Easiest way to learn balance bike?

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My 3 year old just got a balance bike for her birthday but is struggling so far and got put off when she fell over. What is the easiest way to teach her? Is it easier on grass or pavement initially? Should we just give it a rest until she wants to try again or actively encourage it?

So as not to drip feed her balance and coordination are a lot worse than a typical 3 year old but her physio thinks the balance bike is a good idea at her current stage.

We never taught ours. They just messed around and it clicked eventually. The thing about a balance bike is their feet should be on the ground. It’s just scooting along. She won’t be ‘balancing’ to start. I would just encourage her to sit on it. She can move a bit when she feels ready. But mostly it’s just coming around to it in their own time.

Find a kid who can ride and go hang out with them

Another thing to say is make sure it’s adjusted to be the correct height for her. It’s hard to ride if not the right height.

Her feet should be flat on the floor with a slight bend to the knees. That way there shouldn't really be much falling over?
You don't really need to teach as such. Assuming she knows that she can straddle it and also sit down, just take her and it to a park, or out in your garden and let her play around. Even surfaces will be much easier though.
And hopefully she is wearing a helmet!

I get that your physics recommended it, and that it works brilliantly for some children, but I just want to highlight that not all kids will take to a balance bike but will still goon the be great cyclists! Neither of mine were into them, and my husband (big cyclist) was really disappointed - a few years down the line and they just learnt on bikes with stabilisers and are now confident, stable riders

DD got one for her second birthday and wouldn't entertain it at all for ages unless I was holding onto the handlebars and keeping the balance for her. Then suddenly out of the blue she got on it one day and off she went. Very wobbly to start with but now she's starting to get the idea of gliding at 2 years 5 months

So glad you posted this. Mine had a balance bike before he was 2. He mastered it fast but completely lost interest. I've been thinking of just getting a bike with stabilisers. Thank you!

Neither of mine would entertain learning to ride a balance bike. They learned to ride a bike properly without stabilisers at age 4 so no harm done. Some kids just don’t take to them.

Our DD took a lot longer to master her balance bike than I thought she would, so I would be patient and expect to end up carrying it a lot of the time. She did a lot of walking along pushing it rather than sitting on the saddle before she got the hang of it.
I had read a lot of reviews online and got a balance bike that was as close to a real bike as possible - with a brake. But I think this was a mistake because the frame was heavier and I think a smaller, lighter (and probably cheaper) bike would have been easier for her.
I found taking her to park with basketball or tennis court helped - having a large, flat, cushioned area was the best surface to practice on.

Ds1 had severe coordination issues when he was little and would not entertain a balance bike at all, only a pedal bike with stabilisers when he was 4. He was cycling freely before he started school though so once it clicked, it properly clicked and fast.

What he would agree to at 2-3yo was a 3-wheel scooter which he flew on. He felt far more in control.

If its DCD or Dyspraxia, there are other ways around getting better at core stability like swimming, monkey bars etc. Then the balance bike will improve when he's ready.

I would say try it in the garden or street by your house if you can so she can do little and often. If it's just out the door, it's no big deal if it's a 30 second try. Mine both walked the bike stood next to it before riding it, even though that's actually harder to balance.

Has she had a scuttlebug or similar to get the hang of the push along motion?

My second also preferred to master the three-wheeled scooter first (she was quite young, so maybe a good comparison in terms of coordination and balance). You can generally pick up a really good quality mini micro scooter cheaply secondhand, so if she doesn't have one, perhaps get one and see what she takes to?

Make sure you find a nice place to try away from traffic - flat tarmac or very, very slightly downhill worked for us. Cycling UK or British Cycling might have videos with tips.

My 2 just walked straddling it standing up to start with rather than sitting down. It’s just practice and don’t do it for long distance or up hill to start with.

Don’t ‘help’ by holding on to the bike. That will actually work against the cyclist, destabilising them. Instead, gently steady your child by placing your hand at the back of their neck. Very quickly you’ll be able to quietly remove your hand and they’ll be off.

this top tip was passed to me by another parent 25 years ago and absolutely works!

@Devilsmommy don't bother with the stabilisers if he can already ride the balance bike!!!

We tried 3 different balance bikes with dd and she wasn't having it with any of them. Gave up and just used a tag along and she had a bike with stabilisers when a bit older. Then one day when she was more ready we just took the stabilisers off and she got the hang of cycling straight away. No one had balance bikes when I was a kid and we all got on fine learning to ride bikes. I feel like they've become a thing a bit like baby swimming lessons, that we are all convinced we must buy / do or our child's development will be hampered forever.

I put a backpack with rein on my granddaughter when we're out with the balance bike. It has a small handle at the top of the backpack so I can keep her stable and as she gets into it and has recently started to glide I have the rein to stop her going into the road!

My wee boy was given a balance bike when he turned 2 and had absolutely no clue how to do it and it lay in a cupboard. Brought it back out a few months after he turned 3 and he did just walk with it between his legs for a bit now scoots around no bother on it. I didn’t teach him he just managed to do it himself !

It’s just practice imo.

Thanks all for the advice! We will keep trying for time to time but not put pressure on her. Our garden is the easiest option but it is grass only. The pavement outside the house too could be an option, I guess it’s unlikely she will go on the road if I’m right next to her.

I think the height is OK for her and we do have a helmet. She can ride a scuttlebug XL but is too tall for it now. We don’t have a scooter yet but I’ll look out for one 2nd hand. Are there any particular brands that are good to look out for? We already do swimming and take her to the playground although she still struggles with a lot of things in the playground due to her low muscle tone.

I just stayed between mine and the road when they were first learning, so safe enough on the pavement. It gets harder as they get faster!

I'd look for a mini micro scooter – they're really good quality and usually lots of them about.

First check that the bike is the correct fit, and setup for her. She should have a slight bend at the knee while sitting on the saddle with her feet on the ground. I took my daughter to a flat paved area free from obstacles and just begin by walking with the bike, then she can progress to gliding once her confidence improves. Check out this guide from littlebig bikes which goes into it in more detail.

Most kids get it very quickly like my second DD but some like my first don't. She walked it round without actually sitting on it for ages. She finally got it age 3.5 and took to a pedal bike quite quickly at 4. I would stay on short grass if they fall a lot till more confident. Slight downhill helps.