Making bike and scooter tracks at the park
N will take any opportunity to ride his bike. In the house, out on the farm, the grass, the yard, the road. He’ll be on his bike any chance possible.
I find it really interesting that girls and boys at his age are still (generally) stereotypically developing. Our of his circle of friends, it’s mostly the girls who can write their alphabet, read and draw detailed and accurate pictures. The boys are mostly taking a lot longer to get there with reading and writing even if they’re bothered (mine isn’t), but many of them having been riding bikes on 2 wheels for ages, while many of the girls are still learning to pedal and ride with stablisers.
Ok, there’s some anomalies. I, N’s friend from across the road was riding her bike (like a loonatic) before she was 4, but she’s the only girl in our group of friends riding on 2 wheels at 4 years old. And we do know a handful of boys at 4 who can read simple books.
For N, it’s all about wheels and things that go. Anything that his body can make move he’s always been a natural on. He could ride a scooter when he was a little tot with his hands on the handlebars at head height. He was straight on a balance bike knowing how it worked correctly. On his Ezyroller, he simply sat on it age 3 and was off. I have to remember that while it’s the norm for N, it’s not for lots of other children who either aren’t interested, or need to be taught how to do it.
One day we had off in half term we went to the park so N could ride his bike. I took my scooter which makes it easier to keep up, although scooting on slippy leaves (with a dodgy uneven path underneath) was somewhat scary! I’m thinking I need a Go Pro, because I’m a bit lethal with my camera swinging round my neck.
The first people we saw was a friend from the NCT team, there with her husband and eldest daughter. As she said, nice day, half term = teaching children to ride bikes in the park. Her daughter was pedalling along, having not had a balance bike, and was just getting used to pedalling stronger. It really makes a difference having somewhere to cycle – we struggle outside because it’s all gravel (or grass – not good in wet of winter), but N always just used to bike round the house. Not everyone has the space or inclination to let children do that.
I advised, just take the pedals off to begin with (as long as she can pedal already) so it’s like a balance bike, then pop them back on once they’ve got their balance. If you’re starting out on a learning to ride a bike journey, then I’ve got more tips in my post.
N had a blast just riding along through the park. Yes, we forgot his helmet, but I wasn’t doing a 14 mile round trip back again to pick it up when his version of falling off the bike is when he’s stood with it rather than during riding. And we were only on the path in the park…it’s not like he’s going fast enough to hurt if he falls off. Thankfully we found the helmet again when we got home.
He also had a quick play in the playground.
He also found the mini bike track so had a good time cycling round that, and trying with the scooter as well.
He doesn’t seem to get that tired (although he does tell me his legs are tired). But my legs always ache after scooting. It’s definitely a work out, even if my fitbit doesn’t count it as steps.
Do you get out to the park on bikes? Do you go out on a scooter as well as your children?
Oooh I guess my son is the anomaly then, he doesn’t even have a bike yet, not even a balance bike. He hasn’t asked for one, and we haven’t pushed it, though I am thinking maybe I should get him one since he is 4 soon. He does love to go exploring and run around and go on walks, maybe a bike is the next step. I wouldn’t mind reading some tips.
Katrina x
I’ve done a post on my tips – https://bubbablueandme.com/2015/05/how-to-teach-kids-to-ride-a-bike/ . It’s probably not worth getting a separate balance bike because he’ll soon outgrow it, but if he can pedal a trike (and so doesn’t need to learn the pedalling), the best thing is to remove the pedals and turn a normal bike into a balance bike.
Since we moved schools the girls haven’t been on their scooters much.After my son came a cropper a few years going around a corner, I’ve insisted they all wear helmets.He ended up in A and E after cutting open his eyebrow area.He only needed butterfly stitches and although he now has a scar, it could have been a whole lot worse.
Lovely photos of N enjoying being out and about on his bike and interesting to read about it mostly being the boys of N’s age who enjoy riding their bikes – the stereotype holds true for us at the moment – Jessica struggles with pedalling a bike or using a scooter but I wonder if this is more because our garden is not ideal for teaching her and trying to juggle taking her and Sophie to the park with bikes is just too much of a challenge when I’m on my own with them. Glad that N is able to have plenty of time out and about enjoying his though.
I’m chuckling at the thought of you on your scooter on the uneven surface with your camera swinging around, OK I’ve done it too from a bike trailing behind trying to ride one handed and grab a photo! Scooting is a great option to keep up as I can see from the photos that N can get quite a speed on. My experience with my own children is very like yours, Clio was first to read and write and last to ride a bike with 2 wheels, though in her defense she beat all her friends, probably with the influence of the boys. It looks like you have a great park there with some perfect paths for cycling. thank you for sharing some hard to capture photos with me on Country Kids .