To give up on the balance bike and get one with stabilisers?

[AuroraFloyd]

Lighthearted ofc.

3 (nearly 4) year old dd has a balance bike she just can't get on with. At this age, ds was about to graduate to pedals and was a speed demon on his balance bike so I've been nudging dd to keep trying. But dd really doesn't like it. She's really stuck a spanner in my "how amazing are balance bikes?" train of thought.

She does however like riding the bikes and trikes at nursery, all of which have stabilisers.

With her birthday and Christmas coming up, would you go for stabilisers and abandon the balance bike?

I love balance bikes - but not every child embraces them!

My neice didn’t really take to hers - her brother flew around on one when he was tiny. She however became a terrifying speed demon when presented with a bike and stabilisers!

I have up with my dd (3 at the time) even did the balance bike course at Butlins, but she just couldn’t get on with it, so I caved and got her one with stabilizers, much happier and above all fun! She used to get so frustrated, now whizzes along with a smile on her face.

Just get the stabilisers
You can do the balance thing when the child is much older 6/7 ish. If you wait that long, they’ll be riding inside a single day. Just take the stabiksers off and let them coast down a gentle hill.

DS1 was completely uninterested in his balance bike until he was well over 4 and then got the hang of it and progressed to a pedal bike quite quickly.

DS2 is 3 and is really enjoying the balance bike.

Maybe she'll get into it later on.