4.5 yr old and riding bikes

[minkydog]

DS was afraid to ride a bike without training wheels. He looked ridiculous on his little Batman bike At 9yo, he really really wanted a bigger youth bike, but we refused to buy one until he could ride without the trainers. We held our ground and one day he asked for the training wheels off. He spent a whole day riding in the yard, practicing until he could do it. I"m glad we didn't push it. He didn't get interested until it became important to him. Then it was easy

Interestingly, he was the same way about driving. Didn't get his license until he was almost 19. Which is a good thing(believe me...)

 

[Mskanga]

My niece taught my oldest to ride a bike , she was around 7 years old . My youngest just got the hang of it watching all the other kids at age 4 , she kindly showed me one day after I got back from work how she could ride her sister's bike ( a 21" size bike ) . With my husband's help she got on it and took off ( without training wheels ) and when it was time to get off she just jumped off the bike . I almost had a heartattack , I knew right then and there that a helmet is a must on this kid! LOL
We had a smaller bike that she had from her sister , the next thing we knew she was riding that bike standing up like a pro !

 

[Miller1412]

My DD is almost 6 and is terrified of her bike. She is fine on perfectly flat ground but as soon as the bike starts to speed up, she freaks out and starts screaming and crying. Not good in our hilly development.

The Easter Bunny is bringing a slightly bigger bike this weekend. It's a princess bike that she was admiring in Walmart so hopefully she'll be excited and a little more motivated to ride. We'll also be at my mom's house at the beach, so the ground will be nice an flat for her to practice.

My Niece is 4 and learned to ride without training wheels last weekend, but she's much more of a daredevil then DD. DD hates that feeling of not being in control. I keep thinking it will be a good thing when she starts driving!!

 

[Tinijocaro]

1. Use a very small bike so feet can be easily put on the ground while sitting on bike. No training wheels.

2.Go to a parking lot and have child "walk" himself on the bike, Fred Flintstone style. Try slow, try fast, but no peddling yet, and definitely no parent holding the bike.

3.Try to pick feet up off the ground a bit for a second or two. Gradually do it longer.

4. Eventually , when some balance is being discovered, put the feet on the pedals and try to pedal.

Three of my kids learned this way when they were four. One child had absolutely NO help from anybody- she just kept scooting herself up and down the sidewalk until she just took off. Younger dd was helped by older dd last year when she was three.

Jackie