The 10 Best Kids Shopping Carts

For a child who wants the real thing, the Melissa & Doug 4071 copies a store cart in steel wire with a chrome-look finish and a red handle. A seat flips open for a doll or a stuffed toy, and the front wheels swivel, so it turns in a narrow hallway. It's meant for preschoolers from age 3. An adult has to put it together, and small feet can slip through the gap at the front.

The Little Tikes Shopping Cart has been a playroom regular for decades, and Little Tikes still molds it in the U.S. The deep basket has a fold-down seat for a doll, plus a shelf underneath for extra groceries. It's rated from 18 months, and the plastic handles a muddy patio as well as the kitchen floor. BestReviews notes that it's a bit top-heavy with an empty basket, and an adult has to snap it together.

Thick, double-walled plastic makes the Step2 Little Helper's Shopping Cart one of the sturdier plastic carts, with a seat for a doll and wheels that won't scuff wood floors. It suits toddlers and preschoolers and wipes clean with a disinfectant wipe. Step2 recalled earlier versions in 2020 because the basket could crack into sharp pieces. The model sold now isn't covered, but check the date code on any used one before you buy.

If you'd like the groceries in the same box, the Battat Shopping Day set pairs a light plastic cart with 30 pieces of play food, from cereal boxes to an egg carton. The handle folds down for the closet. The box says ages 2 and up, and the wheels roll on carpet as well as tile. It's a small cart that older kids outgrow, and the food pieces need watching around a child who still mouths toys.

Babies who are pulling up and cruising can lean on the Radio Flyer Scan & Sort, which works as a walker first and a cart later. Clickers slow the wheels so it won't race away, and the handle sets to three heights. A toy scanner plays music and beeps, and the lid doubles as a shape sorter. It's rated from 12 months. The sounds need batteries, and the basket isn't meant for heavy loads.

Families short on space can fold the New York Doll Collection Cart flat and slide it behind a door. It has a red wire frame, swiveling front wheels and a fold-out seat roomy enough for large play dolls. A bag of play food comes in the box. The frame is light and can flex if a child leans hard on it, and the seller lists only a 30-day warranty.

Kids who already know the classic red-and-yellow ride-on car will spot the smiling face on the Little Tikes Cozy Shopping Cart right away. The car body has a cabin where a doll or teddy can ride while the basket up front holds groceries. The wheels are gentle on indoor floors yet tough enough for a driveway. It's bulky and doesn't fold, and it's built for toys, not for a child to sit in.

Pretend checkout gets lights and sounds with the B. toys Shop & Glow, a plastic cart whose basket lifts off to carry groceries to the play kitchen. The handle adjusts as a child grows, and a few pieces of play food come along. B. toys rates it from age 2. The lights and sounds run on batteries, and it has far fewer years of owner feedback behind it.

Wood makes the Tender Leaf Shopping Cart quiet on hard floors and handsome enough to leave out in the living room. It's built from rubberwood with water-based paint, and a fabric bag under the basket holds extra goods. A small apple-shaped chalkboard works as a price sign. It's an expensive toy, and only a handful of owners have reported on how it holds up.

As a gift, the Lissi Shopping Cart set comes ready to play: a metal-frame cart with a pink basket and a baby doll in an outfit, plus a padded seat on the handle end. The front wheels turn, and assembly is simple. Lissi aims it at children from 3 to 10. The frame is thin and can wobble, so it's best for dolls and light loads.