with lifetime access, we can address any specific needs our second kid may have.

PDFs

Kristan and I both appreciated the PDFs scattered throughout both courses, as well as the easy access to all of them at the end. If we owned a printer, we’d likely print some of these (like the bedtime chart below), but we’re Millennials so we mostly just used these as references. They were still helpful and easier to digest than the videos in some cases.

Lifetime access

Honestly, lifetime access for the price ($123 for the bundle) felt like a great deal, especially since we have another child on the way. Fia is (knock on wood) a pretty solid sleeper, for example, but if baby #2 gives us a run for our money, we know we have the module on toddler sleep to use later.

What we didn’t like

With all the terrific information that Big Little Feelings offers, their presentation is lacking. Sometimes we felt like we were watching an audiobook version of a textbook. Some of the videos could have been shortened while still bringing the same value by trimming down some examples that seemed oddly specific but somehow irrelevant to our circumstances. The scripts they provide can be unrealistic as well. While they are intended to be merely examples, it gets lost in the sauce, and they don’t do a terrific job of noting that you need to bring your own specific brand of personality and parenting flair into the mix.

Note from Kristan (Tim’s wife): The scripts were one area where Tim and I completely disagreed! He didn’t like the scripts at all, but I appreciated them. They helped me get in the right mental space for the more frustrating moments with our toddler. We decided to include this note, because, hey, different strokes for different folks. Alright, carry on.

A note on potty training expectations

We are also here to tell you right now that it is ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE to potty train a child in three days. Sure, you can get a great start, but it is going to be something that you and your toddler will be working towards for the better part of 3-6 months. And even after that you’ll have the odd accident to address. Take it from me, you’ll be amazed at how calmly a toddler can walk up to you, stare you straight in the eyeballs and say, “Daddy, it’s okay, I just pooped in my underpants.”

Kristin and Deena do a decent job of disclaiming that potty training is a learning process that could take longer than three days, but we still felt like our expectations were set a bit too high. In our case, our daughter could *mostly* pee on the potty by the end of day three. But it took about six months for her to feel comfortable using the potty in public, to learn how to use the potty by herself consistently, and—the big one—to learn to poop on the potty.

Did the courses work?

Generally speaking, yes, the Big Little Feelings courses worked.

But I have to be honest here, there was nothing terribly revolutionary to us about the “Winning the Toddler Phase” course. We found we were already using a lot of their recommendations, but—to be fair to Kristin and Deena—my wife and I both have some experience in education. That said, their communication and boundary-setting strategies for those intense moments (like when you’re trying to stay calm during the tantrum in aisle 5 of the grocery store when all you need before checking out is that specialty ingredient you can never find) are helpful, but nothing we hadn’t heard before.

We felt the “Winning the Toddler Phase” course really shone in the “specific situations” module, where we could learn to apply some of what we already knew to situations that felt new to us. If we could do it over, we’d skip a lot of the earlier videos (which they suggest you don’t do).

Potty Training Made Simple: Did it work?

Eventually, yes. I can say we built a super solid foundation in three days, and—now, 8ish months later—our daughter is basically 100% potty-trained except for the odd accident. Also, this course was helpful in calming our own frustrations through this process. It was a helpful reminder that our daughter isn’t trying to give us a hard time—she’s just learning.

Pricing and where to buy

All things considered, we found this course pretty affordable.

Individually, here’s the investment you’re looking at:

• Winning the Toddler Stage: $99
• Potty Training Made Simple: $34

If you know you want both, you can bundle the courses and save $10, paying a total of $123. Sometimes, they even run sales (at the time of writing, for example, their courses and bundle are all 20% off).

You can only purchase these courses directly from the Big Little Feelings website.

