Is learning how to ride a bike an essential skill for a child?

[Corbes]

I have three children - two boys aged 5 and 3 months and a girl who’s 4.

My eldest will be 6 in the autumn. Back when he turned 4, we got him a small bike with stabilisers for his birthday. He rode it around a little at first as it was probably a novelty, but this past year especially he hasn’t really touched it despite encouragement from me and his dad. His sister is actually more interested in riding it now.

To me learning how to ride a bike is one to those quintessential childhood skills. I was late in learning myself as I didn’t have access to one until I was a bit older, and I remember feeling left out among my classmates. Once I did learn, I was out biking all the time and have great memories of that; my husband says he was the same. I had hoped around this stage that my son might be keen to learn (without the stabilisers) but he’s not really interested at all.

I’m not sure if I should press the issue; is it an essential skill, really? He is quite active in other ways, loves playing football etc. so it’s not as if he’s taking no exercise. But I don’t want him to feel left out the way I did. He has three cousins who were born the same year as him who all enjoy riding their bikes (minus stabilisers) so I’m sure at his age he would be physically capable.

On the other hand, as his little sister is showing an interest perhaps we should just go ahead and teach her and maybe that might spur him on to learn too? That was certainly the case when we were potty training him a few years ago 😅

We live in a small village, rather than a town or city if it makes a difference.

Would appreciate any thoughts on it.

Teach her and encourage him without being pushy. Maybe he feels the bike you bought is now tok babyish. Is he into spiderman or whatever? You can usually get deals on ebay for these sort if bikes if you have some money to spare.

I def think it's an important skill, esp when they are teens and can't drive yet. It really gives an element of freedom. That said you can't force him. Maybe if he sees you, dad and sis cycling it may encourage him

it is a skill that is useful but also part of development of physical skills. I think personally balance bikes are the way to go, if they had one each there would be a little healthy competition! It does take perseverance and practice and going out regularly with M&D or whoever. Make sure you have bike riding shoes tho as they are a bit rough on shoes to be honest.

I think its an essential skill (certainly is where I live, its how all the children get about) but if he's not interested I'd just go ahead and teach little sister and see if that sparks his interest.

I have a 4 year old who just isn't interested yet. I got him a balance bike two years ago and he still hasn't got the hang of it. I think I'm going to give up on that and get a bike with stabilisers and try that route instead. Complete opposite of his sister who was riding a bike without stabilisers by this age.

Definitely a useful life skill, especially if you live somewhere without good public transport. It gives your teens such a lot more independence. Plus it's fun.

Go ahead and teach your dd. Very likely this will motivate her big brother to learn as well. And reinforce it by family bike outings - don't even wait for them to be off stabilisers. Just a ride to a park and ice-creams is a satisfying and motivating adventure at this age.

Get a balance bike and ditch the stabilisers. They’ll learn way quicker and be more motivated as cycling with stabilisers is too hard.

maybe a bit late for the 6 year old but there must be options out there? It’s very hard to go to a pedal bike with no stabilisers or previous balance bike at that age.

i agree it’s a necessary skill. I have commuted by bike on and off my whole life, it’s often a better transport option than car or public transport.

My kids didn't get the stabilisers off their bikes until they were a bit older. DC1 was 8YO and DC2 was 6YO.

I'm so glad to read this. I have a 3.5 year old who just isn't getting the hang of his balance bike after a year, and was thinking about getting him one with stabilisers instead. He's getting upset with the balance bike because it doesn't have pedals and he can't get anywhere fast.

Not essential at all.
No hobbies are essential.
You can get around on your feet.

It's a good kids' activity though and I'd spend full summer days out on my bike.

Yeah, I went down the balance bike route because I thought that would be better but he's just not the kind of child to go out of his comfort zone, and trying to balance while moving is definitely out of his comfort zone, so I think its better to get a bike with stabilisers so he can first experience the joy of cycling and see the point of trying to ride, then maybe he'll be willing to push past his fears and try to balance himself.

Learning to ride a bike gives independence growing up, and the younger they learn, the more time you get to instill some road skills.

One can travel further, faster and with more load than walking.

Active travel also helps fight climate change.

It's not essential for health or safety so it's a 'follow your child's lead' issue.

Teach the 4 year old who wants to learn.

Leave the 6 year old who is not currently interested until he shows an interest. You could maybe try a balance bike as they are a lot more fun and generally easier to learn on.

Yes I'd say it is.

Both my boys could ride a bike at 4, so when DD turned 5 and couldn't ride a bike (she had no interest) they forced her to learn. If they hadn't, DD and I would have by the time she was 6. But then we also had to force her to learn to swim and read and write. I gave up on tennis though. So yes, I think it's a skill children should learn if they can.

Well I can't do it, and I'm not dead.

But people who can't read or write don't die.

I guess if you live somewhere jolly like the Lake District it's less essential than if you live in the Netherlands.

I wouldn't be able to do it if I lived in the Netherlands either.

I recommend starting small toddlers on a balance bike as soon as they can sit astride it. What a fantastic way to learn balance and confidence.

same here. No doubt its useful but essential? nope.

Is the Netherlands not jolly?

Is the Netherlands not jolly?

its a joy, it really is
riding a bike isn't just about riding a bike as a skill - but learning to balance as a skill for dc. Its much harder to learn this balancing when older - Ive assisted two people in the late teens to ride a bike and they'd wished they'd done this previously. We got there though so it didn't matter what age they were.

OP why not take of the pedal on the boys bike and let him sct around on it for a bit

The Netherlands are very jolly, but not hilly, which is what I think the poster meant to say!
Neither I nor my adult DDs can ride a bike, and wouldn’t want to in our current locations. I live in a village, near a 70mph dual carriageway with no cycle lane, and among winding country roads with fast buses and lorries zooming down them.
The DDs live in Edinburgh with probably the UK’s best bus service, both have cars, and the thought of trying to cycle across tramlines, in heavy traffic, and on cobblestones really doesn’t appeal!

It’s definitely not essential at 6yo, but is useful when they’re teens for sure.

DS couldn’t ever get the hang of a balance bike (which did make me sad) so we got a regular bike with stabilisers and finally learnt aged 7, with his younger sister snapping at his heals.

DD whizzed around on a balance bike from early on and rode a regular bike aged 5.

Most children will be able to learn to ride a bike - but they do need to want to be able to so I wouldn’t push for now.

I'm beginning to think lots of boys have poor balance.

As most of the children I know who have taken to cycling quickly regardless of the age they started have been girls. While my DD started riding a proper bike at age 3, I know 9 year old girls who have learnt in up to 30 minutes.

OP with a balance bike you need a little and short slope to go down where you can take you feet off the floor so you can glide down. With stablishers you don't learn to balance and have to learn to balance when you have a bike without them.

As a transferable skill itself, I don't think it's that important.

But looking at it holistically, learning to ride a bike teaches/facilitates:

• The importance, fun and stimulation of physical activity
• Physical skills like balance and co-ordination
• The reward of persevering through adversity and learning a new skill
• Refining a skill (most symbolically, removing training wheels)
• Goal setting and progress-marking
• Socializing with other young kids. Riding a bike is one of the first skills and hobbies children have in common en masse and is therefore an important collective developmental marker.

To me bike-riding and swimming are the two things, even if your children are not naturally inclined to sports, that should be taught. Besides running around, biking and swimming are two of the most common types of physical activity children participate in, and lend themselves to other things as well (transportation in teen years, being able to be near bodies of water without being afraid or in immediate danger etc.).

It gives so much independence. Reading and riding a bicycle are transformative.