Riding a bicycle: learning to balance

Learning to ride a bicycle can be tricky for all children.

Children with additional needs often have difficulties with coordinating their body and learning new motor skills. This can make learning to ride a bike even harder.

If this is a goal your child would like to achieve, try the balance bike method first. The balance bike method can make it easier, because it breaks the task down into steps.

What a balance bike is

A balance bike is a bike without pedals. Children move it by pushing their feet off the ground.

Balance bikes are generally available in two sizes - 10 inch or 12 inch. These are suitable for children age 2 to 5. You can also get balance bikes in larger sizes. But you may have to order these from a special supplier.

Your child may find it easier using a specific balance bike. But you can also convert a standard pedal bike, if they have one.

Converting a bike into a balance bike

Here is how to convert a pedal bike into a balance bike.

1. Remove the pedals: Use a spanner to remove the pedal. You do not need to remove the crank.
2. Lower the seat: When fitting the seat height for a balance bike, your child should be able to put both feet firmly on the ground. They should have only a slight bend to their knee.
3. Adjust the handlebars: Adjust the height of the handlebars if necessary. They should be level to your child at mid-torso height. On both the seat post and handlebar stem there are minimum insertion markings. For your child’s safety, insert the posts into the frame far enough so that the lines do not show.

Getting on the bike

If your child has co-ordination difficulties, they may find the balance required to get on or off the bike challenging.

One way to make this a little easier is to:

1. lay the bike on the ground
2. step over the cross-bar first before bringing it upright
   by the handlebars

Your child should wear a helmet that fits correctly.

The balance bike method

To start, your child should:

1. sit on the seat
2. keep both feet on the ground
3. rock the bike from side to side to start feeling where ‘mid-line’ is

Use the seat

It is important that your child is fully weight-bearing on the seat rather than perched on it. It may take some time for your child to trust the seat as their base of support rather than their feet.

Try playing games such as asking them to wave with one hand, then the other. Then, ask them to wave with both so that they are only sitting and resting their feet on the ground.

To test their balance further, try playing catch with a large soft ball or balloon with them seated on the saddle.

When supporting your child to learn these stages, try to avoid the urge to hold up your child’s bike. It is important for them to feel the side to side movement of the bike.

Move their legs

Encourage your child to scoot their legs along whilst seated on the saddle.

Try to get them to keep their feet away from the bike. This is so their legs do not hit against the crank - if you have converted their own bike into a balance bike.

Some children prefer to scoot by using a walking movement, where the legs alternate. Others prefer to scoot by pushing off the ground with both feet at the same time, repeating this movement.

How they scoot depends on your child's preferences and coordination. But if they struggle with one, it is good to know that there is another way to scoot.

The main goal is to balance the bike and stay upright.

Some children find this stage hard and will want to stand again. They may not trust all their weight on the seat.

Try placing a ‘tail’ such as a long grass or strip of a plastic bag under their bottom. Encourage them not to let their ‘tail’ blow away.

As their confidence grows, they will trust the seat more and be able to gain more speed as they move along.

How to encourage your child

Try playing the sleepy bear game with your child. This is where you encourage your child to pretend to be various animals whilst riding around. This will help them to manoeuvre their bike in different ways without giving it much thought.

Try encouraging some freewheeling. Using chalk, try drawing a pond on the ground with ‘feet-eating fish’ in it. Encourage your child to ride up to the pond then lift their feet over the pond to stop the fish from gobbling them.

Encourage them to ‘freewheel’ for as long as they can, counting for them as soon as they lift their feet. Using a smooth, very slightly downhill slope can assist with momentum.

Some children find it motivating if you make a mark on the ground with chalk where they lifted up their feet and then another one where they put them down again.

This shows them the distance they managed to freewheel without touching the ground. The distance between the marks increases as they get better. This is a great way to visualise their progress.

Avoid grass as it can be too uneven and does not allow the bike to roll as easily.

When your child is ready for pedals

Your child may be ready for pedals on a bike when they:

• are able to propel a balance bike confidently and freewheel consistently for several metres
• can handle their bike downhill without choosing to put their feet down
• can manage to avoid obstacles and steer around paths freely
• want to move to the next stage

Wear a helmet on a balance bike

Your child should wear a helmet. This is essential. Elbow and knee pads can give extra protection if your child is a less confident rider.

Some younger children can resist wearing a helmet. Encourage them with more ‘fun’ designs.

Correct way to wear a helmet

Wearing their helmet in the correct way is important. The helmet should sit level on your child's head, just above their eyebrows, and cover their forehead.

The strap dividers should sit just below their ear lobes. The chin strap should be tight enough to only squeeze 2 fingers between their chin and the strap.

Most helmets have an adjustable fit system at the rear. This can be tightened once the helmet is in the right position on your child’s head. With this tightened, your child should be able to look down and the helmet should not fall off.