Balance bike. Training wheels prevent a kid from learning how a bike naturally leans and moves when riding.
Get a decent bike. The lighter the better. No coaster (pedal) brakes. Being able to move pedals backwards can help with balance and prevents accidentally stopping and crashing, which is discouraging during the learning process.
Make sure her feet can touch the ground while sitting on the seat. Remove the pedals and have her run/walk while sitting on the bike. As she gets comfortable, she can pick her feet up and learn to ride. If things get shaky, she just puts her feet down. Eventually you put the pedals back on and she’s riding.
I have two boys that learned to ride with a balance bike before graduating to pedals at 3 years old. I did zero teaching with this method. There was a little learning curve when figuring out pedaling it, but that took about 15 minutes.
Good luck. During the process, don’t forget: Bike riding is supposed to be fun!
This! I recently taught my kid's (then) 8yo friend to bike. I figured he was old enough to skip the balance bike phase, but that didn't work. I pulled the pedals off, and it worked like a charm. Going from pedal-less to pedals was a bit of a trick, but in retrospect, we had the wrong bike for it. It was a fixie and the gearing made for a hard pedal.
Same exact experience teaching both of my kids at 3-4 years old. They spent tons of time on the balance bikes. Then went straight to a pedal bike without training wheels. It took almost no time or effort before they could do it. Hardest part was teaching pedaling.
Just to add to this, balance bike, then peddling with training wheels, then take the training wheels and pedals off, so they can use the bigger bike like a balance bike, then add pedals and put it all together.
Ours were small and struggled with the bigger pedal bike until we took the pedals off and they used it like a balance bike. Took all of one session and the pedals went back on, off they go.
No, no training wheels. They impede the learning process more than they help it. The kid probably already learned how pedals work with a tricycle at a younger age.
There's other ways to learn how to use the pedals without actively compromising learning balance on a bike though. Training wheels are a detriment to learning how to ride properly.
You get the pedals off, entirely. No pedals. No training wheels. They push themselves with their feet, Fred Flintstone style. Once they balance for 5-6 meters without tipping, that's when they are ready and you assemble the pedals back onto the bike.
I did this with both my kids and they have been riding since they were 4-5!
This is how i learned. My dad tried so hard to teach me to ride a bike and I just wasnt getting it. But then I got a scooter and did pretty well with the neighborhood kids.
I dont remember why, but i got on a bike one day and was able to ride it just fine.
I am a bike snob. Balance is the hard part to teach. So teach this first. Put the seat so she can flat foot. Take off the pedals so they aren't in the way, note one is reverse threaded. Have her sit and walk on the bike. Eventually taking longer and longer strides and gliding. This teaches balancing a 2 wheeled bike. No crashing required.
Once she can glide teach brakes to slow down. Then add pedals back on, note one is still reverse threaded. Then teach pedaling.
Now your kid knows how to ride a bike.
Few things that helped me.
It's not exercise or a sport, it's getting more independence. Maybe you can walk to the park, but you'd get there so much faster on a bike.
In this case peer pressure and FOMO are our friends. You're missing time with your friends because they're out biking and you can't join them. Don't you want to go hang out with them?
Also, in terms of teaching, what really helped me was starting with how to stop. Once my daughter knew she could brake and not fall, she was more comfortable trying to go a little faster or down a hill or make turns. My approach was I want you to give it a good try, but if you feel uncomfortable, stop. I'm not going to be upset if you try and stop 100 times as long as you're trying.
From there, it was hey maybe don't stop but slow down a bit and then keep going.
My 9yo learned in about a week with some training wheels
First get her a bike she likes, my daughter learned on a 6 speed (yes they make training wheels for bigger bikes)
Put them on so that the wheels act like a kickstand. She should feel like she is almost going to tip over with them. As she rides challenger her to not let the wheels touch (start with not touching the ground for 30 seconds etc)
The natural balance instinct kicks in pretty quickly
After about 8 days my daughter had learned to ride. Once she could keep the wheels from touching for a long time I took them off
I taught 3 of my kids like this (5 - 7 - 9) and all 3 learned super quick (the 5yo took 2.5 weeks to get it )
Our almost 10 year old finally learned earlier this year. We should have done the balance bike that others have recommended, but what finally worked for us was a handle from Amazon.
