How to teach someone to ride a bike!
My sweet boy learned how to ride a bike right before he turned 4 years old. I’m not sure if we should be thrilled or scared that he learned how to ride a bike at such an early age, as we worry about his safety. The biggest plus in all of it is the fact that he LOVES to wear things on his head, so getting him to wear a helmet is easy. It might be his favorite part. We have loved cheering him on. Learning to ride a bike is just one of those big milestones that are fun to check off the list. We taught him the same way we taught our daughter Avery how to ride a bike.
I thought it would be fun to share a few of the big tips in teaching both of our kids to ride a bike, in case this is something on your Summer To Do List.
5 Key Tips for Learning How To Ride A Bike
- Start with a small bike. The smaller the better. Your child should be able to have both feet flat on the ground. You might want to get a bigger bike to save money over time, because kids grow so fast, but this will make it harder for them to learn.
- Don’t waste your time with training wheels. They give a false sense of security and they slow down the whole learning process.
- Take the actual bike pedals off. Let them learn how to balance first. This is the key (I believe) to actually learning to ride a bike. They do sell bikes without pedals, but save yourself the money and just take your pedals off. Once they learn how to balance, you can put the pedals back on.
- Have them learn on a driveway or street with a slight decline. This helps to get the wheels rolling.
- No pressure from parents. Once you take the pedals off, let them be on their own and on their own time. Whether it be a trip down to the mailbox or to visit the neighbors, invite them to get the bike out. No pressure is key.
It’s so fun to see them so confident in their new skill.
Yes, an audience is always fun once you learn how.
Red, white and blue decor always helps too. Yes…this little bike is still decorated from the 4th of July neighborhood bike parade from the year before. yikes!
Have you tried this method of taking the pedals off to help teach how to ride a bike? Or do you have any other little tips that you think are key in learning how to ride a bike?
