This is one of the most fun things for kids to do, and that is to learn how to ride a bike. It is recommended that it should be done at a very young age so kids can start enjoying it as early as possible.
There is one problem, however, and that is, not everyone is the same, and we all differ physically and mentally from each other. So there are different factors to keep in consideration when it is time for a child to learn how to ride a bicycle.
So let us take a journey together to see what the best age for kids learn to ride a bike is and how you can know.
At What Age Should They Learn to Ride a Bike?
Some children will start at a very young age to learn how to ride those little scooters without pedals. And soon after that, they will learn how to ride a tricycle to get their pedaling skill on the go at an early age.
Soon after they have learned to ride a tricycle, they will start to learn on a bike with the side wheels attached. They say that the best age to teach your child to ride a bicycle is between 4 years and 6 years of age.
But it all depends on the child when they will be ready to learn to ride a bike without any problems at all. You can test your child between 3 years and 4 years to see if they are ready to learn.
Physical Readiness
How can you tell if your child is physically ready to learn how to ride a bike, even if it is with training wheels? There are two ways to determine the size of a bike for kids, and they are the wheel size and the stand-over size.
The wheel size for kids 2 to 4 years old is generally from sizes 10 inches to 12 inches tall. To determine the stand-over size for your kid, you can let them stand over the bike with their feet flat on the ground.
The child should stand over the frame of the bike with the legs on both sides of the frame. There should be at least a 1-inch space between the frame and the crotch of the child for the right stand-over size.
If you know the right bike frame size for the child and the right wheel size, it will make it easier to learn. The standard frame size for children 3 to 4 years is 14 to 20 inches, depending on the size of your child.
For a child to be physically ready to learn how to ride a bicycle, they need to have a little bit of balance. Even if they are physically ready to ride a bike, they must still understand the dangers of riding a bike.
And not all children understand the dangers of riding a bicycle at a very young age, so it is up to you.
Learning to Ride Bike Tips
When a child first starts out riding a bike, the first thing they need to learn is how to balance while casting off. That is why it is important to have something like training wheels added so they will stay on top.
A good thing for a new cycler to learn is to turn the handles in the direction they are falling, to counter the fall. This is very good for children and adults that are learning to ride a bicycle for the first time.
You can also lift the training wheels slightly off the ground on both sides so they will have to balance the bicycle. This will teach them to balance the bicycle while there is the security that they will not fall while learning.
Never yell at your child when they first start to learn to ride a bike; it will just discourage them and turn into a time they do not want to remember.
Learning to Balance
There are a few ways to learn how to balance when you start out learning to ride a bicycle. The first way is to remove the pedals and set the seat to the lowest setting and then stand over the frame.
Now the person should start walking and pushing the bike at the same time walking forward and keeping their balance. See this video on how to do this method of learning to balance with a bicycle properly and very safely.
After a few times of this walking the bike with the feet, you can put the pedals back on and try with the pedals. You will find that most people are eager to start pedaling when they get to this stage of learning to balance.
The Transition From Tricycle to Pedals
The transition from tricycle to bicycle should be done gradually so your child can learn without stress to ride a bike. After your child gets used to steering and pedaling on a trike, it is time to go over to a bicycle.
That will depend entirely on the physical and mental readiness of the child when this will happen. Most of the time, a child is ready when they are starting to be very efficient in riding a tricycle and riding without effort.
After the tricycle, you can then put the child on a balance bike and let them practice for a while. Then you can put them on a bicycle with the balance wheels on it and lift the training-wheels slightly off the ground.
The smoother the transition, the better your child will be at riding a bicycle sooner than later and without stress. When your child is transferred from a tricycle to a pedal bike, they will learn to steer, pedal, and balance all at the same time.
Conclusion
You should make the experience of learning to ride a bike as easy and as pleasant as possible for your child. After all, coordination is a skill that can benefit them throughout life.