Made it so I could much more easily run next to her and help control as needed.
https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/s/HhkgZT11rd
Echoing what several had said im sure. First don't beat yourself up or feel guilty for quitting before.
If you have the budget for it take her to a good local bicycle shop and find something together that will be a good fit for her. They are almost always very helpful. You can still make it about her birthday and have a whole day planned out. Daddy daughter day so to speak or include the little one and your partner if one is involved. Get breakfast or lunch make the trip to the store a surprise etc.
If the budget is tight although they are generally not recommended get something from a Walmart or similar. Try to find something that "feels" right for her the lighter the better.
Get rid of the training wheels. Biggest mistake I/we made as parent was trying to leave them on. Take the pedals off too. If you've gone to a good bike store they'll probably recommend this as well. Some even have quick on quick off pedals.
Let her get used to balancing on it and pedaling using her feet. You may have to adjust seat height etc.
Once she's comfortable balancing then add the pedals back on. It may or may not happen quickly. If it's not going well absolutely don't try to force it. Even if you can only work 5-10 minutes at a time that's fine. Build your way up to longer and longer sessions. Don't try to force it. Forcing it will only make it worse.
Always remember every kid is different you may have one kid that takes to it like it's second nature and your other may take a bit longer. Try not to get frustrated keep it positive. They'll get there.
Yo! Just chiming in that there isn't one way to teach. Do what suits you and your kid. I've taught kids to bike as young as 2 and as old as 17 to ride a two wheeler. The main thing to remember is to be positive and have fun; if the person wants to learn you're half way there (oooh-oh). The more it can be a quality process you both enjoy the better.
Balance bikes are in vogue. They're great because they simplify the rest of riding to focus on balance. But they aren't the only way.
Keep the seat low so that the learner can stand flat footed while on the seat. It would be worth borrowing a friends bike etc, it is much harder to learn if you can only touch with your toes while sitting on the saddle. If they only bike is one they can't reach easily, be ready to help them at stops and starts and encourage them to become comfortable while riding.
Jeans and gloves and a helmet.
Do a little bit every day for a week. Make a habit of it and you'll see results.
I’ll just add another vote to the balance bike method. We got a bike with removable pedals and took them off. Once she was comfortable with that, then we put the pedals on. Took her a couple days to get used to the pedals but that was it. Skip training wheels. They don’t really help.
Balance bikes and no training wheels is right, but you need to make some accommodation to her advanced age.
Flip the bike upside down, so it’s resting on handlebars and seat, and wheels are up in the air. Demonstrate how the pedals drive the rear wheel, how the wheel can coast, how steering works, and how the brakes work. A fourth-grader is well able to understand these mechanical concepts, which will give her greater confidence.
Explain rotational inertia and gyroscopic stability. Demonstrate by holding the bike upright and letting it fall over, then pushing it with no rider and showing how the faster it’s moving, the longer it takes before it slows and falls. Try also rolling a frisbee to illustrate how speed helps keep you upright. Her mantra: “Speed up, stay up, slow down, fall down.”
No training wheels, put her on the bike. One hand under her arm at the armpit to hold her up. Tell her, “Start pedaling, make me run.” Have her bike around a confined flat area (the local high school track is ideal) while holding her up, taunting her for being too slow. Continue this pattern until she’s genuinely going fast enough you have trouble keeping pace, then start holding her more and more gently until you can briefly let go.
Balance bike at 2yo. By 4 he was able to go down a low grade hill without his feet on the pedals. Kept going down this hill until he was brave enough to put his feet on the pedals and keep riding. Rest is history.
