When that pivotal time comes in your child’s life to mount a bicycle for the first time, it can be difficult to let them go. This is an important moment that will allow your child to develop physical coordination skills and achieve a new level of independence but watching them fall can be heart-wrenching. With the anxiety of this major step, it’s no wonder that parents struggle to let go of the handles.
However, successful bike training is built on trust—letting kids learn to balance and control their bikes on their own. Without learning independently of their parents’ hands-on guidance, they might never achieve independence or confidence. For successful bike training, your child needs your support, as well as a belief that they can do it on their own. With a mission to help all kids take this journey of self-confidence, Strider Bikes offers specialized balance bikes and tips for success.
Why Training Wheels (and Hands) May Hold Kids Back
Learning to ride a bicycle goes beyond learning mechanical skills. It is also about teaching kids to trust themselves and letting them know their parents believe in their abilities. Giving them the freedom to learn on their own will help to instill them with self-confidence.
Training wheels can inhibit this process by teaching children to depend on external balance aids instead of their own bodies. This can make it more difficult, rather than simpler, to transition to a two-wheeled bike. Furthermore, when parents hold onto the child themselves, they can be sending a subtle message that they believe the child cannot balance by themselves, damaging their confidence to attempt it on their own.
Balance Bikes: Growing Independence from the Beginning
Balance bikes are an option for teaching kids confidence in bike riding. Without additional support, balance bikes empower children to find their balance naturally and move at their own pace.
The success of balance bikes has been demonstrated through scientific research. A study published on PMC PubMed Central shows that children who start training on balance bikes learn to ride independently up to two years earlier than those who started on training wheels.
Strider’s Step-by-Step Learn-to-Ride Guide
As a global leader in balance bikes, with over four million bikes sold across 75+ countries, Strider Bikes holds exceptional expertise in teaching children to ride bikes. As a company, Strider Bikes has been carefully built by bicycle enthusiasts who dedicate their lives to helping kids ride and experience the joys of two-wheeled biking. In fact, founder Ryan McFarland built the very first Strider for his 2-year-old son in his garage 17 years ago. Since then, the company’s ethos has centered on their core mission of helping every child learn to ride.
For parents starting the bike-riding journey with their children, Strider Bikes offers this handy step-by-step guide.
1. Start with Proper Bike Fit and Setup
First of all, parents should make sure that the bike is a proper fit for the child. Adjust the seat height so that their feet can touch the ground. Start with a pedal-free balance bike – like the globally acclaimed Strider 12” Balance Bike – to reduce distractions and focus on the basic skill of balance first. Kids can even start younger on a rocking bike. The Strider 2-in-1 Rocking Bike is the perfect introduction to biking. As young as 6 months old, kids can learn by rocking back and forth on a Strider 12” Balance Bike attached to a rocking base. Once they’re old enough to balance, just detach the rocking base and they have their first balance bike.
2. Encourage Striding and Gliding
The first strides forward will be a major step in this process. Encourage children to start by pushing with their feet and eventually lift them up to glide. Allow them to experiment without your hands holding them, letting them fall gently and get back up to try again. Standing in front of them just like you did when they learned to walk helps them focus on moving forward and keeping their balance.
3. Monitor Readiness for Pedals
As your child gains more confidence, look for the key signs that they might be ready for pedals. This could be them gliding forwards confidently with their feet lifted. Don’t rush; introduce pedals only when you think they’ve established their balance.
4. Pedal Introduction
Now that your child is working with pedals, try to avoid hovering. Let them learn the circular motion of pedaling at their own speed. With guidance from afar, this can be an empowering experience.
Create a Positive Learning Environment and Trust the Process
As you watch your child take this journey, remember that children progress at different rates and trust that they will succeed. Make sure to boost their confidence by celebrating every step forward, including balancing, striding, gliding and pedaling.
Allowing your child to experiment and learn without hands-on interference will teach them that you believe in their abilities to learn and ride independently. By stepping back and trusting your child, you build a foundation of confidence, independence, and joy in biking. With the aid of Strider Bikes and balance bikes, kids can more readily take this journey of self-confidence.
