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Cycling can be quite a delightful experience for any little one, providing enjoyment, freedom and exercise.  This advances a child’s self-confidence and sense of achievement.  Like most pursuits with this kind of wonderful reward, there is also the risk of injuries.  Instructing your child in the fundamentals of bicycle safety is a crucial step in learning to ride a bike.

No Helmet, No Bike

Head injuries account for more than 60% of bike related deaths involving younger cyclists.  Normally, little ones do not like donning a helmet.  To encourage use, let them select their own helmet and emphasize to them the reason they need to put it on is because you’d never ever want anything bad to occur.  No bending the rules on this one.  A helmet is a must. End of story.

Alertness is a Skill

For kids ten and under, most biking accidents are brought on by some lapse in judgment or loss of concentration.  Children hurt themselves riding into standing objects such as cars in driverways or on the street or mailboxes.  Kids will often run into each other into each other or ride off the curb.  Remind your child that staying alert is even more important than wearing their helmet and riding safely matters.  Emphasize that you are impressed when they choose to make good choices and ask them to be a leader anytime they are riding with friends.

As your child begins to explore more of his or her world on their bicycle, schedule time to visit the new areas they will be permitted to ride.  Discuss danger spots; parked cars that obscure vision, hectic traffic spots, extreme hills and ask them to explain how they will handle each condition.

You May Know Traffic Rules, Kid’s Don’t

For nearly all grown ups, knowing and reacting to traffic signs and rules will be 2nd nature, but we oftentimes forget that young children have yet to take driver’s education courses.  Teach your boys and girls the direction traffic should go, what to do at intersections along with the significance of the traffic signs in their own bike riding area.

While you are driving along with your children in the car, check to see if they can explain the traffic signs and talk to them about exactly what they would do if they were on their bike rather than  in the car.  Bring up illustrations of drivers that are not really paying sufficient attention and use this to call attention to the importance of remaining alert.

At First, It’s all about Balance

Understanding how to ride a bicycle starts with one primary skill – balance.  Countless specialists recommend a great strategy that doesn’t make use of training wheels. This has been the approach in Europe for quite some time where many children master riding a bike using a wood bike that has no pedals, chain or sprockets and works under the child’s “foot” power.
When teaching your child to ride, stress balance, not pedaling.  In case you do not have a balance bike, remove the pedals, drop the height of the seat as low as it can go and allow your chilld to test out their balance by pushing the bike with their feet.

As they begin to master their balance, move them to the top of a gradual incline and let them coast down, dragging their feet along as they go.  This can improve the learning process and help the health of your back because you won’t always be the one continually pushing the bike all over the neighborhood.

Bicycle Gear Maintenance

Always ensure that your child’s bicycle is always in good, working condition.  Pay close attention the brakes, both back and front.  These may degrade fairly quickly when used frequently and kids have a way of improvising stops whenever they do.  This might lead to a fast deterioration of footwear as they become the main braking mechanism.

Check the tire pressure and rotation.  Make sure all the spokes are intact and the gears and gear shifters are functioning.  Examine the seat, handlebars and tires to ensure nothing is loose.

Share the Ride

Riding together is the perfect way to practice bike safety and its a lot of fun. So get out and ride!


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