Learning to ride a bike brings backs vivid memories for many people. From wobbling along while your parent pushed to doing wheelies down the street, it was a task every kid wanted to master.
This is especially true when your child's friends get their training wheels taken off.
Learning to ride a bike without training wheels is essentially a right of passage for most children. Sure, there are a few hiccups like falling down and scraped knees, however, the benefits far outweigh the downfalls.
Here’s a list of five reasons you should teach your child to ride a bike.
1. It’s a personal achievement.
Kids love accomplishing things on their own. When they’re able to achieve a goal, it boosts their confidence. The same applies to riding a bike.
Typically, children begin on training wheels so they can establish balance. After a bit of practice, they master their training wheels and move on to riding without them. Now, it may take them a while to keep pedaling and keep their balance, so we guide them until they’re ready to ride on their own.
Once they can finally ride on their own, it makes them proud. Therefore, by teaching your child to ride a bike, you teach them to be confident in their ability to achieve future goals.
2. It builds leg and core muscles.
Exercise is important, especially for growing children. When children learn how to ride a bike, they’re not only enjoying themselves, they’re developing stronger core and leg muscles.
For one, children must sit in an upright position to properly ride a bike. This engages their back and abdominal muscles.
If your child rides for a long time, their core muscles also support their spine, strengthen their back, and create more stability.
In addition to core support, riding a bike also strengthens your child’s leg muscles.
When they pedal, their upper body creates resistance. This paired with adjustable gear settings keep their legs working long enough to build up their muscles. For even more resistance, they can ride on an incline.
By teaching them how to ride, they have a way to spend time with their friends and enjoy a cardio workout.
3. It helps them make social contacts.
When a child learns how to ride a bike, it increases their circle of friends.
Now that bikes have become more advanced, taking a quality BMX bike like one of these to the park gives them a way to break the ice.
Children who regularly socialize with their peers have more confidence, better communication skills, and a greater sense of self.
When children make friends, they also learn how to understand the emotions of others.
Learning how to observe and properly react to other’s emotions is a valuable skill children need to achieve proper development.
Once you teach them to ride, you can also take them to socialize at the BMX park as you relax and get to know other parents.
4. It’s a means for transportation.
As your child gets older, they begin to enjoy their independence. When it comes to getting around, biking is a healthy and simple way for children to run errands or as transportation to school/college – learn about some good models. It’s also a great way to get to sporting events and extracurricular activities.
This is perfect for working and busy parents who can’t make it every practice.
5. It’s great fun!
In the words of President John F Kennedy, “Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.” In the age of electronics, it’s great to have activities that are simple and
entertaining. Whether you go on rides as a family or have a neighborhood race, riding can provide hours of fun for everyone. Aside from the initial cost of the bike and protective gear, riding a bike for fun is free. So, grab your kid’s gear and let them have a good time.
Nowadays, it's rare to find wholesome activities for children. When you teach them how to ride a bike, you not only give them a way to have fun, you're contributing to their physical and emotional development.