BALANCE BIKE

Do you remember when you first took to learning how to ride a bike?  I sure do, it was a painful experience.  First, I tried to put my feet up in the peddles after pushing off.  My legs always scraped the peddles leaving a scar.  Next, I tried to balance the bike.  At that time I had training wheels on my bike.  But it always seemed like the training wheels were not adjusted correctly.  The bike would rock to far to one side or the other.  Always making it seem like I would fall in any second.  It took me an entire year to learn after falling, scraping my legs and arms and sometimes getting my pants legs caught in the bike chain.  This was before they had bike chain guards.  What a miserable experience.

Well, times have changed.  In this day and age their are many more much easier ways to learn how to ride a bike.  All are less painful as technology has advanced.

What You Will Need..

So, what is the first thing that you as a parent will need to do to teach your child how to ride a bike.  Well, that is easy you have to get a bike silly!!!  How is your child supposed to ride if he or she does not have a bike.  Now, I am going to recommend something different from the norm.  I am going to recommend that you try out a balance bike for your child.  If you read the intro and your are older than twenty five then you have had experience with learning to ride a bike with training wheels.  I am sure you may have experienced everything that I explained in the intro.  Balance bikes take away all of the problems that I talked about in the beginning.  There are no peddles, no chains, and your child's feet stay on the ground until they learn how to balance the bike.

Their are not many makers of balance bikes but they do come in many sizes and styles.  You will need to shop around and find a bike that will fit the size of your child and the stage they he or she is starting from.  If your child is young starting out at around 2 years old I would recommend that you take a look at a Wishbone Bike.  They carry bikes that look like tricycles but better.  They are also lower to the ground and they will grow with your child.

For older children just starting out at ages 3 to 5 yrs old you may want to start with a Strider PREbike™ Running Bike or a bike like the Prince Lionheart Balance Bike.  Also, be sure to purchase a helmet.

Where to Start?

Where to start your child depends on how confident your child is on a bike.  But as a rule I always want to start a child on a area that is closed off with little to no traffic.  This could be a park or a dead end street.  A driveway is also a great place to start a child off on.  If you have a small hill on your driveway a balance bike will be perfect.  I have a small hill on my driveway and I allowed my children to roll their bikes down it into out backyard grass.  They quickly learned to balance their bikes doing this repeatedly daily.

How To Teach Your Child?

Before I did anything in terms of teaching my child I first taught them how to stop their bikes.  If they got into any trouble I always told them to hit the brakes.  I also wanted them to go slowly down inclines and the brakes controlled their speed.  In the case of their balance bikes their brakes was their feet.  Next, the balance bike did the rest and their feet kept them upright.  Start them off slow to allow them to get their confidence.  As their confidence gets greater they will begin to take more and more chances and their balance will increase.  Stick at it and allow them to practice everyday.  Eventually, they will get the hang of it.

Stay the course and your son or daughter will be riding a bike in no time.

Every child in the world looks forward to their first bicycle. They have seen their older siblings ride these wonderful inventions and wondered what it would be like to experience that particular brand of freedom. This freedom can be given at a young age through a run bike. The reality of the learning experience is much different than the anticipated joy of mastering the bicycle. Parents and children alike have felt the anxiety and frustration associated with learning to ride. The run bike offers a solution that takes the pain out of this fun and healthy activity.

From crawling to walking to running, children learn and enjoy the pleasure of mobility from the beginning. Most healthy children handle these tasks during roughly the same time frame developmentally. Once each stage is mastered, children are eager to move on to the next level. Crawling is not an option after they learn to walk and running is just the natural next step.

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Green List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Red List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Orange List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Blue List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Smart Gear Smart Balance Bike - Classic Style List Price: $89.99 Sale Price: $69.99 Average Rating:
	Smart Gear wooden Balance bikes (often referred to as "run bikes" or "training bikes" because they are pedal free and without training wheels) help a child develop the most important skills necessary to later ride a 2 wheel bicycle with pedals: BALANCE and MOTOR SKILLS...

	Diggin Active Skuut Wooden Balance Bike List Price: $99.99 Sale Price: $70.00 Average Rating:
	A wooden bike for children ages 2 to 5. It has no pedals and no training wheels. Children kick off the ground as if running, thus pushing or "skuuting" themselves and the bike forward. The Skuut is perfect for learning balance, steering, coordination and independence...

	Prince Lionheart Balance Bike List Price: $84.99 Sale Price: $72.99 Average Rating:
	7600 -Designed for comfort and ease of portability. -Teaches young children balance, steering and coordination. -Solid, lightweight 100pct birch wood frame. -Height adjustable padded seat. -Wide and stable 12'' rubber tired...

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Pink List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Strider PREbike Balance Running Bike, Yellow List Price: $110.00 Sale Price: $99.00 Average Rating:
	If your toddler can walk, your toddler can ride a Strider Sports PREbike. The Strider Sports PREbike teaches your child balance and coordination, developing glittering confidence.Trikes and bikes with training wheels simply can’t do this...

