This is a collaborative post: Learning to ride a bike is one of the rites of passage that every child should have. Cycling is a great way to get around in an environmentally friendly way, and it can give freedom to anyone who can’t drive wherever they want. Professional lessons are available for both children and adults who want to learn to ride a bike, but teaching kids often falls on their parents. But what if you’re not used to teaching practical skills or you’re just struggling to figure out exactly what steps are required to start learning (you learned a long time ago, after all)?
Start Early
To give your child a good headstart in riding a bike, start early with developing the skills that they will need. It might be a while before they’re capable of riding a proper bike, but they can develop the gross motor skills, coordination, and confidence needed before them. Start them off on something like Strider Balance Bikes as toddlers. Balance bikes are excellent for developing balance and other skills that are required for riding a bike. But, crucially, they don’t have the complication of having to pedal. Your child can gain the confidence they need by pushing themselves along with their feet.
Consider Stabilisers Carefully
To use stabilisers or not to use stabilisers? This is a big question, and there are differing opinions on the right answer. Both options have pros and cons, so neither is really completely right or wrong. On one hand, stabilisers can help to build confidence without the rider having to worry about staying balanced. They might be helpful if your child is nervous or even easily distracted. On the other hand, some people argue that children can rely on the stabilisers too much and find it more difficult to transition to riding without them later.
Dedicate Some Time to Learning
There’s no getting around it. If you want your child to learn how to ride a bike, you’re probably going to have to set aside some time to teach them. If you don’t feel you’re up to doing it yourself, you can also find some lessons. There are even some free sessions available from certain organisations or maybe your local council. You could start off by removing the pedals from the bike, so your child can practise balancing first. You can then slowly transition back to putting the pedals on, slowly easing into eventually letting them cycle on their own.
Go on Family Bike Rides
Practice makes perfect, and it’s hard for your child to keep up their riding skills if they don’t get a chance to use them. Going on family bike rides is fun for everyone, and it’s a great way to keep fit. Even if you don’t have much time for long rides, you could all ride to school in the mornings. You might allow your child to bring their bike when you’re walking somewhere too. Of course, they can also practise riding around your garden, outside your house, or in the nearest park.
There’s no need to panic about teaching your child to pedal. Start early and take it slowly to build up their skills and confidence.