Balance bikes aim to teach toddlers the basics of balance when they are in motion. They allow kids to learn about guiding and controlling movements while also estimating distances. There are many reasons why you should consider giving balance bikes to your kids.
5 reasons to give your children balance bikes
1. Introduction to riding
Balance bikes are a great way to introduce kids to pedal bikes. Children who have experience riding balance bikes at the age of 18 months to 24 months are more likely to ride pedal bikes without the assistance of training wheels at the age of 3 years. “There are two parts to learning to ride a bicycle: balancing and pedaling… Balance bikes don’t have any pedals, so kids only have to focus on one thing — balancing. This makes the learning process a whole lot easier for them,” Cadel Evans, a professional cyclist, said to Medibank. Since the toddlers’ feet are on the ground, they will feel safer while riding a balance bike.
2. Health and physical development
Riding balance bikes will strengthen muscles, improve immunity, and boost the physical development of kids starting from a young age. After all, they will be using their arms and legs quite often when riding these bikes. Overall physical endurance and mental toughness will also be improved.
Balance bikes will help develop a child’s gross motor skills, agility, and coordination. The physical advancement experienced during such a young age will inevitably contribute to better physical health during teenage years and adulthood.
3. Confidence
At a young age, kids are completely dependent on their parents. If this dependence is not reduced, the kids might grow up to be adults who are not too confident about themselves. Balance bikes help resolve the issue. As the kids ride these bikes and explore their neighborhood, they feel more independent, which will boost their confidence. Plus, the kids will likely come into contact with other children who ride bikes. This can develop their social skills as well.
4. Outdoor exposure
Some kids might find the idea of going outside to be quite daunting. Riding balance bikes can prove to be very enjoyable for these kids. And as they get deeply involved in riding these bikes, the children will slowly open up to the idea of exploring their neighborhood.
5. Traffic rules
Children who use balance bikes will automatically learn about traffic rules even before they hit school age. They will get a basic idea of reducing speed when approaching a curve, checking the roads to avoid accidents, and so on. Their awareness of the environment and ability to respond to unexpected situations will be improved.
Buying balance bikes
If you are a parent thinking of buying a balance bike for your child, there are some things you need to consider, the first of which will be the height of the bike. When a child sits on the bike, he should be able to comfortably place his feet on the ground and push off. If the kid finds it difficult to do this, he will find it difficult to ride the bike and end up being frustrated.
Secondly, the size of the tires is also important. For younger kids, get bikes with smaller tires that are about 12 inches in size. For older kids, you can bump up the size to 14 inches. Plus, air tires are better for the kids since they tend to be lighter, making maneuvering the bike easier.
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