	Skuut Balance Bike List Price: $94.99 Sale Price: $91.99 Average Rating:
	Built for kids ages 2-5, the Skuut is a pedal-less, chainless push bike that moves by foot power ("Flinstone" style). Its the perfect introduction to cycling because its specifically designed to complement the motor skills of young children, teaching balance and control at a much earlier age than traditional cycles with training wheels...

The run bike allows children to learn how to balance while moving on two wheels. These toys have been popular in Europe for decades and now parents in the United States are embracing run bikes. The run bike works on a principal different than traditional bicycles. Most children learn to ride on tricycles or small bicycles with training wheels. This means that they learn to pedal first before the training wheels are removed. Once the beginners graduate to two wheels only, they must learn balance. Lots of skinned knees and elbows have resulted from this backwards learning method.

Children as young as two years old can enjoy the run bike by learning progressive riding skills.

• The run bike must be small enough to allow the child to sit in the saddle with their feet flat on the ground.
• The rider’s first lesson is learning how to stand and walk the run bike while holding the handlebars.
• As the rider becomes more comfortable, they will be able to walk the run bike while sitting in the saddle.
• The rider will gain confidence with experience and will be able to run while either standing or sitting on the run bike.
• The rider will eventually learn to steer the run bike while running and resting their feet on the footrest.

Run bikes can be constructed with wood, metal or a combination of both. Run bikes do not have pedals, chains, or crank sets, but they may have rim brakes. Rim brakes use a hand lever to slow or stop the bike.

The run bike lives up to its name. Not only will it allow your child to learn how to ride a bicycle safely, but it will give them years of outdoor fun. Just like children must learn to walk before they can run, they must learn to balance before they ride. Once they have learned how to balance on two wheels, there will be no holding them back. Children love to run and play and the run bike gives them all the skills they need to fly like the wind.

Learning to ride a bicycle is a universal rite of passage for all children. Babies in strollers have seen their older siblings experience the freedom of controlling their own wheels. They know their time will come, but in a child’s mind, the wait is too long. Parents also look forward to seeing their children successfully navigate on their own two wheels. The problem lies in the fact that the process is not always an easy one.

The European phenomenon, the balance bike, has brought a solution to American parents. Instead of teaching a child to pedal a bicycle first, this toy teaches balancing skills first. Typically, a child’s first bike is a tricycle or a bicycle with training wheels. Children learn to pedal and crave momentum. When the training wheels are removed, the child must start over and learn how to balance.

Boot Scoot Zoomer Pink Balance Bike Strider FREE SHIP    US $75.99

Boot Scoot Zoomer Blue Balance Bike Strider FREE SHIP    US $75.99

Boot Scoot Zoomer Blue Balance Bike Strider NIB    US $43.00

Wooden Balance Bike Runners Bike Plus Trailer Age 2 5    US $139.00

Boot Scoot ZOOMER Childrens Balance Training Bike BLUE    US $79.00

Boot Scoot ZOOMER Childrens Balance Training Bike GREEN    US $79.00

Boot Scoot ZOOMER Childrens Balance Training Bike PINK    US $79.00

Glide Bikes Mini Glider 12 Balance Bike Strider NIB    US $99.95

New Dora Wooden Balance First Bike FREE Dora Passport    US $44.57

New Kids WeeRide 12 Inch Balance Push Training Bike RED    US $82.99

The balance bike approaches the learning process from the opposite direction. The toy has no pedals or chain and all movement is propelled by the child. Learning to ride a balance bike is a progressive process which can eliminate anxiety and injuries related to falls.

• The balance bike must be small enough for the rider to sit on the saddle with their feet flat on the ground.
• The child first learns to walk and steer the bike without sitting on the saddle.
• Once the child is comfortable with the balance bike, they will learn to walk and steer the bike while sitting on the saddle.
• The same process is repeated while the child runs with the bike.
• Upon successful mastering of the balance bike, the child will be confident enough to rest their feet on the foot rest while the balance bike coasts.

The balance bike allows the child to get used to handling the steering and motion of the wheels before pedals are introduced. This method builds self confidence and encourages the child to advance with the toy. The learning process is less stressful because the child has more control over the toy. Of course, the child can still fall while learning, but they will feel less anxiety learning how to ride because they will not require mom and dad’s help in supporting the bicycle. The child can progress by their own speed and can graduate from walking to running when they are ready.

Parents look forward to seeing their children master the ability to ride a bicycle. They know learning is not easy and now they have the balance bicycle to help their children be more successful. This wonderful toy teaches children balance skills first before they move on to larger and more traditional bicycles. Children learn to first walk and steer before taking on running and coasting on a bicycle with no pedals. The balance bike is a fun toy that will help children develop important skills they will need to move on to larger bicycles. Mom and dad can relax while their child learns control of their own wheels.