Learning how to ride a bike is nothing short of momentous to a child. The first few feet ridden without training wheels or an adult's steady hand on the seat can seem almost impossible to a child unsure of his balance. How can you help your son or daughter make the leap to independent riding? Here the parents of iVillage share their tried and true tips for teaching kids how to ride a bike.
Address Their Fears
"When I taught our seven-year-old daughter, I finally asked her (after quite a few frustrated attempts) what her biggest fear was, and she said it was falling and getting hurt. So I had her put on her wrist supports, elbow and knee pads that she wore when she skated (and her helmet of course). She felt just confident enough that if she fell all the parts that could get hurt would be protected. We did this without the training wheels, and she learned quickly after that."
--iVillage member BJFERG
Change the Situation
"My eight-year-old daughter just recently learned how to a bike. She had been having trouble when she would try with us. One weekend she spent the night at a friend's. Before she went, I mentioned to the friend's mom that my daughter was having trouble riding a bike. Well she came home the next day and showed off her riding talents! Her friend had taught her to ride."
--iVillage member CookinKel