Click here for photo creditWe’ve all heard the phrase “It's as easy as riding a bike!’ but, in actuality, bike riding is not quite that easy! There are many topics that I am often asked about as a peds PT and bike riding has to be at the top of the list.
But before we get into the HOW, let’s talk about the WHY! What are the benefits of riding a bike:
This is probably one of the best and funniest ways to work on quadriceps strengthening. And an added bonus is that it's an activity you can all do together as a family!
If you have ever pedaled a bike uphill, then you know how much core strength it takes! Core strength is needed for so many of our daily activities in life and bike riding really helps to work on strengthening those trunk muscles.
Pedaling a tricycle or bicycle requires children to learn how to dissociate the left from the right side of their body. In order to pedal, they need to push with their right left, then their left leg, then their right leg, then their left leg... This complex motor pattern is also needed when learning how to alternate their feet on the stairs or when skipping. Bike riding is a great way to begin to introduce it.
Learning to balance on two wheels is one of the biggest challenges when teaching bike riding but it also helps in improving their overall balance.
Learning how to steer a bike around obstacles helps to build spatial awareness. The child has to notice the upcoming obstacle and formulate a plan to avoid it. This is great for building spatial awareness and motor planning skills!!
Now that we know WHY it’s important, what can we actually do as parents to promote and facilitate bike riding:
Kids typically learn to first ride a tricycle around 3-4 years of age. This helps introduce concepts such as “your feet stay on the pedals”, “your leg muscles make the bike go” and “you need to keep the bike straight”. This begins to work on spacial awareness, lower extremity strengthening, cause and effect. Try letting your kiddo ride down a 1–2-degree inclined surface free of obstacles. You can assist with initiating forward movement and encourage your child to pedal as they move down the inclined surface. Gravity will make it easier to pedal. Stay close by for assistance with steering!
When your child attempts to pedal on level surfaces or keeps pedaling after the inclined surface becomes level, you are ready to practice riding on flat surfaces! Oftentimes the initiation of movement is the hardest obstacle to overcome. You can assist by placing gentle pressure on their knee or foot into one pedal or by gently nudging the tricycle forward. While the child is focusing on pedaling, you may need to assist with steering. Your child is focused on the arduous task of pedaling so don't worry about the steering just yet. Focus on pedaling first! When your child is able to pedal well while looking ahead (and not down at feet!), they are ready to practice steering and pedaling simultaneously. Once your child has mastered riding a tricycle over a level, smooth, open surface (i.e. garage), progress toward uneven, rough terrain like your driveway, park, or a sidewalk.
Once those foundational skills are mastered, they are ready to tackle a bicycle with training wheels. The transition to a bike (even when it has training wheels) can sometimes be very challenging for children. The main reason for this is that on a tricycle they have to pedal forward and down in order to make the bike go but once they move to a two-wheel bike they need to push down in order to pedal and the brake is incorporated in the pedal which makes this a difficult skill to acquire.
In comparison to the tricycle, pedaling a bicycle requires more force and strength, while the higher height of the bicycle and two-wheel base of support requires a greater level of balance and body/spatial awareness. Many times, we recommend beginning with a balance bike. Before children are able to utilize a conventional two-wheeled bicycle, a balance bike provides an opportunity to practice getting on and off the bike as well as learning how to balance on two wheels. One of the biggest obstacles to overcome when transitioning to a two-wheel bike is learning how to balance on two wheels and a balance bike is a great way to introduce that.
Just like you did when introducing a tricycle for the first time, when riding a two-wheel bike try an incline surface first. Find a grassy spot on a slight incline and let your child practice holding their feet on the pedals while balancing on two wheels. Gravity will help with the movement and your child doesn't have to focus on pedaling just yet, they can just focus on balancing. Once they have mastered the balancing you can introduce pedaling. Start on a smooth, open surface. As with the tricycle, focus on the pedaling first then introduce the steering. Once the pedaling and steering on smooth surfaces has been mastered the final progression is to move toward uneven and rough surfaces. This will really challenge their core strength, balance, and lower extremity strength!
Regardless of how you teach this important child development skill, always remember safety. Choose a bike that’s the right size for your child and is properly adjusted. Always ensure your child is wearing an appropriately sized helmet. Click on this link for a guide on how to determine what size bike and helmet are best for your child.
Riding a tricycle is a complicated skill that requires strength, balance, coordination, motor planning and body awareness. Hopefully these suggestions from a peds PT will help to get you started!
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