Riding a bike for the first time is an exciting moment for children. But, your child might be a little anxious about the opportunity to learn new skills. Following these steps can help you prep your child for their first time riding independently on a bike.

Assess Your Child’s Readiness

Most children are ready to ride a bicycle around the time they go to preschool. With the right type of bike, your child might be ready even younger. Check to see if your child has good coordination and the ability to maneuver a bike using their feet. If so, then you are ready to start bicycle training.

Provide Reassurance and Encouragement

Getting on a bike might feel like a new experience for your child. You can help them feel more confident by planning activities that help answer their questions about riding a bike. Books are a great way to share new information, and you can observe other people riding bikes to help your child get excited about the concept.

Find a Safe Practice Location

Young children need a flat area that is free from traffic to safely start riding a bike. Naturally, your child won’t have the speed or steering capabilities to quickly move out of the way if a car comes or an object is in their path. Try to identify a sidewalk that isn’t busy, or you can block off your driveway to give your child a safe place to try out their new bike.

Let Them Practice on a Balance Bike

Your choice of bicycle plays a big role in your child’s comfort and success. Balance bikes make the learning process easier by eliminating bulky training wheels and complicated pedal systems. With a balance bike, your child uses their feet to move. They can stand up or sit on the seat as they practice, which gives them more security.

Find Well-Fitting Protective Gear

Even on a balance bike, children could fall and sustain injuries. When you pick out a bike, you’ll also want to have your child try on helmets to find one that fits perfectly. Adding knee and elbow pads also helps to prevent scrapes that could halt a practice session.

Use Cones to Practice Stopping and Turning

You can also gather some small plastic cones to use once your child starts to ride. You can use these cones as boundaries to help them learn where and how to stop their new bike. To prep them on following basic commands, try playing games such as Red Light, Green Light. At first, you can play this game on foot and then move on to playing it while they are riding their bike. Making the first riding lessons fun encourages your child to keep making progress.

Remember that learning to ride a bike is a process, and your child will slowly develop new skills as they go. Make sure to adjust their bike accordingly. Adjusting the seat can give them more confidence. Once your child develops greater balance and control, you can upgrade their bike to using pedals to encourage them to keep strengthening their skills.

Published By: Aize Perez