Remote-controlled cars & vehicles

RC cars, RC vehicles and RC boats: great fun with small cars!

Whether on the roads, in the open countryside or even on the water: with remote-controlled cars and RC boats, the big adventure is part of the game! When your child masters tricky manoeuvres with RC vehicles, chases through sharp curves or sails across foreign waters, varied fun is the top priority.

The abbreviation RC stands for “radio-controlled” or “remote controlled”. Accordingly, RC vehicles are remote-controlled vehicles that invite you to race, reach top speeds and experience the feeling of driving freedom.

What is a radio-controlled car, and how does it work?

The functional driving fun of remote controlled cars results from the communication between the controls on the controller and on the vehicle. The controller sends out high-frequency signals based on the position of the control elements, which are picked up by the receiver in the RC vehicle. We are talking here about so-called PWM signals, i.e. pulse width modulation signals, which are filtered in the vehicle according to function commands and then converted into the corresponding movement – such as steering, accelerating or braking.

What added value do remote-controlled cars have?

RC cars are on many children's wish lists and are undoubtedly among the most popular toys of all. Yet, many parents are completely unaware of the many ways in which kids can benefit from driving remote-controlled vehicles. In fact, the added values that remote-controlled cars and RC boats deliver are enormously multifaceted.

Entertainment

First, of course, is the fun that your child will definitely have driving RC vehicles. Radio-controlled cars are promising companions that open the door to adventure and bring first-class driving pleasure into your home.

Promotion of fine motor skills

When controlling the remote-controlled vehicles, the fine motor skills are primarily addressed. By working with RC cars, your child trains its dexterity and is playfully encouraged to expand its motor skills.

Promotion of eye-hand coordination

The precise steering, acceleration and braking of the remote-controlled vehicles only works when hands and eyes work together optimally. Considering this, playing with RC cars also improves your child's hand-eye coordination.

Promotion of technical understanding

Would you like to familiarise your child with basic theory of technology? Then you can do this wonderfully thanks to a remote control car! Playing with RC cars is the perfect opportunity to create an understanding of technical content, such as how a battery works or the principle of radio.

Promotion of social competences

Remote-controlled cars are made for fun with friends. While exploring unexplored routes together or in exciting races, your child learns to communicate clearly, to pay attention to the needs of his or her teammates, to find compromises and to be a good loser.

From what age can children handle remote-controlled cars?

To be able to drive radio-controlled cars, you need some motor skills. The focus here is on the fine motor skills needed to operate the controller correctly. Since children develop at different rates in different developmental areas, it is difficult to make a general statement about the age at which a child can handle a remote-controlled car. As a parent, it is best to assess as accurately as possible what your child's current abilities are and to what extent they are sufficient for controlling an RC car.

You can also use the age recommendations of the individual products as a guide. These recommendations are published by the manufacturers and can usually be found in the product description. They can provide you with a guideline for the average age at which a remote-controlled vehicle is suitable for children.

What types of remote-controlled vehicles are there?

Remote-controlled vehicles can be divided into two categories: road and off-road. RC cars with the “off-road” rating can be used off level, paved tracks. Thanks to the larger tyres, the shock absorbers and the particularly robust body, they can be driven off-road without any problems. The situation is different with road RC cars. These models are designed for smooth surfaces and are often lighter and faster, but less resilient when it comes to bumps and natural obstacles.

What should be considered when choosing a remote control car & vehicle?

To avoid buying the wrong thing, you should have a closer look at which aspects of remote-controlled cars are important before you buy. First, you should consider the following points when making your purchase decision:

Design & material

Regarding the design, the vehicle type is of particular interest: Does your child want a racing car, an RC boat, an RC excavator, a quad bike or perhaps a monster truck? In addition, the model details and the colour scheme should be visually appealing. Furthermore, it is essential to have a look at the materials used. The higher the quality of the material and the more careful its processing, the more resistant and durable the remote-controlled vehicle usually is.

Driving terrain

Should your child's new vehicle be an RC car for off-road tracks, an on-road racing sled, or an RC boat for driving through the cool water? Think about the driving terrain where the remote-controlled vehicle will be used, and be sure to choose a product that fits in.

Speed

Keep in mind that top speeds can vary from vehicle to vehicle. The faster an RC car goes, the trickier it often is to control it correctly. The maximum achievable speeds should therefore match the skills of the driver.

Operability & readiness

If you are looking for an RC car that can be driven straight away, you should look for the suffix “RTR” (ready to run) or “RTD” (ready to drive). Products in this category arrive fully assembled and can therefore be used without any detours.

Reach

Another important point is the range of radio-controlled cars. Find out how long this range is because this determines the maximum distance that may lie between the transmitter and receiver.

Travel time & power supply

Find out whether your favourite RC cars run on batteries or rechargeable batteries, and whether the corresponding energy suppliers are included. In connection with this, you should also find out how long the vehicles will run with a fully charged battery or new batteries before they need to be recharged or fitted with other batteries.

Channels

And the issue of channels is not to be neglected either. As a rule, the product description provides information about the available channels for moving parts and light and sound effects.

Accessories

To avoid a bitter disappointment when the RC vehicle is delivered, you should have a close look at the accessories with which the remote control car of your choice is delivered. This way, you can order any accessories that need to be purchased separately.

Discover our remote controlled Dickie Toys: RC cars, RC excavators & much more!

Dickie remote controlled toys come in many colours and shapes! Below we present you the versatile remote controlled vehicles you can discover at Dickie.

Monster truck remote controlled

When a monster truck is remote-controlled, pure action is the order of the day! The RC Mud Wrestler Ford F150 has plenty of power on board and manages top speeds of up to 10 km/h. Its eye-catching American-style design is rounded off by thick tyres made of high-performance rubber and amazes monster truck fans.

RC car off-road

The RC Desert Commander is a sturdy off-road vehicle in strong natural colours. Designed for challenging off-road tracks, the RC vehicle has a robust bumper and tough rubber tyres – an RC car that stops nothing!

RC boat

Ready for action? The RC fireboat in sleek red impresses with its simple operation and plenty of loving details. The clear highlight is the water spray function, which increases the fun factor even more.

RC excavator

The RC Volvo Mining Excavator transforms the children's room and garden into a construction site in no time at all. The powerful RC excavator is equipped with light and sound effects and its large shovel is made for transporting stones, sand or small toys. Of course, the RC excavator is fully roadworthy, and you can always keep an overview thanks to the rotating driver's cab.

Conclusion: Remote-controlled vehicles & cars: incredible driving experiences for young and old alike

All remote-controlled vehicles, RC boats, excavators, and monster trucks from Dickie Toys have one thing in common: they provide incredible driving experiences that will be remembered. At the same time, playing with the RC cars promotes important skills in children's development – more is not possible!

The remote-controlled vehicles that you can buy at Dickie represent a massive variety of themes and can be expanded with exciting accessories. In this way, variety is not neglected, and your child will enjoy their remote controlled toys for a long time. In addition, you can rely on our products to be of the highest quality, easy to use and packaged in a way that conserves resources. And of course, the necessary safety of the products is also ensured!

Want to discover more from Dickie? Then visit our homepage and let yourself be inspired by our categories – including play vehicles, children's costumes and collectible figures.