Recap: The awesome, the wish-it-were-different, and the verdict

The awesome

• Depth of knowledge: If you’re starting from scratch, “Winning the Toddler Stage” contains a TON of information about the “why” behind toddler behavior
• Lifetime course access: Refer back as needed to specific situations or watch again with child #2…. or #3… or heck, even #4.
• PDFs and resources: Easy-to-digest resources make the course easier to refer back to and use
• It works… within reason: Most importantly, the courses work within reason. No, you’re toddler won’t be a perfect, potty-trained angel… but yes, you will learn some solid boundary-setting techniques.
• Price feels right: For what they offer, these courses are super affordable (in our opinion)

The wish-it-were-different

• Video delivery: The delivery drags a bit and, truthfully, makes the course a bit hard to get through. I feel comfortable saying this because they are Kristan’s words and not mine, but the “hey girl” approach (again, Kristan’s words not mine) made it feel a bit like watching an afternoon D.A.R.E. special.
• Potty training in 3 days is a bit of a stretch…: They advertise “potty train in 3 days” pretty hardcore… but it’s more like this: build a solid foundation in 3 days, spend the next six months slogging through the rest of potty training

The verdict: Was the Big Little Feelings course worth it?

If you are someone who is struggling with setting and holding boundaries with your toddler, then this is the course for you. It truly is a difficult task and having the knowledge of how to do so effectively can go a long way. If this isn’t you, and you have a healthy ability to set and hold boundaries with your toddler, then we’d suggest foregoing the “Winning the Toddler Phase” course.

No matter what type of parent you are, however, we would highly recommend the “Potty Training Made Simple” course. The tips and tricks that Big Little Feelings provides are incredibly helpful and proved to be invaluable as we embarked on the waters of toilet time. Just please do not expect your child to be potty trained in three days!

Meet Fathercraft

Hey, we’re Fathercraft! We invite you to explore more. We review stuff for parents —everything from baby and newborn essentials to books and toys. And, we make stuff that makes parenting even more awesome, like a men’s diaper bag. Not quite in the toddler stage yet? Check out our online course for expecting dads.

In this Woom 1 balance bike review, I’ll dive into whether spending a bit more money on my toddler’s bike truly made a difference. Did she enjoy it more? Did she learn to ride faster (or better)? I’ll also address some commonly asked questions and give my ultimate verdict: Is the Woom 1 truly the best balance bike on the market?

Come along for the whole ride or skip to what matters most to you:

• What is a balance bike?
• Choosing a balance bike
  • Woom safety
  • Woom 1 size
  • Toddler enjoyment
  • Versatility
• Woom 1 vs. competitors
• The verdict: the awesome and the wish-it-were-different
• Pricing and where to buy
• Technical bike stuff and other FAQs
• Wrapping up

Please note: Fathercraft is reader supported, meaning if you click a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Read more about our disclosures and how we approach these reviews in our policies.

What is a balance bike and why should I get one?

I’m Tim, by the way—friend of Fathercraft, dad to the best toddler around, and Chattanoogan who spends as much time as possible outside. As a family, we make it a big priority to make the outdoors fun, engaging, and exciting for our toddler, Fia. So, we’ve had our eyes on a balance bike since she started wobbling across the living room for just that reason.

If you’ve never heard of a balance bike, you’re not alone. When my wife and I were talking about getting our daughter her first bike, the iconic image of pushing her down the driveway (feet on the pedals and training wheels flanking the side) popped straight into my head. But as we looked more into it, it was clear that a balance bike, which doesn’t have peddles or training wheels, was the way to go. 

Why? As it turns out, learning to pedal is the easiest part of riding a bike. So, a balance bike focuses on the challenging part first, which is (you guessed it) balance. By mastering balance first, your child builds confidence in their ability to ride while feeling unstable. Then, once your child has mastered the fundamentals of two wheels, add in the pedals! 

So, that’s it. No pedals. No training wheels. Just two normal-bicycle-sized wheels, a pair of tennies, and the open road (editor’s note: and a helmet, because we’re all about making safety cool here at Fathercraft).

Choosing a balance bike

After deciding that a balance bike was the way to go, it was time to figure out which bike was best. It had to score well in a few categories:

• Safety: I’m a firm believer in the let-them-do-it-themselves approach. But I also want to make sure they-do-it-themselves safely. As bike accidents are sure to happen, we needed our bike to have safety features resulting in less booboos and more woohoos!
• Size: Fia is on the smaller side for her age but also has less risk aversion than your average toddler. We wanted a bike that would fit her size and energy now but could also grow with her. We also needed the bike to be light enough to carry. Toddlers have a lot of strengths, but endurance isn’t one of them.
• Easy assembly: We are a family of movers. My wife and I both work and parent full time so there is not a lot of time for us to figure out how to assemble a dinner much less a 20-piece bike. I like to think I’m handy, but mechanical engineering was never my strong suit. The easier the assembly, the better.
• Toddler enjoyment: Maybe one of the most important factors… Our kid needed to actually enjoy the bike.
• Versatility: There is rarely a weekend where we aren’t going on a hike, playing at a park, camping, or visiting friends and family. We wanted a bike that could handle all our activities with ease. We’ve gotta be able to go from asphalt to gravel to dirt road to grass to gravel again and back to asphalt one last time.

