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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

5.5yo ds can't/won't ride a bike, should it matter?

15 replies

Frimblypoo · 09/04/2011 16:06

Now I don't think this should be a problem but his teacher brought it to our attention in the manner of 'we noticed that x can't ride a bike and it may be because his gross motor skills are lacking'

DS is more of a boffin than an athelete, as a result of a difficult birth he had a couple of sessions with a physio but was signed off as 'nothing wrong' when he was two and signed off by a general pediatrician at 4.

He has a bike but finds the whole experience quite distressing, however he is quite happy running around, trampolining , playground climbing etc.

Now she has me worried he will be a social pariah because of it. Please tell me there's nothing in the rules that says boys HAVE to ride bikes and it's not weird.

This seems doubly daft now I have written it down!

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DollyTwat · 09/04/2011 16:08

My ds2 is 6 and has only just learnt to ride without stabilisers
He wasn't interested before
There are lots of guides on the net as to techniques, just wait til he wants to

Lindax · 09/04/2011 16:13

ds is just turned 7 and has no interest in learning to ride a bike. He does swiming, football and karate so is quite active, just not interested.

Got him a bigger bike at Xmas as last one was too small and have tried a few times to get him out but after 5 mins he is just fedup.

madwomanintheattic · 09/04/2011 16:21

dd1 couldn't ride a bike without stabilisers before 7. ds1 did learn earlier, but it's not unusual. we saw lots of kids on stabilisers for yr r and into yr 1.

if she has other concerns about his gross motor skills though, it might be worth getting another referral done. (thinking dyspraxia type stuff)

if it's just the bike thing, i wouldn't sweat it tbh.

RufousBartleby · 09/04/2011 16:25

Ok, so I'm a girl - but I'm 31 and could never get the hang of riding a bike.

No problems with motor skills, really hasn't inhibited me socially either.

Very rarely that I even remember that I can't ride a bike its been that much of a non-essential skill for me.

Not saying it wouldn't be nice though.

neolara · 09/04/2011 16:41

He will be fine.

But if you want him to learn how to ride a bike without any pain at all, try to get hold of a balance bike for a month. By the end of this, he will probably get onto his normal bike (without stabalisers) and ride off into the distance without a backwards glance.

frasersmummy · 09/04/2011 17:39

dS was 5 when he learned to ride the bike .. he's an April birthday birthday so the summer months was a good chance for him to learn. If he was a Nov/dec birthday he would probs have been closer to 6.

I dont think its a huge issue ... other kids in our street of the same age are still running around on stabilisers

I think its weird that a teacher would point it out as if they had noticed and you hadn't.. !!!! its not exactly a classroom skill that you might have missed

monkoray · 09/04/2011 18:29

i don't think its a problem that your son can't / isn't interested in riding a bike, especially at such a young age. But it is interesting that the teacher brought it up. I'd delve deeper as it would be odd if her conclusion about his gross motor skills came from this one observation. She may just be a lune but i'd ask her whether there were any other factors that contributed to the comment she made. Just in case there are other things that she has noticed that you should be aware of.

Ixia · 09/04/2011 21:25

I think it's a bit of an odd thing for a teacher to mention at 5.5yrs. DD is nearly 6 and has just learnt, she's hypermobile, but really we were just waiting for her to decide she really wanted to learn. Once she was motivated, she picked it up in an hour. Her best friend who is v. graceful and certainly has no issues, doesn't ride without her stabilisers yet, another 2 friends also 6 still have stabilisers. I think 5/6 is a normal age for learning to ride a bike? I also wonder why the teacher chose to mention it?

Canella · 09/04/2011 21:34

Agree with neolara - if you want him to learn then teach him with a balance bike if you can get one or if not, take the stabilisers and the pedals of his own bike and just let him whizz about using his feet. Stabilisers dont teach dc anything - i live in Germany and you rarely see stabilisers here and nearly every child can ride a bike by 5.

But find it a strange thing for the teacher to say - i would be asking her some more questions.

Original poster

Frimblypoo · 09/04/2011 21:54

Thank you for all your lovely replies. I am not concerned about dyspraxia, other aspects of his development are spot on, socialises well etc etc

Her other observation was he was a bit scared of going down a flight of stairs - this was in an old theatre, quite gloomy, lots of people, steep. Poor chap, I would be hesitant too.
I told her the back story, physio, being under the ped etc
He is tall for his age and has gangly flailing limbs compared to his peers, I think he's just a bit uncoordinated and growing into himself (were told he had general loose ligaments but not hypermobile). He has no fear in the massive soft play type things, just seems to be something about bikes that beats him.

ahh well, perhaps gymnastics will be more his thing than bikes!

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DollyTwat · 10/04/2011 10:38

I have a theory that most children lack the co-ordination for things like swimming and bike riding til they are about 5/6

Always exceptions to my theory but it dies seem to be the age mist of them finally get it

TheBolter · 10/04/2011 10:42

I think they just do it when they're ready, and forcing your child to do something before then seems wrong somehow. By all means encourage, but don't force.
Dd2 suddenly started riding her bike without stabilisers a couple of months ago. She's five. Likewise swimming - suddenly seems to be 'getting' it whereas before she just didn't.
Dd1 seemed to get both swimming and cycling at about four, but it seemed to come naturally.
I think you'll find that your ds learns eventually and will very quickly catch up with his peers.

TheBolter · 10/04/2011 10:43

P.S. Not saying you're forcing you ds by the way OP - just hoping I can reassure you a little.

lljkk · 10/04/2011 10:46

I can remember clearly from my own 1970s ildhood surveying my peers and most learnt to ride w/out stabs by the age of 6yo, but that means plenty were older (which I think is fine, too, only by the age of 8yo would it be a problem, imo, and we are a cycling-enthusiast family).

I don't know where this modern penchant for thinking of it as a basic skill by the 5th birthday comes from. It definitely wasn't usually achieved that early in the past, either.

Original poster

Frimblypoo · 10/04/2011 11:04

It's ok Bolter I know what you mean (I am currently reading the Bolter btw)

Yes IIjkk, 5 seems to be the magical age where you HAVE to be able to do everything, bike, swim, read, write, climb trees, etc etc. Poor kids!

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