There is nothing like having your four year old come home and announce that she can now ride a bike. When my daughter made her announcement I had to find out what she was referring to. I soon found out that while she was at her friend’s house she was riding around on her friends balance bike. I had never heard of a balance bike before then. So I went to the Internet to do some research on the matter. I found that these bikes have been around for decades. They have been tremendously popular in Europe. Their popularity is just starting to grow in the United States. As we are starting to learn more about this bike in the United States, in Europe they are designing the tandem bike for your kids to take on a play date.
I found out that a balance bike has many benefits. This makes one wonder why these balance bikes have taken awhile to gain the popularity in the states. The main benefit is that riding the bike provides the rider with better balance and coordination. The rider will be able to go from riding a run bike to directly riding a bike. They will be able to bypass the need to use training wheels. It is like providing your kids with the tools they need to be able to crawl before they walk.
It is a very big deal when your child moves from riding a bike with training wheels to riding a bike without training wheels. It is one the moments that a parent will remember forever. This is also a nerve racking experience for a parent. One of the reason why, is that your child is usually terribly nervous about making this transition. They are afraid they may fall and hurt themselves, or afraid they may not be able to do this. Using a balance bike to prepare for a two wheel bike builds confidence. It will also make the rider my self reliant. You will find that your child cannot wait to switch over to a real bike. There is a real sense of excitement in the air. Part of this confidence comes from being confident in the mechanics of how to operate a two wheel bike.
It is surprising that more parents are not investing in a balance bike. The benefits completely outweigh the cost. By purchasing the bike, you will provide your child with more than just a way to entertain themselves. You will also be supplying them with a sense of confidence that lets them know they can handle everything. You will also be buying a peace of mind for yourself.
Related posts: