The toy tractor market is huge, encompassing everything from small, hand-held models and building kits to big ride-on vehicles. They make great gifts for children, so here’s our round-up of the best toy tractors you can buy.
For children who are curious about the great outdoors or love creating farmyard adventures, tractor toys make fantastic gifts. And while they might just seem like a bit of fun, they can actually have lots of benefits for kids. Whether you buy a small or large model, it’ll help develop their fine motor skills as they move the various parts, and even improve their confidence in social scenarios if they interact with other young ‘farmers’.
Plus, it’ll encourage children to use their imagination to dream up different farmyard scenarios. Go for a ride-on tractor and you’ll get them outdoors in the fresh air too.
We’ve searched the internet to find the very best toy tractors you can buy today. Below you’ll find all sorts of different models, including sustainably produced options made with recycled materials.
8 of the best toy tractors you can buy right now
Monster Treads Lightning Wheels
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While lots of the best toy tractors keep their design simple and realistic, this one has fun light-up wheels, which turn on when they spin. As the look is inspired by monster trucks, these tractors come with huge tyres to cope well with bumpy terrain – perfect for encouraging kids to take their toys outside.
Choose from a few different designs in various colours, or stick with the familiar John Deere model in green. It’s suitable for children from just 18 months old, and uses three AAA batteries.
Early Learning Centre Eco-Friendly Lights & Sounds Tractor
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It’s hard to avoid bringing virgin plastic into our homes when buying children’s products, but the best toy tractors are made with sustainable materials. This one includes plant fibre composite and recycled plastic. Plus, it swaps bright colours for pretty pastel greens and purples.
Ideal for kids aged two to five years, the tractor has free-moving wheels, and buttons to activate the flashing headlights, engine sounds and honking horn. There’s also a removable farmer who sits inside.
The pack includes three LR44 batteries.
John Deere ride-on tractors
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For children aged between two and five, a ride-on tractor is a great choice – especially if it has separate moving parts. These models come with a front loader and detachable trailer. They’re part of John Deere’s range of tractor toys, which have the same familiar green look.
As part of the package, you’ll get chunky wheels, grippy pedals and an opening bonnet. There’s even a squeaky horn. Opt for the version with the front loader and you’ll be able to scoop and tip it to pick up extra supplies.
Lego Tractor
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For Lego-loving kids, this kit is a no-brainer. The design features a tipping front loader, as well as lots of separate figures and accessories, like a farmer and his daughter, a small rabbit and a crate of vegetables.
Anyone who already has a Lego set can mix and match the pieces with other packs to create a bigger scene.
This kit is perfect for kids over five.
Dolu Pedal Tractor With Detachable Trailer & Horn
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Most of the best toy tractors you can buy have traditional green colouring, so it’s worth keeping the brand Dolu in mind if you’re after a model with a more vibrant look.
The pink tractor is perfect for kids who want to make an impact in the ‘farmyard’, and comes with a removable trailer like the original green version. Alternatively, choose the red tractor to get the digger attachment for scooping up items as you go.
These tractor toys are designed for children aged three to five years old.
John Deere tractor toys
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These John Deere tractor toys are great because they’re particularly interactive – ideal for curious children from 18 months who are developing their motor skills. Either choose the remote control version or the build-it-yourself model, which comes with a motorised drill and 16 chunky parts including six large screws for the wheels, roof and bonnet.
The radio controlled tractor comes with a simple two-button controller, so kids can tell the toy to move straight ahead or spin around. The whole set is designed with rounded edges to keep children safe during play.
As an added bonus, the remote control tractor will switch off automatically when it’s not being used to help save battery life. You’ll need a 9V and three AA batteries for this toy.
Green Toys Tractor
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Another one of the best eco-friendly tractor toys we’ve found, this model is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic milk jugs and arrives packaged in recycled and recyclable materials. Plus, the makers avoid harmful paints and dyes, and even print the outer packaging with soy ink.
As the tractor is designed for children over the age of one, it should be easy to grab for youngsters with small hands. There’s room in the detachable trailer to store other toys and figurines, so they can create stories and scenarios as they play.
Use this tractor indoors or outside, and stick it in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.
Meccano Junior Front Loader Tractor
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This Meccano set would make a lovely gift for kids with an inquisitive mind who love taking things apart and putting them back together again. Kits like these are also useful for supporting the development of hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Open the box and you’ll find 114 separate parts and two tools, as well as stickers for decoration. The nuts snap and lock onto the different sections, and you can add the front scoop and wagon at the back.
Buy this for children aged five and over.