A hardtail has a front suspension, whereas a rigid bike has a rigid fork. Suspension should not make or break which kids bike you decide to buy.
Get a quality rigid over a cheap, entry-level hardtail with a low end fork. Even front suspension isn’t needed for smaller riders. Front suspensions for wheels 24″ inches and smaller are typically low quality and perform poorly due to low rider weight.
Big brands typically have a full range of quality kids bikes. For top kids bikes from an independent Canadian distributor, check out Kids Bikes Canada.
A quality name brand bike can be expensive, but they make all the difference when you’re trying to convince a child to ride a bike. A lousy bike makes for a lousy experience. Plus, kids’ bikes hold their value.
Your child will grow out of their bike in a couple years. You may have dropped $600+ if you buy a proper kids bike, but you only stand to lose a couple hundred bucks when you sell, assuming you keep it in good shape. Over the long run, it’s less expensive than you think.
Although outside the scope of this article, it is worth making a quick note about high end full suspension bikes. These should be kept in mind for talented young riders. They’re expensive, but they hold their value. So, if your kid is committed to biking, have a look at those kinds of bikes too.