I Want to Ride My Bicycle - The Potential Ability Group (TPAG)

April 15th, 2019Jemma LooyestynActivities & Ideas, Early Development, Motor Skills, Play & Socialising

Learning to ride a bike is a milestone for many. It’s a form of transportation, a recreational activity, it’s a great way to socialise and most importantly it’s fun! There is no perfect age to begin learning to ride a bike. It’s something you can pick up at any age, but typically kids will begin trying to learn between the ages of three to eight years old. Bike riding is a complex activity that requires a range of skills from our body including motor planning and coordination (to ensure we can pedal in a synchronised manner), posture and core strength (to sit upright and maintain balance while riding), strength in our legs (to push the pedals down repetitively) and balance (to ensure we don’t fall off), just to name a few. The overarching skill in the occupation of bike riding is the ability of paying attention to all of this at once. The fun, options for play, incidental and intense work on skill development is why as Occupational Therapists we encourage children to experience the freedom of riding a bike.

Here, we have put together a few helpful tips to consider when you are trying to teach your little one how to ride a bike.

Before you start:

Are they interested in learning to ride a bike?

Wait for a time when they are showing interest and then act otherwise it will be a frustrating experience for both you, and your child. Strong interest means motivation and enthusiasm. If they never do, that’s ok too! I’m sure they have many other interests to delve into.

Consider your child’s readiness to engage in bike riding.

Do they possess the physical skills to begin trying? If your child can balance on one foot, sit up right for a prolonged time, use both legs together e.g. to kick a ball and have the endurance to engage in a physical activity for at least five minutes (e.g. playing chasey), then they have the foundational skills to ride a bike.

Consider safety.

Go through basic road safety awareness before engaging in bike riding with your child. During practice, encourage them to stop and turn their head to look before crossing the road. Encourage them to always be looking and listening for potential obstacles.
Always wear a helmet and adjust the straps as necessary for the perfect fit.
Elbow and knee pads are an optional extra that you may consider purchasing for children who seem accident prone or require some extra ‘padding’ for confidence.
Ensure your child is wearing sturdy shoes that won’t fall off (e.g. preferably closed in shoes like sneakers). Ensure laces are tied up and that there is no loose clothing that may get caught up in the bike.
Parental supervision is recommended for young children while they are bike riding.
Adjust the height of the bike seat so your child can have both feet flat on the ground. This will also make them feel safer and more in control of the bike.

Tips on teaching bike riding at home:

There are many steps involved in riding a bike. To simplify the process, practice each step one at a time. Once the first step is mastered, move onto the next one. For instance, master getting on/off the bike before moving onto pedalling one foot at a time (in static position), then pedalling with two feet.
Other things to consider when practising bike riding include use of training wheels, busyness of environment (i.e. start off in the backyard, then try down your street, then go to a park or bike track), practice in the parks at a less busy time of the day until your child builds their skills and confidence. Once your child is becoming more confident, try talking to them at the same time or getting them to sing a song to practise maintaining attention. Also consider the type of terrain you are riding on, it may be best to start off on smooth surfaces like concrete and build up to more bumpy/unfamiliar terrains like bike trails, dirt/gravel.
Practice, practice, practice. Reward all attempts using positive words of encouragement, lots of high fives or something of interest to your child i.e. stickers. This will help form a positive association between your child and bike riding which is particularly beneficial for children who may be fearful around this task.
Consider demonstrating each step to your child to help with learning.
Watch videos of others riding bikes.
Engage in other activities that support development of essential motor skills (motor planning, coordination, strength, posture, etc) to assist in building the capacity and ability to ride the bike. Such activities include obstacle courses, ball games, hopscotch or climbing on playground equipment.
For children who are feeling frightened, stand by their side throughout the process, you can hold onto a handle bar or have a hand on their back to make them feel more secure. As your child becomes more confident, gradually decrease how much you are holding onto them/ the bike and let your child know this. Again, providing positive encouragement and praise is key!
Practice riding in a straight line, before progressing to turning.
Consider alternative options or alterations to a standard bike for children who are having particular trouble. Options include starting on a tricycle or with training wheels for greater stability and sense of balance for your child. A balance bike (a bike without pedals or brakes) is another option to help your child just get used to the bike and maintaining their balance. They could engage in activities like soccer, hopscotch, skipping, running or pedalling on a static bike to work on coordinating their leg movement.

Learning how to ride a bike can be challenging at times, but hopefully with a little help from these tips, your child will be riding down bike tracks in no time! So go on, get out there and see for yourself the many benefits bike riding has to offer.

References

<https://www.hct.nhs.uk/media/1254/explaining-riding-a-bike.pdf>

Dunford, Bannigan, Rathmell (2016) Learning to ride a bike: Developing a therapeutic intervention. Children Young People & Families Occupational Therapy Journal 20(1) 10-18

Cameron, M; Shapiro, R and Ainsleigh, S 2005, ‘Bicycle riding: Pedalling made possible through positive behavioural interventions’, Journal of Positive Behaviour Interventions, vol. 7, no. 3, pg 153-158.

Byk Kids Bike 2016, 10 tips for kids learning to ride a bike, accessed 3/3/19 <https://www.bykbikes.com.au/10-tips-for-kids-learning-to-ride-a-bike/>.