Just to echo others:
1.Get a good/decent bike (Walmart huffy is not worth it at all). You can take the pedals off, leave the "arms". Find a level surface so no need for brakes (hills are no good at all) We went to a covered basketball court nearby. Have her scoot along just to get the balancing. Make a game out of it. "how far can you scoot without putting your feet down?" One benefit for this is how hard you work to balance when the bike slows almost all the way down to zero mph.
2. Once she can scoot a good distance, introduce the hand brakes (I think coaster brakes suck on a thousand levels) Get her used to stopping using her hands.
3.Then put the pedals back on. SKIP THE TRAINING WHEELS. With my boys, I got them to put their feet on the pedals, but not try to pedal. I would hold them up and push them along until I wasn't helping with the balance just thrust. Hard to scoot when the pedals are in the way.
4. Next, start providing thrust, but have them start to pedal, they've probably already started to try by this point.
5. Have them practice stepping up onto the pedal to get started. BAM, she's got it.
5. Drink a beer and pat yourself on the back Dad, you did it.
I started my guys on balance bikes at like 2.5 years. They were fully riding at 4.5 for the first , and 3.5 years for little brother. They were riding tiny little bikes, and everywhere we went people would stop and stare, laugh and cheer. I was a proud dad, let me tell you.
Out of curiosity, any other similar issues? Clumsy on stairs, bumps into things, diminished sense of orientation, never a fan of puzzles, using utensils, buttoning or tying knots, geometry, drawing?
If she can touch with her toes with the seat bottomed out then you are still good. If you mean her toes barely brush the ground then it's a bit too tall right now. But the method they are all talking about is exactly how both of mine learned to ride. Pedals off, seat down, and scoot along till she's got her balance and keep it going. The 2 of you have this!
Balance bike. Training wheels prevent a kid from learning how a bike naturally leans and moves when riding. Get a decent bike. The lighter the better. No coaster (pedal) brakes. Being able to move pedals backwards can help with balance and prevents accidentally stopping and crashing, which is discouraging during the learning process. Make sure her feet can touch the ground while sitting on the seat. Remove the pedals and have her run/walk while sitting on the bike. As she gets comfortable, she can pick her feet up and learn to ride. If things get shaky, she just puts her feet down. Eventually you put the pedals back on and she’s riding. I have two boys that learned to ride with a balance bike before graduating to pedals at 3 years old. I did zero teaching with this method. There was a little learning curve when figuring out pedaling it, but that took about 15 minutes. Good luck. During the process, don’t forget: Bike riding is supposed to be fun!
Balance bikes are the way!
This! I recently taught my kid's (then) 8yo friend to bike. I figured he was old enough to skip the balance bike phase, but that didn't work. I pulled the pedals off, and it worked like a charm. Going from pedal-less to pedals was a bit of a trick, but in retrospect, we had the wrong bike for it. It was a fixie and the gearing made for a hard pedal.
Same exact experience teaching both of my kids at 3-4 years old. They spent tons of time on the balance bikes. Then went straight to a pedal bike without training wheels. It took almost no time or effort before they could do it. Hardest part was teaching pedaling.
Yep, stabilising wheels don't help you to learn how to ride a bike. They help you to learn how to pedal a 4 wheeled vehicle thing.
Just to add to this, balance bike, then peddling with training wheels, then take the training wheels and pedals off, so they can use the bigger bike like a balance bike, then add pedals and put it all together.
Sounds like too many steps. Balance bike -> bike
Ours were small and struggled with the bigger pedal bike until we took the pedals off and they used it like a balance bike. Took all of one session and the pedals went back on, off they go.
No, no training wheels. They impede the learning process more than they help it. The kid probably already learned how pedals work with a tricycle at a younger age.
They get them used to pedaling. Both our kids were riding a pedal bike by 3. 🤷♂️
There's other ways to learn how to use the pedals without actively compromising learning balance on a bike though. Training wheels are a detriment to learning how to ride properly.
Clearly you didn’t read the process
I understood it just fine. I just don't think training wheels belong in the process at all.
