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Teaching Your Child to Ride a
Bike in 15 minutes
Taking off those training wheels can be scary and time consuming for
parent and child! It is back breaking holding on to the back of a
bike for hours. But there is an easier and safer way to teach your
child to ride. This method shows kids how to develop their balance
and ride in as little as 15 minutes.
Getting Ready to Ride
If your child is ready to ride and she is 4 or 5 years old, she probably
has the balance and coordination to lose the training wheels. Us a
simple beginner's bike with a single gear and a foot break. Be
sure the bike is small enough to be easy to control and that he is able
to put both feet on the ground while standing over the crossbar with an
inch to spare.
Pick a Spot
Find a grassy slope about 20 feet high that is angled enough so the bike
will coast down, but not so steep that it will be hard for your child to
hold the bike still with her feet. There should be plenty of level
ground at the bottom - about 20 yards in all directions.
Bike Setup
To set up your bike, use a wrench to lower the seat (saddle), so that
your child's feet can rest flat on the ground as he sits. The soft
grass means less likelihood of skinned knees, but your child still
always needs a helmet.
Clothing and Helmet Safety
Use well fitting clothes and tuck in shoelaces before starting. It
is critical to teach your child the importance of helmet safety at the
same time you're teaching beginning cycling skills. The Consumer
Products Safety Commission notes that wearing a bike helmet can reduce
your child's risk of head injury by 85 percent. Make sure the helmet is
level when worn, not tilted back or angled to one side. The side straps
should form a snug "V" under each ear, and the chin strap should be
cinched enough to allow you to slide only two fingers underneath. Have
your child open her mouth wide. If the helmet does not hug her
head, it is too loose. Many young children put their helmets on
backward, so make sure they know which is the rear and which is the
front. There's usually a sticker inside pointing in right direction.
For more information on helmet safety, visit
http://www.helmets.org/
Rolling
About halfway up the hill, position the bike with the pedals level. Put
your child on the saddle with his feet on the ground, holding the
handlebar straight and arms slightly bent. Have him lift his feet and
roll to the bottom of the hill, controlling the speed by putting his
feet back on the ground, if needed. Walk the bike back up and repeat
until your child can keep his feet on the pedals while coasting down.
Once your child has more confidence, move higher on the hill and repeat
a couple more times.
Add Braking and Steering
Tell your child to apply the brake after the hill levels out. When she
can stop safely, work on steering with gentle turns to the left and
right. Repeat riding down the hill, turning each direction at the bottom
two or three times.Raise the Seat, add Pedaling
Raise the seat high enough to allow a slight bend in your child's leg
when the pedal is at the bottom of a stroke. Start partway up the hill
and have him coast until the bottom of the hill, then pedal while riding
circles in the level area. Your child is now riding a bike, it is time
to celebrate and congratulate your child.
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