The Number One ingredient for learning how to ride a bike is a child who is ready.
They all get to this in their own time.
We bought a bike for our daughter for her 6th birthday. But still she didn’t really embrace it until well after her 7th. Myself and her dad slightly lost it with running along beside the bike. Then; long after we’ve all stopped trying; she decides she is ready and she wants to learn to cycle.
How to ride a bike
But thinking about it several factors had lots of influence:
- We just don’t live in a cycle friendly house and garden, It’s a bit steep and the surfaces are uneven.
- We never take cycle holidays.
- Bicycles are not our preferred form of transport.
- While some families are out after school everyday with the neighbours kids’ cycling around the local park and each others driveways, we just never seem to do that.
So my daughter got to it in her own time. When she wanted to she mastered it.
When learning how to ride a bike so many things make a difference and affect the level of readiness.
It’s not age specific – obviously they need a certain amount of gross motor skills – but apart from that, Location is a factor and how often other family members cycle (don’t take that as a reason to beat yourself for not cycling) These all play a huge role. But don’t panic. They will master it, just at a different speed.
I loved cycling as a kid, the freedom and feeling of wind in my hair. I was never a speed freak but I did have one of those cool chopper bikes and later a BMX that had its accessories stolen from the school bike rack, it broke my heart.
Benefits of cycling
Like the benefits of nature to families, there are so many health benefits when you learn to ride a bike :
Improved cardiovascular, increase in stamina, improved coordination and a sense of freedom. To name just a few.
As part of The Smart Happy Project we are collaborating with Clonakilty Bicycle Festival and hosting a 5k cycle event. Combined with a scavenger hunt and with a little of rotational symmetry thrown in. What is rotational symmetry?
Come find out more, grab your chopper and get going.
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