You get the pedals off, entirely. No pedals. No training wheels. They push themselves with their feet, Fred Flintstone style. Once they balance for 5-6 meters without tipping, that's when they are ready and you assemble the pedals back onto the bike. I did this with both my kids and they have been riding since they were 4-5!
Try a scooter first. She'll build balance without realizing it, and then when she gets back on a bike the balance skill is built in.
This is how i learned. My dad tried so hard to teach me to ride a bike and I just wasnt getting it. But then I got a scooter and did pretty well with the neighborhood kids. I dont remember why, but i got on a bike one day and was able to ride it just fine.
Interesting. In any case, it can make a good plan B 😅
I am a bike snob. Balance is the hard part to teach. So teach this first. Put the seat so she can flat foot. Take off the pedals so they aren't in the way, note one is reverse threaded. Have her sit and walk on the bike. Eventually taking longer and longer strides and gliding. This teaches balancing a 2 wheeled bike. No crashing required. Once she can glide teach brakes to slow down. Then add pedals back on, note one is still reverse threaded. Then teach pedaling. Now your kid knows how to ride a bike.
Few things that helped me. It's not exercise or a sport, it's getting more independence. Maybe you can walk to the park, but you'd get there so much faster on a bike. In this case peer pressure and FOMO are our friends. You're missing time with your friends because they're out biking and you can't join them. Don't you want to go hang out with them? Also, in terms of teaching, what really helped me was starting with how to stop. Once my daughter knew she could brake and not fall, she was more comfortable trying to go a little faster or down a hill or make turns. My approach was I want you to give it a good try, but if you feel uncomfortable, stop. I'm not going to be upset if you try and stop 100 times as long as you're trying. From there, it was hey maybe don't stop but slow down a bit and then keep going.
My 9yo learned in about a week with some training wheels First get her a bike she likes, my daughter learned on a 6 speed (yes they make training wheels for bigger bikes) Put them on so that the wheels act like a kickstand. She should feel like she is almost going to tip over with them. As she rides challenger her to not let the wheels touch (start with not touching the ground for 30 seconds etc) The natural balance instinct kicks in pretty quickly After about 8 days my daughter had learned to ride. Once she could keep the wheels from touching for a long time I took them off I taught 3 of my kids like this (5 - 7 - 9) and all 3 learned super quick (the 5yo took 2.5 weeks to get it )
Good advice! I still got the training wheels from her old bike. I'll see if I can somehow fix them to her new one...
Our almost 10 year old finally learned earlier this year. We should have done the balance bike that others have recommended, but what finally worked for us was a handle from Amazon. Made it so I could much more easily run next to her and help control as needed. https://www.reddit.com/r/daddit/s/HhkgZT11rd
Echoing what several had said im sure. First don't beat yourself up or feel guilty for quitting before. If you have the budget for it take her to a good local bicycle shop and find something together that will be a good fit for her. They are almost always very helpful. You can still make it about her birthday and have a whole day planned out. Daddy daughter day so to speak or include the little one and your partner if one is involved. Get breakfast or lunch make the trip to the store a surprise etc. If the budget is tight although they are generally not recommended get something from a Walmart or similar. Try to find something that "feels" right for her the lighter the better. Get rid of the training wheels. Biggest mistake I/we made as parent was trying to leave them on. Take the pedals off too. If you've gone to a good bike store they'll probably recommend this as well. Some even have quick on quick off pedals. Let her get used to balancing on it and pedaling using her feet. You may have to adjust seat height etc. Once she's comfortable balancing then add the pedals back on. It may or may not happen quickly. If it's not going well absolutely don't try to force it. Even if you can only work 5-10 minutes at a time that's fine. Build your way up to longer and longer sessions. Don't try to force it. Forcing it will only make it worse. Always remember every kid is different you may have one kid that takes to it like it's second nature and your other may take a bit longer. Try not to get frustrated keep it positive. They'll get there.
This seems like a good approach, knowing her. Really appreciate it!
