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Seeing as this thread as popped up again - any tips for getting kids onto the balance bike.
Never mind the transition to pedal bikes, we can't get little 'un on the balance bike.
Despite best efforts she doesn't get the concept of just sitting down and moving legs, scooting.
Instead she just stands over the saddle and walks the bike around - which of course is awkward and pointless so she just loses interest by the end of the drive.
Any pointers? Assume just getting her out with other kids on balance bikes and hoping she wants to copy them?
Both of ours went through the same. We kept their (clean) balance bikes in the house for the first few months while they walked around on them, it was over winter mind. You just need to be patient and walk with them, eventually they'll sit down and 'walk' then they'll lift legs occasionally, or just one leg, then before you know it they're off.
Fitting a bell works wonders for interest levels too.
My son also just stood up walking round on it. Apart from lowering the seat and encouraging him to sit down I didn't try anything specific. I think the main difference was getting him on a surface outside where there is less resistance on the tyres and slightly downhill. Then he just sat down and shuffled before working out how to walk the bike with both legs momentarily off the ground.
Once we got outside I gradually (over days/weeks) raised the seat height to encourage them to sit on it more, making sure to keep it low enough that could always get both feet flat on the ground.
Hadn't thought of raising the seat - seems counter intuitive but makes a lot of sense as guess they'll be more inclined to sit without thinking about it...and adding a bell, great idea.
Will try both of those - obviously there's no rush, but would make a nice change not to have to carry the thing around the park..
My lad had a balance bike from about 18 months and was riding a pedal bike just after he was 3. Took him a few goes to stop pedaling backwards though.
My daughter though, couldn't give a toss about riding either her balance bike or her pedal bike! She just wants to sit on mummys bike, the lazy mare!
Horses for courses I guess.
Seeing as this thread as popped up again - any tips for getting kids onto the balance bike.
I would say don't try and force it. Just make sure the balance bike is available and eventually they will pick it up and use it when they are ready.
Scooting is definitely the best way to learn, because you don't have to try and teach balance; the child can acquire it themselves by initially walking the bike around and naturally progressing to paddling their feet, scooting and gliding. Stabilisers take control away from the child and remove feedback, delaying the acquisition of balance.
If the child is tall enough, an ordinary bike with the pedals removed works well. For younger kids, balance bikes let them get started earlier.
Just seen this
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/529668138/jyrobike-auto-balance-bicycle
Jyrobike
May make it easier than running by your kid to catch them when they over balance.
Jyrobike looks like a rather complex and expensive solution in search of a problem, and like stabilisers, it just appears to be an "aid" that gets in the way of learning how to balance.
Expensive electronic gyroscope with wireless controller versus simply putting the saddle down and getting your feet flat on the ground!
As kcr you really cannot force it just leave it available and at some point they may pick it up and try. My eldest ignored his for about three months as first time he tried it was a bit big. Then off he went on his own terms.
He rode a proper bike with stabilisers for a year alongside the balance bike (which he could balance stationary) because he wanted to pedal but wasnt ready in his head to do it on just two wheels.
A few days before his fourth birthday he said I am big I don't ride on stabilisers and off they came and five minutes later that was it. It was infuriating for me seeing him on stabilisers because I knew he had the balance and Co ordination but I wanted to fuel his desire to ride ahead of all else. The important thing is he had fun.
The youngest is just on the balance bike and also checking out big brothers old stabiliser equipped hot rock.
If he wants to go for it on stabilisers then he will get my blessing because it's supposed to be fun for them not point scoring for parents.
Cracking skills by the 3yo above. Just teaching my eldest how to make use of his body weight a bit more but chapeau.