We are enrolling! Join us in nurturing young minds, fostering creativity, and creating a brighter future. We're excited to introduce your child to a world of possibilities! Contact us today for details.
Do you remember when you learned to ride a bike? Were you in preschool or older? I’m sure your memories are littered with mom or dad running behind you and eventually letting go of your bike seat, only to find yourself with scraped knees and hands from quickly falling to the ground. Why did we fall so much? Didn’t we have training wheels? Gone are the days of training wheels, mom and dad. Turns out, learning to balance is the key to learning to ride a bike.
Step 1. Balance bike
You can find your child a balance bike, or you can turn a regular bike with pedals into one. If you go ahead and purchase a regular bike with pedals, you’ll save yourself some money in the long run. With the bike in hand, just leave the pedals off for now, and lower the seat enough for your child to have their feet flat on the ground when seated.
Step 2. You need a lot of space
Your school parking lot on the weekend is a great location! You want to have enough space for your child to glide a good distance on their balance bike.
Step 3. Gliding
Show your child how to glide small steps with both feet. She will push off with both feet and balance just until the next step. As she gains more confidence, encourage her to glide further between steps. She’ll go further and further until she won’t need to put her feet on the ground and she’ll be able to balance the bike on her own while she rides.
Step 4. Alternating feet
Now that she has gliding down, the next step is to alternate feet between glides. Eventually, this will lead to pedaling the bike. Alternating her feet will help her build the strength to pedal and balance the bike.
Step 5. Aiming
Create targets for your child to ride around or lay potato chips or crackers on the ground for her to crush. This will help her build strength to balance the bicycle, but also steer the bike and keep it under control.
Step 6. Put the pedals back on
When you put the pedals back on the bike, encourage your child to let her know that she is ready for this! She’s been able to balance the bike, so pedaling will be a simple step to transition to. Make sure to raise the seat so her knees don’t hit the handle bars. The balls of her feet should be able to touch the ground. It may take a few practices, but hopefully your child is building the strength and balance she needs to ride her bike!
Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Suwanee located in Suwanee, Georgia? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.