So my 19 month old boy now has a funky strider balance bike. Any tips for how to get them to use them?

He knows it’s his bike and apart from the first 10 mins where he jumped on it and used it immediately he now just seems to want me to sit on it and not use it himself.

Not a pushy dad quite happy taking him out on the weeride this morning but would like to encourage him to use his bike. Any tips?

Let him get his confidence up scooting around the house helps

Definitely don’t push it too much, they’ll come to it when they are ready ime

Our first never really showed much interest despite some encouragement, much preferred his scooter. Our second though spends a lot of time on hers mostly as we are now practicing on a proper bike with our first and she wants to be doing the same thing (though she’s never been bothered with scooters.)

Think that they either are interested or aren’t and that it’s best just to leave it until they do show interest.

They’ll take to it when they’re ready and there’s no point pushing it if they’re not interested yet. Both of ours decided to start at about two and a half, so if you’re trying to start at 19 months I’d be prepared to be patient…

Ours didn’t take to it at all. Prefers her “big girl bike” with stabilisers. Weirdly she loved the toddlebike til she outgrew it.

My eldest got a strider before the summer when he was coming up to 18 months and fiddled around with it a couple of times and would walk around for a few mins on it, but quickly got frustrated. Then, all of a sudden, on our summer holidays, he set off to the beach of his own accord (with me in tow) and we went all the way there (a good 10 minutes walk for an adult, probably 20 mins for him on the “bike”). Never looked back.

The thing I decided is that it’s a toy. And we adults don’t get to choose what they play with. If they’re not having fun, they’ll stop. It’s not “giving up” like it would be for an adult because, at that age, let’s face it, they’ve already overcome some big hurdles like walking that they were crap at first time… So when he wants wants to play with it let him and encourage him, and when he doesn’t don’t make him. Advice doesn’t work much either. Their command of language at that age means they really need to figure things out for themselves (apart from basic stuff like STOOOOOOOOOOP! 🙂 )

Got my lad a Strider for his 2nd birthday. He wobbled about for a bit but was happier on foot for a very long time. Then just before his 3rd birthday, he just clicked with it and was away. Took me completely by surprise and left me sprinting down the road to catch him.

I’d say just take him on walks and see if he wants a quick go – maybe just on gentle downhill bits as its easiest. Just be prepared to carry it lots for a while.

The thing I decided is that it’s a toy. And we adults don’t get to choose what they play with…. ….So when he wants wants to play with it let him and encourage him, and when he doesn’t don’t make him

^^^1000x this^^^^
Had a great session with E on Blyth beach on Tuesday, I reckon another 20 mins & he’ll have it sussed, so probably three weeks. 😉

Check out the islabike youtube channel for some useful tips.

Find one of your kids friends that already uses their balence bike, arrange play date. See if you can get them racing up and down the park..

I left the bike in the hallway and every time we walk past I tell him its his bike. Not much interest until bit of a breakthrough last night, happy to get on and off the bike now. The strider has a little platform to put their feet, so I think it felt quite similar to the weeride setup with his feet on platforms and both us holding the bars. Pushed him around the house like that for a bit, and then he started using his legs to move. Then started letting go of the bars just that little bit.

Very chuffed 🙂

Does anyone make some sort of harness you can clip to a balance bike so you can swing it over your shoulder when they decide they don’t want to use it when out?

My eldest never cared for her balance bike. She did it a bit just to keep us happy I suspect, as I think our encouragement indicated to her that we really wanted her to use it, so she did. She then got nervous abotu falling off, so we had to fit stabilisers, even then she didn’t care much for it. Wouldn’t ride the 14″ bike without stabilisers either, but then got a big bike and is now happy as anything. Still terrified of anything rough though but that’s just who she is.

Not all kids like balance biking. Not all kids like cycling either. Kids have different tastes.

Our eldest was 20 months when we gave her her balance bike. Took her a good 6 months before she showed any real interest.
I just had it in the garage, no pushing her to ride it, and she came in one day when I was working on my bike and took it into the garden to have a play with.
In the summer I just left it outside, under the pergola, with her helmet in reach so she could just go on it if she wanted to. As others have said, it’s best to see it as a toy for them to play with when they want to.

@DT78

For a shoulder strap for ours I just went to B&Q and bought a length of thick cord rope and tied a couple of slip knots in either end. My daughter now uses it as a skipping rope.

Does anyone make some sort of harness you can clip to a balance bike so you can swing it over your shoulder when they decide they don’t want to use it when out?

i just hook the saddle on the strap of the rucksack full of snacks and spare clothes that I’m invariably carrying when out of the house with the boy…

DT78 – Member
Does anyone make some sort of harness you can clip to a balance bike so you can swing it over your shoulder when they decide they don’t want to use it when out?

Our wee girl got her Strider at the weekend too. I picked up a tip somewhere on STW… A loop of climbing tape about 600-800mm long, one end round the bars and one end over the seat sideways makes a good shoulder strap. I carried it round town for an hour or so no drama. The good thing about a balance bike is no pedals to spike you in the kidneys!

My eldest clicked with his when he was about 3 after showing next to no interest beforehand. The problem I have now is (he’s 4) that he won’t give up the balance bike for a bike with pedals.

I just used one of these to help carry the bike when she wasn’t riding it:

My eldest showed zero interest until shortly before her fourth birthday:

“Daddy, can I have a proper bike with pedals for my birthday?”
“You can have one when you’ve learned to balance and stop on your balance bike”
“But I can, look”

And she promptly set off down the road, balancing and braking perfectly. I then bought her an Islabike, which she uses to cycle to school.

I just used one of these

As did I ^^

The secret is to make them a younger sibling, and let them borrow the balance bike. Bit of an investment, but it worked for us.

Our eldest showed little interest in hers (got it on 3rd birthday) until her 4th birthday when she got a scooter and her 19 month old brother started riding hers. We now own two striders, and have two kids happily charging around on them together. What the younger lacks in ability he makes up for in over-confidence.

Gentle encouragement is fine, but you’ll probably find they don’t want to ride it much until they “get it” and start to balance a bit.

The worst thing you can do is scare them by pushing them into it; my boy was quite happy to waddle along for a couple of months with the saddle really low and the bike between his legs. Once he got the measure of it, i’d put the saddle up a bit so he could scoot along.

(always a happy-sad moment, putting the saddle up; pride vs. ‘stay small and adorable’)

I’ve got a 4 year old who loves riding his “big Bike” , stems from using his balance bike well, so they are definitely worth it.

My top tip is, use some child reins (something like this null.

i found that he enjoyment grew massivly when the risk of fallen wasn’t as severe. as he got better i’d tuck the reigns in so he could go off with out me as a safty net. It also helped get him going and in the right position for when it came to change to his bike big with pedals.

we used a micro scooter ( as well) – and tow the child via dog lead on said micro scooter…

We got a balance bike for my daughter when she was 2 but she didn’t really start riding her balance bike until 2 1/2, and even then she would only ride for 20 mins max. She’s now 4 and we bought her a pedal bike (no stabilisers) for christmas, straight on it and riding really well after 30 mins practice. As others above say don’t try too hard to get them on it, they will start riding it when they are ready.