So, how did the Woom balance bike perform in these areas? Let’s find out.

Woom safety features

It’s tough to beat a Woom bike’s safety features. Their bikes designed for children under 6 all come standard with a turn limiter designed to reduce crashes caused by overturning. Each bike also comes with rear brakes designed to fit into a child’s small hands.

Size 

Falling into the lowest size and age categories, we were deciding between the Woom 1 (weighing in at 6.6 lbs, 12″ and made for children ages 1.5-3.5 years old and 31-40’’ tall) and the Woom 1 PLUS (weighing in at 9.5 lbs, 14’’ and designed for children 3-4.5 years old measured 37-43’’ tall). Fia comes in at 2.5 years old and approximately 36’’ (measuring toddlers is difficult), so we opted for the smaller and lighter Woom 1. Out of the 7 color options (two of which are gradient) we settled on purple haze.

Woom also has options. The company carries a variety of bikes in a plethora of sizes from which to choose—the Woom 1 all the way up to the Woom 6—and four different lines (ORIGINAL, OFF & OFF AIR, UP, and NOW). Whatever your wants and needs, Woom has you covered with bikes for kids aged 1.5 to 14! 

Woom assembly

Right from delivery, we loved the Woom 1. It came in reasonably sized packaging which was easy to hide so our daughter wouldn’t see it when she got home from preschool.

The bike itself came mostly preassembled except for the handlebars made to attach by using a 4mm hex key (the small wrench they always provide) to tighten onto the stem. I wanted to go get my bike tool, but decided the tiny tool was good enough for this job. The seat was easily adjustable, and I was able to make my best estimation at where it would land before measuring. When my estimation was wrong, adjusting the seat was a cinch.

Toddler enjoyment

Fia’s face lit up when she saw her new bike! Armed with her excitement and a mantra given to her by this morning’s Daniel Tiger episode, Fia gave three Grrs, fastened her Elsa helmet, swung her leg over the easy clearance, step-through, lightweight frame, mounted the easy-adjustable seat, and pushed her 12” pneumatic tires into action. After a couple of false starts, a handful of seat adjustments, one solid test of the turn limiter, and dad’s personal check of the braking system, Fia was off on an adventure in the front yard. 

We’ll talk about this a bit more in the final verdict, but she learned quickly, too. We were a bit surprised by how often she fell at first, but after a few days, she was cruising. Stay tuned for a video of her terrifying her grandfather by flying down the driveway.

Versatility 

Our Woom 1 balance bike has carved out its own personal spot in our trunk on all family outings. A local Oktoberfest, a trip to the park, and even a camping trip. No matter the surface, be it bike path, gravel, or dirt, the Woom handled the terrain with ease. And even when she decided she was done riding halfway across a bridge, we didn’t mind carrying the bike since it was so lightweight.

Woom 1 vs. competitors 

How does our Woom 1 review stack up against other bikes and trikes? Fathercraft has tried two less expensive alternatives. My wife and I have first-hand experience with the Besrey Elfintrike—a grow-with-you bike we got off Amazon. And, fellow friend of Fathercraft, Matt, tried and reviewed the Strider Bike. We’ll briefly cover each below. 

Woom 1 vs. Elfintrike ($69)

The Woom 1 wasn’t our first bike. Before Fia was ready to take on two wheels, we bought a small tricycle, which could be converted into a balance bike. While nifty, she outgrew it quicker than we had anticipated, and we never actually got to try out the balance bike phase. When we went to replace it, the Woom 1 had all the comforts it didn’t. A comfier seat, ergonomic handlebars, air-inflated wheels, and hand brakes. And while it was more expensive, we thought it was worth the investment. It’s also worth noting that Fia consistently asks for the Woom instead of the Elfintrike and has seemed to get more enjoyment out of the former.

