HOW TO TEACH YOUR KIDS HOW TO RIDE A BIKE

Embarking on the journey of teaching your child to ride a bike is a milestone filled with excitement and memories. In this journal, we’ll share simple yet effective tips to make the process enjoyable for you and your little rider.

Get the right size bike

Ensuring your child rides the right-sized bike is paramount for their safety, comfort, and overall enjoyment of cycling. Discover why getting the perfect fit matters and how it can positively impact their biking experience. Check out our Kids Bike Sizing Guide here.

Teach them how to ride while they’re young 

Teaching your kids how to ride while they’re young has a load of benefits, but the biggest one is that they are fearless. Teach them to ride when they are young so you have more hours spent riding together, and an easier time of getting them on the bike in the first place!

Fun rides for the family 

We love a family bike ride, and it is made even sweeter when the kids are riding to their own beat, confident in their ability and sense of self. Teaching them to ride is the gift that keeps on giving, so let’s get into our tips. 

The four P’s from PAU

Right, so you’re teaching your kids to ride a bike, here are the four P’s that we have learned over the last 18 or so years that will help you teach your kids to ride as seamlessly as possible. 

Buckle in! 

Protection

This one is self-explanatory, but making sure that your kids have the right protection to ride is key. A helmet that is well fitting is essential, you can read our safety tips here as a guide. Next up you might want to consider some cushioning and padding in the form of knee and elbow pads, to soften any wobbles or falls that might come their way. While we don’t believe in wrapping them in cotton wool, it does give them a bit of confidence to go for it. 

Patience  

This one is probably the biggest P of them all. Patience. You have to be patient when showing them the ropes, and answering any questions your little people might have. This might involve Googling random bits of the bike to answer strange questions, but having this patience throughout the learning process will pay off long term. 

Persistence 

There will be wobbles, there may be tantrums, and those are just from you. 

Persistence is key and you need to stick with it. Being patient is one thing but being persistent is another, knowing that you’re in this for the long haul so that you can enjoy those bike rides together, one day. Keep at it, and remember to stay encouraging in your tone and nature, so that your kids know that you’re all on the same team. 

Practice 

Commit to practicing with them. Once they have it down, it needs to be maintained, so carve out some time each week (or day!) to help them hone their skills. It might take a while until it is embedded in them, so make sure they don’t lose it before they use it by keeping a regular riding practice. 

Those are our Four P’s which haven’t failed us yet. Let us know how you get on, and if you need any kids bikes or protective gear, then you know where to find us. Happy riding!