How to Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike

Safety Comes First! Here are the four major safety rules that every child should know BEFORE they begin riding on the street:

1. Never ride out into a street without stopping first. Kids must learn to stop, look left, look right, look left again and listen to be sure no cars are coming before entering a street. Make sure that they understand that because they see a car does not mean the driver sees them.

2. Obey stop signs and traffic signals. Teach young children to walk their bikes through busy intersections. Make sure they understand that it is the law to obey traffic signals even when no one appears to be coming.

3. Look behind, signal, and look behind again before swerving, turning or changing lanes. The best place to practice this is in a quiet parking lot or playground. Stand behind them while they ride along a straight painted line. Alternatively, you may choose to draw parallel lines on your driveway using chalk. Hold up numbered cards and have them practice looking back over their shoulder and telling you the number on the card -- without swerving off the line. You should not allow a child to ride on the street alone until they have mastered this skill.

4. Always Wear a Helmet.

After safety, the next biggest issue is: Balance. There are several methods for teaching a child to balance and ride. Here are the four most common:

1. Training Wheels

Most bicycles intended for small children come equipped with training wheels. However, it is my opinion that training wheels are neither the only nor even the best way to teach a child to ride a bike. Training wheels are potentially the least painful way to learn, but also the slowest. This method works best for families who live on very quiet streets or have large driveways, or live near parks or other areas where the child can be left somewhat unattended. For most families, this will not be the case, and a parent will need to accompany the child.

2. The Undersized Bike Approach