Teach your Kids to Ride

Teaching your child to ride a bike can be a very rewarding experience; of course, we also recommend following up with a League Kids I course so their skills are street-ready. Below are some tips to get you started.

Download the League's Tip Sheet.

Kids and Bikes

When
Once a child can hold their head up and fit a helmet, they can be a passenger
Until about age five, kids should ride in a child seat, or better yet, a trailer
Kids need basic motor skills to operate a bike

Traffic
Explain to kids how traffic works; they have only been passengers
Teach them about yielding, passing, predicting and traffic law
Bicycle riders have to obey the same rules as cars and buses

Helmets
Let them pick out their helmet and they will want to wear it; wear yours also
Make sure that the helmet fits the child properly; level on the head and snug
Replace the helmet after a crash

Training Wheels
Training wheels help the child develop a sense of balance
Start with the training wheels solidly on the ground; they will hold the bike upright
Gradually raise the training wheels; remove them when they start to get in the way

Balance
Practice balancing in an open field or vacant parking lot
Have the child practice riding in circles as well as in a straight line
Show them how to use the brakes; get them to skid the rear wheel

Starting and Stopping
Children should learn to stop before entering the roadway
Look left, then right, then left again before proceeding
Driveways, sidewalks and crosswalks are potential danger zones

Riding Straight
Use a painted line in a parking lot
Straight-line riding will allow drivers to predict what the child will do
Predictability is important in any traffic situation; kids don't know this

Scanning and Signaling
Have the child ride straight and look back at you without swerving
Children must scan for traffic in front of them as well as behind before signaling
Teach them how to signal right, left and stop and when to do it

Neighborhood Ride
Plan a ride with your child around you neighborhood and discuss possible dangers
Allow your child to lead
Include them in the planning of the ride

Transportation Choices
Bikes are vehicles; this is their introduction to driver's training
Plan a route with your child to get them to a friend's house or school by bike
At about 10, kids are ready for longer trips; make sure they make safe decisions