Contributed by Judi Meade
The sidewalks are finally clear and it’s time to get out the bikes, trikes and ride-on toys. But before you do, take the time to do a survey of your family’s wheel collection. Does last year’s tricycle still fit your four-year-old? Is your five-year-old ready to move up to a bicycle? Is your littlest one ready for that very first set of wheels? If a new set of wheels of any kind is on the horizon, here’s some solid info to help you make the right choice.
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My First Wheels
She’s walking! Yeah! Now, those wobbly little legs are ready for the next challenge — riding! Because toddlers are still mastering the art of balance and just learning to coordinate their little bodies, they may not be ready to pedal. But they sure want to go! So, give them a ride-on that requires only steering and let them power it by pushing with their feet. I recommend something like the adorable little Wheely Bug or the Tiger Ride-on. They’ll love it.
Toddlers need vehicles that are low and stable enough to be easily mounted and dismounted — toddler attention spans are short.- Pedals can be a hindrance to mobility and may get in the way of a toddler’s ability to push, in which case accidents can result.
- Rubber wheels won’t hurt your floors and can be used indoors as well as out.
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Tricycles: Tried and True for a Reason
Kids love the stability of a tricycle and you’ll love it, too. Provide a safe place for them to ride and once kids learn to pedal, they will tear around and revel in using their whole body — developing muscles and confidence as they go. Toddlers love to climb on a tricycle. And though it will be a while before they learn to pedal, with the addition of a seatbelt and a pushbar, which is available in Kettler tricycles, they will ride proudly to the park and back. Trikes are way cooler than a stroller!
Kids usually learn to pedal between two and three years of age.- It is easier to learn on a tricycle that is the right size, so look for a model hat has multiple frame and seat adjustments, allowing it to grow with your child.
- Learning to pedal doesn’t happen overnight — it takes practice. You will be pushing for a while! So you will want features, such as a pushbar, a Parental Control Lock and, maybe, the special Rear-Wheel Navigation that Kettler trikes are famous for.
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Balance Bikes: Learn to Ride the New Way
Contrary to popular belief, little kids can learn to balance. They just can’t do it at the same time as they are learning to pedal. If you are looking for an alternative to a tricycle, or a way to speed up the learning curve, the balance bike is a great choice. A balance bike is a two-wheeled bike with the pedals omitted. Simple and ingenious, it lets kids learn to balance without the complication of pedaling.
Kids, as young as two, feel safe on a balance bike if they can put their feet solidly on the ground when sitting on the seat. Make sure to choose one with adjustable seat and handlebars.- Balance happens a little at a time. Kids will sit and push with their feet. When they gain a little confidence, they will start walking and then running to get up a bit of speed.
- Balance happens when kids discover by accident that their feet are off the ground and they are still moving forward.
- Riding a balance bike is actually easy and you can be sure that it will come naturally when a child is ready.
- A child who has learned to balance will never need training wheels. When he or she is ready to transition to a two-wheeler, pedaling will come very quickly.
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Ready for the Big Time?
We all remember the excitement of getting our first two-wheeler. It is a real rite of passage for kids — bringing with it a newfound independence. If you’ve experienced a tried-and-true Kettler tricycle, you’ll want to keep it in the family even when your child is ready for a two-wheeled bicycle. Visit learningtoys.ca to check out Kettler’s cool-looking boy’s El Toro or the pretty Violet Bike with 12-inch wheels and training wheels.
 | Judi Meade is the owner of Art-Enfant and Art-En-Ciel, specialty toy shops in Montreal, Quebec, as well as a co-owner in Learningtoys.ca, an online retail service. For more from Judi, see her site Toying Around. |
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Just because something has been used for a long time doesn’t make it “good”. Trikes are dangerous (famous for tip-overs), almost impossible for younger kids to use and don’t teach balance…at all!
My daughter started riding her Strider balance bike at 18 months. She began by walking with it while standing up. Pretty soon she would trust her weight to the seat while slowly walking along. She is now just over 2 years old and has already mastered balance…ensuring years of biking fun.
Don’t handicap your children on a trike or training wheels!