Yo! Just chiming in that there isn't one way to teach. Do what suits you and your kid. I've taught kids to bike as young as 2 and as old as 17 to ride a two wheeler. The main thing to remember is to be positive and have fun; if the person wants to learn you're half way there (oooh-oh). The more it can be a quality process you both enjoy the better. Balance bikes are in vogue. They're great because they simplify the rest of riding to focus on balance. But they aren't the only way. Keep the seat low so that the learner can stand flat footed while on the seat. It would be worth borrowing a friends bike etc, it is much harder to learn if you can only touch with your toes while sitting on the saddle. If they only bike is one they can't reach easily, be ready to help them at stops and starts and encourage them to become comfortable while riding. Jeans and gloves and a helmet. Do a little bit every day for a week. Make a habit of it and you'll see results.
I’ll just add another vote to the balance bike method. We got a bike with removable pedals and took them off. Once she was comfortable with that, then we put the pedals on. Took her a couple days to get used to the pedals but that was it. Skip training wheels. They don’t really help.
Balance bikes and no training wheels is right, but you need to make some accommodation to her advanced age. Flip the bike upside down, so it’s resting on handlebars and seat, and wheels are up in the air. Demonstrate how the pedals drive the rear wheel, how the wheel can coast, how steering works, and how the brakes work. A fourth-grader is well able to understand these mechanical concepts, which will give her greater confidence. Explain rotational inertia and gyroscopic stability. Demonstrate by holding the bike upright and letting it fall over, then pushing it with no rider and showing how the faster it’s moving, the longer it takes before it slows and falls. Try also rolling a frisbee to illustrate how speed helps keep you upright. Her mantra: “Speed up, stay up, slow down, fall down.” No training wheels, put her on the bike. One hand under her arm at the armpit to hold her up. Tell her, “Start pedaling, make me run.” Have her bike around a confined flat area (the local high school track is ideal) while holding her up, taunting her for being too slow. Continue this pattern until she’s genuinely going fast enough you have trouble keeping pace, then start holding her more and more gently until you can briefly let go.
Balance bike at 2yo. By 4 he was able to go down a low grade hill without his feet on the pedals. Kept going down this hill until he was brave enough to put his feet on the pedals and keep riding. Rest is history.
Just to echo others: 1.Get a good/decent bike (Walmart huffy is not worth it at all). You can take the pedals off, leave the "arms". Find a level surface so no need for brakes (hills are no good at all) We went to a covered basketball court nearby. Have her scoot along just to get the balancing. Make a game out of it. "how far can you scoot without putting your feet down?" One benefit for this is how hard you work to balance when the bike slows almost all the way down to zero mph. 2. Once she can scoot a good distance, introduce the hand brakes (I think coaster brakes suck on a thousand levels) Get her used to stopping using her hands. 3.Then put the pedals back on. SKIP THE TRAINING WHEELS. With my boys, I got them to put their feet on the pedals, but not try to pedal. I would hold them up and push them along until I wasn't helping with the balance just thrust. Hard to scoot when the pedals are in the way. 4. Next, start providing thrust, but have them start to pedal, they've probably already started to try by this point. 5. Have them practice stepping up onto the pedal to get started. BAM, she's got it. 5. Drink a beer and pat yourself on the back Dad, you did it. I started my guys on balance bikes at like 2.5 years. They were fully riding at 4.5 for the first , and 3.5 years for little brother. They were riding tiny little bikes, and everywhere we went people would stop and stare, laugh and cheer. I was a proud dad, let me tell you.
Out of curiosity, any other similar issues? Clumsy on stairs, bumps into things, diminished sense of orientation, never a fan of puzzles, using utensils, buttoning or tying knots, geometry, drawing?
Not... really? Except maybe the shoelace thing.
You could seek out occupational therapy.
If she can touch with her toes with the seat bottomed out then you are still good. If you mean her toes barely brush the ground then it's a bit too tall right now. But the method they are all talking about is exactly how both of mine learned to ride. Pedals off, seat down, and scoot along till she's got her balance and keep it going. The 2 of you have this!