Learning to ride a bicycle is a rite of passage for many children. It’s almost as important as learning to walk or speak; it represents a child’s first foray into almost-adulthood. A child’s first successful attempt at riding a bicycle will always be one of their happiest core memory. Something they will remember for the rest of their lives. So as parents it’s important to help them learn the ropes in a healthy, positive environment; even if they stumble and fall a few times. It’s also equally as crucial to make the activity fun and exciting, and most of all, easier. Some children struggle so much with their first lesson, while others breeze through as if they were born for it. Just remember that each child progresses at their own pace, and it’s perfectly okay if it takes a while for yours. Here are some tips on how to help train your kids to ride a bicycle:
Get a Balance Bike
Many manufacturers now make balance bikes or ‘pedal-less’ bikes. These have actually been found to be far more effective for first-time learners than training wheels. Balance bikes train your kids to develop a strong sense of balance. When they eventually get on a normal bike, they’ll already have that sense of equilibrium ingrained in their muscle memory. They make look silly to an adult, but if you remember your first time trying to ride a bike, you’d know how hard it is. So, a balance bike is a really good idea if you want your kids to master the art of balancing, which is what riding a bicycle is all about. Or if you’re under a budget, take the pedals off of a normal pedal bike. And then when your kid is ready for a normal bike, re-install the pedals and they’re good to go.
Correct their Position
Sometimes it’s not the child’s fault that they’re having trouble riding a bicycle. The bicycle may not be set at the correct position to optimise their movements. For instance, you do not want them to stand on their tip toes while they’re on a bike. You should ideally lower the seat height so that your child can comfortably plant both feet flat on the ground when they’re not cycling. This stance allows them to quickly regain balance when they’re about to fall so that they can avoid hitting the ground. They also should be sitting comfortably with backs straight and not slouching.
Wear Protection
Make sure your child is sufficiently protected before they start their lesson. Especially in the high-risk areas of their body. Knee and elbow pads, gloves, helmet and a good pair of shoes are crucial for keeping them injury-free. Depending on where you take them for cycling lessons, protective gear will ensure they come out the other hand relatively unscathed. Just to add another layer to precaution, bring a small first-aid kit that you can conceal in your purse or bag. Make sure your child doesn’t see it though or else they will think you don’t have faith in them. But as they say, prepare for the worse, and maybe the worse may not even end up happening.
Use the Right Method
Just like with balance bikes, pedal bikes require a little bit of getting used to. But hopefully once your kid has developed a strong equilibrium, they should be able to glide ahead without any problems. In order to help them get used to the idea of riding of a proper bike, make sure you hold them and the bicycle when they first start to pedal. You’ll have to jog a bit for this so make sure you’re in shape. It will take them a couple of tries before they can ‘take the wheel’ on their own, so to speak. This is true for both balance and pedal bikes. However, balance bikes are substantially easier to use, since your kid can propel themselves forward with their feet instead of trying to maintain balance whilst pedaling.
Find the Best Practice Spot
While you’re at it, make sure you find a nice safe place for them to practice. A nice green lawn with soft designer grass is ideally the best. Those offer a safe landing if your child loses balance, but they’re incredibly rare to find. Some parks have manicured paths or walkways with smooth tiles and this can be the second best option. While this may not make for a soft landing, it is still a better alternative to asphalt. Hitting the pavement if you fall of a bike is nasty, even if the road is paved over immaculately. Another thing to note is that the location you choose should be level, neither going uphill or downhill. You don’t want to take your kid to the emergency room after only one practice run.
Be Patient
Not all kids are built the same. An athletic kid with plenty of enthusiasm will learn to ride a bike in weeks if not days. Whereas one who is a lot more timid may need several months to master riding a bicycle. It’s important not to push them and to stop if they say they’re tired. Remember to reward them for their effort. Positive reinforcement is such an overlooked part of parenting. Don’t worry too much if they don’t get it right the first time. If they are adamant about learning how to cycle, they’ll eventually have a go at it themselves. In fact, some children fare better without their parents watching over them all the time.
Just Keep Moving Forward
Every child deserves to experience the joys and freedom of riding a bicycle. However, its not on every parent’s priority list, after all kids are into hoverboards, rollerblades and scooters now. But bicycles offer many health benefits, for both the body and the mind that these newer toys simply don’t. For instance, riding a bicycle helps with coordination, cardiac health and even mental acuity. And just like with most things in life, practice makes perfect. The secret to success is to be bad at something first before being good at it. Your child will soon get the hang of it, but not after a lot of trial and error. However, once they get their sea legs they’ll be zooming away faster than you can blink. And by then you’ll wonder why you ever worried at all.
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