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On your Bike!
On your Bike!
Learning to ride a bike is part of our Kiwi culture. With your support, your child can learn to ride a bike.
Things you will need:
- A safe trike, balance bike (with safety wheels to start) appropriate to the size and ability of your child
- A well-fitting helmet
- Covered shoes
- An area to practice with a soft surface, such as grass or a netball / tennis court, where there is plenty of space away from the roads
How to do it:
With your child on the bike, hold the back of the seat and handlebars as you gently push them forward. Make sure their feet are on the pedals and are moving with them. With a balance bike, children will naturally scoot themselves along - however, you can encourage them to push off with two feet together and scoot along that way for a new challenge. If your child's bike has training wheels, ensure that to begin with the training wheels are balanced and touching the ground on each side. Once your child has mastered riding with training wheels you can adjust the training wheels so that they are lifted from the ground with progressive distance as your child gains confidence.
After much perseverance, patience and practice, your child will begin to ride along without support from you or the training wheels - what a great achievement to celebrate together!
What learning is occurring?
- Large muscle development, balance and coordination
- Instils a passion for physical activity, keeping fit and healthy, and enjoying the great outdoors
- Goal setting, persevering with difficulty and overcoming challenges
- Develops confidence, pride and self-esteem
Tips:
- While helping children learn how to ride a bike, you can also teach them bike safety, such as the need for helmets and covered shoes
- Bike riding provides a great opportunity for you to talk with your child about safety in the environment - e.g., looking out for cars and being wary of changes in riding surfaces and obstacles in their path