Learning how to ride a bike is a major milestone! I’m sure we all remember when we learned, and parents will never forget when their little one pedaled off.
Riding a bike addresses so many components. You need to balance, pedal and steer all at once! We asked pediatric physical therapist, Tiffany Poe, DPT, from Kids in Motion Pediatric Therapy in Torrance, California for her favorite tips for parents. Here are her tips:
- Start on a flat, even surface with lots of open space so your child has plenty of room to practice without having to worry about steering around obstacles.
- If the tricycle has an adult handle, push them some of the time so they get the sensation of the pedaling motion. Then, you can decrease the assistance to see if they help with the pedaling. Or, let it stop and see if they try!
- Are your child’s feet constantly falling off of the pedals? Try securing their feet to the pedals with Velcro straps. It allows your little one to focus on the pedaling motion without worrying about their feet falling off.
- When they are starting to attempt pedaling, try on a slight downhill because it is easier for them to get going and keep going.
- It is easier to continue pedaling after an initial push versus pedaling from a complete stop.
Transitioning to Two Wheels
To make the transition to a two-wheeled bike, it requires more balance and steering! Balance bikes are a great place to start.
It allows your child to learn to keep their balance without having to multitask and pedal at the same time. We recommend the following tips for balance bikes:
- Start on a flat surface and have your little one walk their balance bike. As they get more comfortable, encourage them to propel themselves and lift their feet up! Count how long they can keep their feet up while maintaining their balance.
- Once ready, find a slight downhill to challenge their balance even more!
- Check out Huddy cruising down!
Don’t have a balance bike? Our favorites are from Strider Bikes! You can also try a DIY hack. There are many YouTube videos on how to remove pedals to make your own balance bike!
Transitioning to Independent Biking
Once your child feels more comfortable with balancing on a two-wheeled bike, you can begin working on pedaling and steering, in addition to keeping their balance.
- Start on a flat, even surface with lots of open space so your child has plenty of room to practice without having to worry about steering around obstacles.
- Focus on riding on a straight path before working on turning.
- Attach a handle to the bike to help them with steering while they focus on pedaling.
Every child learns at their own pace. Enjoy the process and watch motor planning unfold as your child puts together a very complex task!
Perform activities recommended by Walk, Talk, Play at your own risk with appropriate adult supervision provided. Walk, Talk, Play is not responsible for any injury caused while performing these play activities.
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