Teach your child how to ride a balance bike - 10 Top Tips
1. Make sure the bike is adjusted so that they can ride it.
The first thing to make sure of is that they are able to ride the bike. Their feet should be flat on the ground so that they can use them to push the bike along, otherwise they will find it very difficult to ride.
When my son was growing, we thought the seat was too low so we adjusted it to be higher. He was suddenly struggling to get the speed on his bike he previously had. When we lowered the seat again, he was back to gliding along on his bike. The few centimeters we raised the bike, really affected how he could ride it.
The seat height of the bike should be about 1 inch less than your child’s inseam (the measurement between the top of their crotch and the floor with their shoes on). This will give them enough room to get on and off the bike as well as ride it. If the seat can't lower to this measurement it may mean the bike is slightly too big for them at the moment. You may need to wait until they have grown a bit or swap it for a bike with a lower seat height.
2. Become familiar with how kids learn to ride a balance bike
3. Consider letting them use the bike indoors
Before we used the bike outside, I let my son use the bike indoors. Again he would mainly just stand with it in between his legs and he would walk around a little. But looking back, I realise it was all part of getting a feel for the bike and learning how it worked. It all contributed to the learning process.
Learning to ride the bike indoors may feel like a safer option to your child. They’re in an environment which feels familiar and secure to learn a new skill.
4. Lots of Opportunities
Once they have a feel for the bike indoors or outdoors, give them lots of opportunities to be able to ride the bike. Take it outdoors everyday or every few days, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Take it to the park or wherever you are going.
5. Be Patient
6. Show Them How To Use It
7. Is The Bike Too Heavy?
Another factor that may affect a child’s ability to ride the bike is the weight of the bike. Toddlers, small or light children may find it difficult to control and ride a heavy balance bike. So it’s worth looking at the weight of the bike you have and see if this is affecting their ability to ride. As kids get older and stronger the weight of the bike becomes less important and they are able to manoeuvre with a heavier bike. So it may just be a case of waiting until they are a little older and stronger and can use the bike more easily.
The lightest bikes you can get weigh about 3kg which should be easy for most toddlers (from around 18 months plus) and 2 year olds to ride as long as the seat height is low enough.