Woom 1 vs. Strider Bike ($109) 

Fathercraft also tested and reviewed the Strider bike, a quality balance bike sold at a lower price point. Matt only had good things to say about this bike: it’s lightweight without feeling cheap, easy for his toddler to use, and he admitted it looks “really cool.”

The Strider bike is ultimately a solid option, but it’s missing some of the safety features boasted by Woom, like the turn limiter and hand brake. And, although both bikes were easy to assemble, Woom has two pieces and Strider had four. 

Which one should you choose? It might depend on how seriously you take biking. The Woom definitely has an extra touch that competitors don’t have. If that’s worth the extra money, the Woom might be for you.

The Verdict: Is the Woom 1 balance bike truly the best? 

So far… yes. What was most impressive was the speed at which Fia was able to develop skill at riding! Her first time on the Woom 1 was a little shaky. Although it wasn’t her first time on wheels, it was her first time trying to balance. Yet, within the first week of having the bike, she was picking up both feet and gliding with ease across our driveway! It was so exciting seeing her be so proud of riding her very own bike.

• Looking for more toddler toys that foster independence? Check out our Lovevery play kit review.

The Awesome

The safety features are a nice touch: Does she know how to use the hand brake? Truthfully, no. But we like that we can introduce it to her. Plus, we believe the turn limiter helps her when she’s barreling down small hills.

Assembly is a breeze: You can’t even really call it assembly. It’s more “stick the handlebars on and go.”

It’s easy to carry or pack in the car: Because it’s so lightweight, we don’t have to worry about her running out of steam. And, it takes up permanent residence in our car, so that she can ride during any and all of our adventures.

Our toddler is crushing it: See video above. No further explanation required.

Just kidding, we’ll provide a bit more information. It actually did take her some time to get the hang of it. She fell a lot at first, but she kept going, and now she’s, well… terrifying her grandparents (and her mom). But we’re all psyched to see how this translates as she gets older and starts using pedals.

This wish-it-were-different

Lifespan: We love the Woom 1—and we wish we could love it longer. Because our daughter is on the smaller side for a 2-year-old, we went with the smallest bike. In a year or so, she’ll likely need something closer to the Woom 1 Plus.

Price: We would indeed be remiss if we did not mention the price point. Ringing up at $249, the Woom 1 skews to the more expensive side of the budget. Some might be wondering if the bang is worth the buck—and for good reason. In our opinion, if you want to see your child enjoy learning and riding a bike with a sense of independence, the Woom 1 is absolutely worth the price. If you think the idea of bike riding is interesting but don’t have a heavy investment into it at the moment, the Woom 1 might not be for you.

Pricing and where to buy

It’s easiest to purchase the Woom 1 directly from their website. That’s the quickest way to see the different color and size options—plus, they offer a no-questions-asked, 30-day return guarantee for a full refund if something doesn’t work for you (but only if you purchase from their site).

As far as we can tell, you can’t purchase a Woom on Amazon. But, you can find it at different outdoor retailers, like REI.

Currently, the Woom 1 is priced at $249, unless you get a fancy ombre color, which raises the price to $259. The Woom 1 Plus, which is sized for slightly older toddlers (3 and older), starts at $299.

Woom 1 “technical bike stuff” and more FAQs

What is the Woom 1 bike’s geometry?

The Woom 1 has:

• 12″ tires
• 18.7″ handlebar height
• 68-degree steering angle
• 10.4″ minimum seat height
• 14.4″ maximum seat height

I’ll offer that my daughter fits onto the bike quite well (better than she fits on the Elfintrike). It simply seams as if it was designed for her.

How do I teach my child how to ride a balance bike?

You don’t. Your job is to provide the right tools (a helmet and a bike), the right environment (a flat surface to start), and some encouragement. You might find that your child is a bit clumsy on the bike at first, but with practice, they start intuitively figuring out how to balance.

How much does the Woom 1 weigh?

The Woom 1 weighs 6.6 pounds. That’s less than my daughter weighed when she was born.

Is Woom an American company?

Woom was founded in a garage in Vienna, Austria. It now has a corporate office and several dealers in the United States, but most of its production occurs at partner facilities around the world.

Wrapping up

Hey, we’re Fathercraft! We invite you to explore more. We review stuff for parents —everything from baby and newborn essentials to books and toys. And, we make stuff that makes parenting even more awesome, like a men’s diaper bag and an online course for expecting dads.