Learning to ride a bike is a big event in the life of a child and a parent. What should you keep in mind when teaching your child to ride a bike? How to choose the best bike for your child?
Until recently a child learned to ride only before the First Holy Communion, that is at the age of 6-10 years. At that time a toddler usually received his first bicycle. The latest research indicates that it is best to teach a child to ride a bike from an early age, that is, in the second and third year of life. Many parents have doubts whether such a toddler can cope with pedaling. That’s why learning to ride a bike is a good idea to start with a cross-country bike.
Cross-country bikes are very popular in Western Europe and Scandinavia. In Poland more and more parents are convinced to this type of bicycle. The first bicycle should be low enough that the child can rest his or her feet on the floor. This way the child learns balance and there is no risk of falling off at higher speeds. Naturally, falls will happen, so it is a good idea to start learning to ride on soft ground, so that the child does not become discouraged.
Not all children feel comfortable on a cross-country bike, so it’s a good idea to teach your child to ride a tricycle or a four-wheel bike. However, you should get your child used to the bike as soon as possible – the sooner this is done, the easier it will be for your child to get used to a normal bike
Until recently, it was common practice to teach a child to ride a stick bike. Nowadays, it is recommended to hold your child by the seat when learning to ride a bike. This way the toddler is sure that the parent is always next to him.
It will be much easier for a child to start riding a classic bike, if he or she has already mastered riding a cross-country two-wheeler. In this case, very often the child does not need side wheels to learn to ride a bike
Until recently, a very popular method was to use a bar attached to the back of the bike. This way the child was supported during the ride, but this solution, although convenient for the parent, had one big disadvantage – the child learned to ride a bike much slower. Therefore, when learning to ride, the child should be held by the saddle. It may not be the most comfortable for the parent, but the child learns to ride a bike much faster on its own
For learning to ride a bicycle, it is advisable to choose a lawn. This way the child will feel safe while riding. Even if he falls, he may only get dirty. During the first few rides, it’s a good idea to hold the seat to protect your child.
Learning to ride alone is a very important event for a child. Therefore, it happens that the toddler will not pay attention to passers-by. It is best to teach a toddler to ride in a park or on your own lawn.
When choosing a bike for your child, you should be guided by their height and age. It is advisable to try the bike on your child before buying it. It is assumed that children aged 3 to 5 years should have a bike with 14 inch wheels. Children aged 5-6 years, have a height of 105-120 cm should have a bike with 16 inch wheels. A child with a height of 135-155 cm should have a bike with 24 inch wheels. The bike should have a well chosen height.
When choosing a bike for a child, you should be guided by:
A well chosen bicycle is not everything. While riding you should take care of your child’s safety. Before learning to ride a bicycle it is good to equip a child with a helmet. It is also worth investing in pads that will reduce bruising.
Main photo: Amber Faust, source: unsplash.com
