Back in the summer, a friend posted on Facebook about her young son and all the great things he was doing and experiencing while on break from school. I loved it! He was swimming, fishing, spending time outside, and riding his bike without training wheels.
Summer is such a wonderful time for many parents to watch their kids reach milestones. They might shed their training wheels, learn to swim without a vest, summit a mountain, or finally take that leap off a diving board! There are some capstone moments though that you didn’t miss even if you didn’t get to them this summer. One of those is teaching your child to ride a bike.
I got to thinking that the fall is actually a great time for a kid to learn to ride without training wheels. The weather is just right for the extra effort you’ll both exert. It’s reasonably cool, so while you’ll work up a sweat, you won’t have the summer sun beating down on your heads. A parent teaching a kid to ride is going to be jogging behind them.
Besides the weather, the evening is still long enough that you can get in some practice time after dinner. Even with kids back at school, fall is a perfect time of year to still enjoy outside time in the evenings.
Teaching a child to ride a bike can be a challenging but rewarding experience for both the child and the parent. Here are some techniques that can help make the process easier and more effective:
6 Step to Teach Your Child to Ride
1. Start with a balance bike: A balance bike is a small bike without pedals that allows children to focus on balancing and steering before they have to worry about pedaling. This can help build their confidence and coordination. If you don’t want to buy extra equipment, simply remove the pedals from your child’s current bike. This is what we did.
2. Choose the right location: Find a flat, open space with no obstacles or traffic. A park or empty parking lot can be a good place to start.
3. Adjust the bike: Make sure the bike is the right size for your child and adjust the seat so they can touch the ground with both feet. Remove the training wheels if the bike has them.
4. Demonstrate and encourage: Show your child how to balance on the bike and push off with their feet. Encourage them to keep trying and offer positive feedback when they make progress.
5. Use a gentle push: Hold onto the back of the bike and give your child a gentle push to help them get started. Let go when they feel comfortable and start to balance on their own.
6. Practice, practice, practice: Encourage your child to keep practicing, even if they fall down or get frustrated. With time and practice, they will gain the confidence and skills they need to ride on their own.
Remember to be patient and supportive throughout the process. Every child learns at their own pace, and it's important to celebrate their progress and achievements along the way. Wear a helmet and add elbow and knee pads to reduce bumps and scrapes.