How do you teach a nervous 7 yo to ride a bike?

[carries]

Hope this is in the right topic. It is parenting :)

My DD1 is 7 years old and is very nervous about riding a bike without stabilisers. However due to being 4ft 4in (height of an average 9-10yo) she is too tall for her old stabiliser bike and other kids are beginning to poke fun at her still needing stabilisers. She is basically scared of falling. This child will climb trees. swim lengths, go on roller coasters and other mad rides, hang upside down on railings but is scared of cycling. Her balance is awful. Tried when she was about 5 and she did manage it but her fear of falling off got worse and I made the mistake of putting her stabilisers back on.

Anyway we tried again today (after 2 years) and her balance is still awful. But she laughed when she fell as it wasn't as bad as she first feared. Do all children learn to ride a bike? How long can it take? What age were you're kids when they learnt to ride? Big peer pressure as most of her pals can ride. Any tips?

Thanks in advance!

Get her to look ahead as she rides, not down at her feet.

If you are doing it in a big open space like a grassy park, this can really work, as it's the only way to balance (but you need the space to really have a go).

Tell her to pedal like mad, fast is safe, stop pedalling and that's when you lose the balance (you've all seen cyclists at traffic lights trying not to come off when at a standstill.)

I promise you 7 is not beyond the pale and I am sure she will learn.

Hold on to her hoodie and run along the first few times then let go.

I don't know but watching with interest as we have bought ds's aged 8 at xmas and 5 bikes without stabilisers and will need to teach them both. Neither are keen to learn.

Clary, thats what I didn't do - her bike is too big for the boot of my car so just went on the pavement where we live, not too busy but not open space!

Where is yr nearest park? Can you walk to it pushing the bike?

Or find a quiet cul de sac type road; we have a new estate nearby which was really good (tho obv not grass) as it had wide roads and pavements-cum-cyclpaths with no cars to be seen.

Don't worry - my unco-ordinated DS1 was a good 6.5 before he was confident (he was riding the bike my 8yo DS2 now uses and DS1 had stablisers on it) and yet today he was out on his bike with a couple of mates, careering down hills at the local rec (so he tells me - he's 12, so I'm persona non grata )

Yes can walk to nearest park. And use nearby culdesac! Thanks for tips :)

at my DS's school they had a session to teach children to learn to ride a bike - they were told to bring their bike in without stabiliser and pedals - basically make it a balance bike - all the children learnt to ride that day - so I would try that as its sounds like its the balance that is needed

Take the pedals off and get her to use it like a balance bike, just pushing with her feet.
DD was 8 when she learnt to ride, after 2 years of refusal. Once pedals were off, I think she practiced for about an hour over the space of 2 days, concentrating on steering and turning, with "security" of knowing she can put her feet down when she feels wobble, and then she put the pedals back on herself and was riding confidently 5 mins later.

x-post Mousey84!!

I like that idea of taking pedals off. Holding the bike is killing my back! Thanks mousey & any0ther. Quite excited now!

Good tip Mousey, think I will use this on my
Very nervous 5yo who won't ride her bike at all, even with the stabilisers on, she loves her scooter but hates the bike, she just can't trust it but I think using it as a balance bike would work.........only I don't know if she'll ever let us put the pedals back on again!

What worked for my DS was learning in the park on a slight hill on grass.

It had a rise at the top of it so you just had to push off and glide. Soft surface to fall on, big space to ride into.

So he didn't have to concentrate on steering, braking or peddling, just balancing first, then peddling. Once he had that (one day, when he finally made the breakthrough after much refusal), then it was another day for steering (you don't turn the handle bars to turn, you just 'think' the turn) and eventually braking.

I completely agree with the others - take the pedals off and make it into a balance bike.

No running along with her and no worries for her about falling off.
She can go at her own pace.

When she's got the hang of it, encourage her to push really hard and lift her legs up - my dd was younger but she loved to go down the hill with a good old 'weeeeee'

Don't put the pedals back on until she's completely confident, and even then, keep the seat low so that she can use it as a balance bike (with pedals) for a little while till she feels brave enough to start pedalling.

Good luck

I can vouch for taking the pedals off. It took DS about 15 minutes to master the art of bike riding when we did it. But do make sure your DD can put her feet flat on the floor.

All good tips, wish I knew them when myDS was younger! He is now 14 and can't ride a bike! Has been quite embarrassing at times! He just seemed to have a real phobia about it. His older brother learnt in the usual way. Apparently Daniel Radcliffe ( Harry Potter) can't either! So that does make me feel a bit better!

Another in favour of balance bike approach. Did this with dd1 on her 4th birthday. 2 days later she wanted pedals on. 20 mins in and she was riding alone with us pushing her off and letting go of back of saddle once stable and us running along side. 2 weeks later managed to start off by herself and ride completely by herself. We bought knee and arm pads to make her feel safer.

Thanks everyone. Showed DD1 some YouTube videos of this removing pedals approach and she is so excited about learning now!

It's very important that the bike she learns on is too small for her. She needs to be able to scoot on it (balance bike style). I am not a fan of taking pedals off, actually, unless you can remove whole bottom bracket, too (presuming you have those tools).

But too small, that is the key to getting hang of it. She won't feel secure on it, otherwise. Go down one wheel size from what you think is the right size for her now.

balance kicks in between the ages of 2 to 4 years old.hold the seat,never the handles, she will sway slightly but will master the steering quickly run along behind her holding the seat, dd was riding a bike at 4,she had had a balance bike though. i ran behind her up and down about 5 times and she was off,and i was crying!

Thought i would give you all an update. Very exciting parenting day today. Took pedals off my DD1 bike and pedals and stabilisers off DD2 (4.5yo). Both off them up and down our street "walking" their bikes. Oh and lowered the seats too. What a difference in DD1 confidence. After an hour she was "wheeeing" down the street with her feet up. Need another day or 2 of building confidence, but I can see their balance improving already. So proud wipes a tear away

Sounds great carries!

Good luck to the mini carries - I bet they'll be riding in no time

This got me all emotional. Go Mumsnet! Go carries' daughter!!

Aw Pip, thanks for the cheers. Due to rain in the west of Scotland no cycling done since tuesday.

Celebration up-date. After a week of busyness & rain finally got DD back on their bikes. And dd1 is now starting and cycling herself! Still to perfect going in a straight line. Proud moment :)