Learning to ride a bike is something many kids experience as a rite of passage in their childhood.
It doesn’t matter if they’re lapping the playground sidewalk, your home’s hallways or zooming up and down the neighborhood streets, when kids focus on play that involves motor skills, movement and getting from one place to the next, their bodies are making important connections with their brains.
Benefits of ride on toys and balance bikes:
Helps develop both fine and gross motor skills
Encourages social and emotional development
Fosters independent play and confidence
It is also a great way to engage others in play and to practice sharing or turn-taking
Helps develop spatial intelligence
Children learn how to navigate the space they are in or problem solve obstacles when using ride on toys
Encourages physical activity
Provides kids with their sense of balance
While it’s exciting and exhilarating to feel the fear and challenge of learning to pedal and balance on a new mode of transportation, many of these toys can be ridden outside which encourages outdoor play and moves them away from screen time. (Another benefit!)
Historically, the majority of kids started on trikes, went to training wheels and then after many scrapes, pedaled a bike. However, now we have a variety of products on the market that help kids get to pedal bikes a bit quicker.
So which is the right choice for your toddler and what are the benefits of each?
At first glance a balance bike looks like any other kids bike – it has wheels front and back, a seat and handlebars. However there is one (or rather two) crucial things missing – pedals!
With no pedals to get in the way, little ones can use their feet to propel themselves forwards by means of pushing, or almost running, while sitting in the saddle.
A balance bike tends to be aimed at children between the ages of two and six, with some manufacturers having products suitable from 18 months. Sizing does vary, so ensure that the one you purchase is the correct size for your child – their feet must be flat on the floor to allow the scooting movement.
A children’s bicycle with stabilisers allows the child to climb on and get riding very quickly. However, it is the ‘training wheels’ that are providing stability and this can hinder progress when making the transition to the first ‘real’ bike, when it is the rider who must provide the balance. A balance bike enables control to be developed straight away, which in turn should allow for smoother progression when moving up to that first bike.
Balance is everything when you’re learning how to ride, and balance bikes help kids develop and master this important skill. Kids have a blast riding these bikes because they feel more confident and in control. Plus, children who start learning on a balance bike often skip tricycles and training wheels, and hop right on a pedal bike when they’re big enough!
Your child can start using a balance bike as early as 18 months old! The smallest training wheel bikes are usually still too big at this age, but young kids can easily fit on balance bikes.
Kids feel more comfortable when they can put their feet on the ground, which is why balance bikes help them gain more confidence on a bike. They can intuitively learn to balance, turn, and steer all while feeling less likely to fall.
Kids can ride farther without getting tired and easily navigate any terrain because balance bikes let kids sit and use their feet to scoot along. They can ride on grass, pavement, and gravel, and they love having the freedom to go where they want!
The biggest benefit balance bikes offer over training wheels is that kids learn proper balance. Because training wheels let kids tilt to one side, they have to re-learn balance once they hop on a pedal bike. Most kids who start on balance bikes are able to quickly transition to pedal bikes, and feel more confident on them, too!
