How to teach bicycle riding

Like learning to walk, learning to ride a bicycle is a long and gradual process. Be patient, and allow your child the chance to tackle it 1 step at a time.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tricycles
• <br>Training Wheels
• <br>Undersized Bicycle
• <br>Full-sized Bicycle

1. Start early. The child should be riding a tricycle long before she learns how to ride a bike. This will help her to learn the basics of balance. Toddler tricycles start off low and wide, and tend to get higher and narrower. This is intentional, because it helps the child to slowly master better and better balance. If you can afford it, use several different models of tricycles as the child gets older.

2. Start off with a small bike with training wheels. The wheels should initially be touching the ground or just a tiny bit above it when the bike is flat. The bike should be undersized--a bit too small for the child to peddle very efficiently--in order to keep a low center of gravity and allow him to easily touch the ground with both feet.

3. Allow the child to scoot around and get comfortable with the bicycle. Even an undersized bike is substantially higher off the ground than a tricycle. Scooting allows him to gain a bit of balance on the new bike and gain some confidence as well.

4. Teach the kid to peddle it. Have her start with one peddle slightly raised and the opposite foot on the ground. Run along with her and hold her shoulders or the back of the seat in order to help her balance.

5. Once he gets the knack of it, allow your kid to ride without you holding on.

6. Raise the training wheels slightly. With some kids, you have to go an inch at a time. With other kids, learning to ride a bike is a much faster process, and you can raise the trainers substantially.

7. Repeat Steps 3 through 6.

8. When the training wheels have come up far enough, the child will be riding more or less on his own. At some point, he will be able to ride without your help. Let him ride a little further on his own, while still supervising.

9. Once your child is good at riding, get her a full-sized bike. She has (mostly) learned to ride. By this point, she will have enough understanding of balance to be able to improve her riding skills without your help.

Tips & Warnings

• Your kid will fall. A lot. Make sure he is wearing a helmet, long pants, a long shirt and possibly knee pads as well. Also, be prepared to deal with ripped jeans and skinned knees.

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• <br>Just because she has mastered the basics of bicycle riding doesn't mean that your child is a pro. Supervise her and keep her near to you and out of the street!