FROM BALANCE BIKE TO PEDAL BIKE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO TEACHING YOUR CHILD

Teaching kids to ride a balance bike is an exciting milestone in their journey toward independence and adventure. But how do you get started? Here are some simple lessons to help your child get the most out of their balance bike and transition to a pedal bike when ready.

Start with Striding

The first step is to let your child get comfortable striding along on their balance bike. Then, motivate them to enjoy the feeling of movement and the freedom of propelling themselves forward. Next, they'll lift their feet and glide for short distances as they gain confidence.

THE BENTLEY BALANCE BIKE IN ONYX BLACK

Transition to Gliding 

THE BENTLEY BALANCE BIKE IN GLACIER WHITE

Introduce a Pedal Bike

When your child is ready, you can introduce them to a pedal bike. Look for a bike with proper brakes front and rear, and remove the pedals initially. Then, take your child, their balance bike, and the new pedal bike to a park with a gentle grass-covered slope.

Glide with the Pedal Bike

Let your child glide down the slope on their balance bike and swap them onto the new bike. Explain that they should stride and glide on the new bike like the balance bike. Chances are, they'll be able to do this easily and quickly.

Introduce Pedals as Footrests

Once your child is comfortable gliding on the pedal bike, you can introduce the pedals. First, explain that they should place their feet on the pedals and show them without trying to turn them. Then, cheer them to continue gliding as usual and let the glide phase better out naturally.

Turn the pedals Forward After a few goes using them as footrests, encourage your child to turn them forward; this will help them maintain their speed and add power to their glide when the slope levels out.

Practice