There comes a time when learning to ride a bike becomes a priority for kids. For most kids, this is between the ages of four and seven years. This is the age range in which kids master balance and are physically ready to control a bike. There are a few methods for teaching kids to ride a bike, ranging from hands-on to completely hands-off.
Safety First
Before you let your child near the bike, get out the safety equipment. Start with a bicycle helmet fitted for the child. Many states require bicycle riders to wear helmets. Even if it's not the law in your state, it's a good idea for everyone. Starting kids wearing helmets when they are on tricycles will eliminate the arguments once they get on two wheels.
Other optional equipment for the early bike rider includes elbow pads, knee pads and bike gloves. These cut down on scrapes and bruises from those inevitable falls. A child who gets hurt while learning to ride may become fearful and not want to try again for a long time.
Make sure the bike is in good condition, with air in the tires, screws and bolts tightened, and the chain and gears oiled. The seat should be just low enough for your child to put the tips of both feet on the ground while sitting, and the handlebars should be within easy reach. For first-time riders, setting the seat so that the child's feet can both be flat on the ground may help to build confidence. You can always raise it as your child's skill improves.
Is Your Child Ready?
There are two ways to know if your child is ready to learn how to ride a bike. First, does he have good balance in general? Can he stand on one foot, hop, climb and be steady? If so, he probably has the physical readiness.
Second, does your child feel ready? If she is afraid, she's not ready. This second rule applies to kids ages four to seven. If your kid is ten and still isn't riding a two-wheeler, fear may be holding her back. You'll need a hands-on teaching approach to help a fearful child build confidence on a bike.
Training Wheels
Training wheels help kids get used to the size of a bike after riding a tricycle. They take the need for balance out of the equation. Advantages are that training wheels allow a kid who is big enough to ride a bigger bike. He gets used to the feel of steering and braking while pedaling, and develops the coordination to do so comfortably. Disadvantages are that riding with training wheels does not teach balance, the essential last step for riding a two-wheeler. In order to learn balance, the training wheels need to come off, or be raised little by little.
Once your child can control the bike, raise the training wheels an inch above the ground. They will still catch your child when he leans, but he'll need to figure out proper balance in order to ride straight. Be careful about raising the training wheels too high, particularly with taller children. If you set them too high, the combination of momentum and a high center of gravity could be enough to let the bike tip over.
Your child will probably ride sideways for a while and feel pretty silly. Eventually, he will get the hang of holding himself straight, and those training wheels will be unused. Then you can just take them off.
Learning Without Training Wheels
Learning to ride without training wheels teaches a child to learn balance through trial and error. Adventurous kids may prefer this style of learning. There are two basic techniques.
Advantages: It's one of the fastest ways for a child to learn, and usually successful after a few days of trying.
Disadvantages: It's very tiring for the parent to do all that running. There's a risk of stepping on or tripping over the bike when your child weaves or falls.
All he has to do is to scoot along on the bike with his feet. Have your child start out by walking while sitting on the bike to make it go. Eventually he'll start taking longer glides, lifting his feet a bit while gliding forward. When he is able to take longer glides, he can work on placing his feet on the pedals and giving them a turn or two. He can always put his feet back down when he feels unbalanced. With practice, it will be easier for him to balance, and he will use the pedals for longer stretches of time.
You can start kids scooting on a small two-wheeler as young as age three and skip the training wheels altogether as long as the bike is small enough for the rider to have both feet solidly on the ground. In this case, the pedals should be completely removed to give a young child freedom of leg motion without the pedals in the way. The transition to using pedals after achieving balance is very natural.
Advantages: Kids learn at their own pace, less running for mom and dad.
Disadvantages: It can take longer to learn, because some kids get stuck in the scooting stage. Balance and control must be learned at the same time.
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