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In those Scandinavian countries on the northern European continent, children are usually not given tricycles or bicycles with training wheels when they learn how to ride a bike. Instead, they are introduced to a vehicle called a balance bike or a bike without pedals. To ride the bike, a kid straddles the bicycle and uses his feet to push it forward. He may experience a little awkward move and some tumbles, but he will soon gain more confidence and a sense of balance on the bike.
Generally, the appropriate age to put your kid on a bike is when he learns to walk safely and is able not only to balance but also to push himself. Therefore, our suggested age to start cycling with a balance bike is around 18 months old. However, parents should not force their kids as they have to embrace this experience independently. On the contrary, if they were forced to do, they would like to resist and postpone the lessons temporarily. Finally, it’s all about instinct because children have already known how to use the balance bike.
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Recently, you may see lots of kids in your neighborhood enjoy riding a balance bike while their parents are standing aside watching their kids. Kids as young as 18 months old can start their first step of the great journey on the balance bike. Here are our 10 reasons why a balance bike is a perfect choice for teaching your kids how to ride a bicycle.
The balance bike enables your kid to learn how to ride a bicycle much faster and more naturally. Since a balance bike has no pedals installed, kids will focus on one thing: how to stay balanced on the bike. This action will speed up the learning process much more naturally than riding on a bike with training wheels. This vehicle also allows kids to use their feet to stop, steer, and turn around, providing children greater control and safety.
Initially, children will attempt to keep their feet on the ground. Still, they gradually pick up the speed by lifting their feet during the gliding. In this way, kids will gain confidence with the balance on two wheels and lay the solid groundwork for cycling in the future.
One of the most challenging aspects of cycling is making a smooth curvature turn in any particular direction. On tricycles or bicycles with training wheels, kids can learn how to change the direction by only turning the handlebar horizontally. In reality, a cyclist needs to make a curvature turn by shifting the movement of body weight on the vehicle. Since a balance bike is the mirror image of a traditional pedal bike, kids would take steps to learn how to perform the curvature turn. Of course, they may be frightened for the first few attempts, but eventually, they will familiarize themselves with the rhythm. Please note that, during practice, scrapes or bruises are inevitable, so parents should be patient.
A balance bike is originally designed to encourage kids to use their hands to steer the handlebars while keeping their feet above the ground when the bike is in motion. This action enhances their strength and fine-tunes their motor skills through practice with the balance bike. According to the research, learning balance and coordination could dramatically improve the development of kids’ gross motor skills, vital to the whole-body movement to perform everyday functions.
Typically, the bike’s center of gravity is shallow and closer to the ground than a regular pedal bike. Thus, your kids will be able to put their feet on the ground if the bike is about to wobble. In the worst case, children won’t get much injury as the seat is just a few inches above the ground so falling from the bike is not a severe issue. Just make sure that your kids are well protected with helmets and other protective gear.
The “grow with your kid” feature is probably one of the most attractive features of the balance bike because it allows parents to adjust both the saddle and the handlebars by kids’ height. With this feature, the balance bike will technically grow with your kid until he is ready to take on the regular pedal bike. Thanks to its design, this type of bike are easy to control and maneuver.
Alternatively, parents may opt to buy a typical pedal bike and then remove the pedals from the bicycle. This approach is perfect for older kids or adults who are about to learn how to ride a bike. Once they have learned balance and coordination, you can install pedals back and let them ride on their own.
There are 2 crucial aspects of teaching kids how to ride a bicycle: a sense of balance and a pedaling technique. According to modern psychotherapists, gaining a sense of balance should be put on the top priority when coming to cycling. Once kids can master the sense of balance, the only aspect left is a pedaling technique, which is automatically obtained when they are on the two wheels.
Unlike a bike with training wheels, a balanced bike will encourage kids to focus on keeping themselves stable. Once they can lift their feet off the ground while the vehicle is in motion, they are likely to do the same on the regular pedal bike. Therefore, a balance bike enables kids to familiarize themselves with a sense of balance, which is a profound fundamental for learning how to cycle.
Cycling has been recognized as one of the best workouts for both children and adults. By learning how to ride on a balance bike, kids will naturally exercise their bodies through various learning lessons. For instance, a kid may use their feet to push the bike forward, which is similar to walking or running. Thus, it helps many kids to burn out body fat fast and also to strengthen their muscles.
More importantly, every kid loves cycling, and a balance bike exists to serve this purpose. You will be surprised to see how happy they are on the bike.
Most balance bikes on the market are designed to be lightweight, small, and easily portable compared to tricycles or bicycles with training wheels. With a minimal design, you can place it on your car’s back seat and it is lightweight enough to carry around. Hence your kids will never get tired of learning how to cycle as they can take their favorite balance bike anywhere they want.
Practicing on a bicycle with a training wheel yields nothing to your kids but an unstable and awkward feeling. On the contrary, a balance bike enables kids to realize their potential in themselves. Furthermore, they will gain self-confidence from mastering a sense of balance. When their feet are on the ground, they know that they can control this vehicle the way they want.
Moreover, self-confidence is likely to encourage your kids to go outdoors. With the bombardment of computer games and streaming media, most kids spend a lot of time on the LCD screen. Unfortunately, it discourages the child’s development stage. Buying a decent balance bike for your kids and urging them to go playing outside is a great idea to do.
Buying a balance bike is an excellent investment for your kids, and children can use it for the next several years as it grows with their kids. More than half of the balance bikes on the market are available in an affordable price range, so you don’t have to burn your wallet to get a good one. As a balance bike provides a smooth transition to regular adult bicycles, parents with a tight budget can avoid wasting money on tricycles or bicycles with training wheels.
