How to Teach Your Children Cycling and Traffic Safety

It's a bright choice to teach your children how to ride a bike in young age. Not only because children learn new things faster in low age but also it’s a nice way of both exercise and family activity. Furthermore, biking is a vital independent transportation after they grow up to be teenagers. So, what on earth do you need to know to teach your children biking in a better way? In the following article, we will introduce you good methods of teaching them traffic safety, how to ride, and where you should take them to ride.

Method of Teaching Children to Ride

Basic Things You Will Need

A bike special for child without stabilizers;

A spanner to adjust the pedals. Remember to mark the right and left on the pedals if they are not already marked because the right pedal threads in a contrary way to the left;

Sunscreen, anti-mosquito liquid and protect products like helmet, elbow pads, and kneepads;

A camera to capture the moment if you want.



Teach Children to Ride Without Stabilizers

It has been proved by lots of surveys that child learns more of challenging, being brave, keeping balance and coordinate ability through riding a bike without stabilizers. And there is nothing to be worried if the child wears safety equipment(of course you need to check the traffic condition). The nine steps to ride a bike without stabilizers are shown below:



Get ready: don’t rush to teach your child to pedal at the very beginning, firstly Lowering the saddle and removing the pedals in order to enable the child scoot along on the bike by feet. It’s a good start to let them feel about how bike moving, introducing them how to use the brakes at the same time will be a good idea
Giant steps
After the child gets used to scooting on the bike, encourage them to do that with giant steps about 10 meters. Encourage the child to look up when they are on the bikes rather than look down at the wheels or their feet so that they can learn to balance quickly.
Kangaroo hops
Encourage the child to move forward by hops about 10meters.

Replace one pedal
It makes no difference either left pedal or the right, what matters is that ensuring the child feel comfortable and secure on the bike. To do this, you can teach them to use the brakes a bit so that the speed will not be too fast for them. Make sure you replace the pedals correctly.



5.One pedal scoot

Encourage the child to scoot on the bike by one foot with the other on the pedal, by which they can feel about how the pedal works. Ensure the child is looking up and no more than 10 meters.



Put both pedals on
Replace the other pedal back on and repeat wiggling with a bit brakes on, doing this slowly so as to encourage the child to consider the bike as stable and safe.



First try
You can hold your child’s back, shoulders or upper arms at this step to ensure their safety and comfort them, but do not hold the bike itself. With the child putting their feet on pedals with a right position and looking up, encourage them to pedal and release the brakes. If the child is doing well, you can get your hands off slowly but don’t forward too far.



Second try
Start with the position as before, hold the child, let them put both feet on the pedals and look up. Allow the child to wiggle with brakes on if they want, if they are doing well, count down from three and encourage them to release the brakes. Let them pedal for a few meters. After stopping them, check out the distance they have traveled with them to encourage them.



Third try
This time, try to reduce holding them by just gripping their clothes or holding only one side of their arms. Repeat the eighth step and let them ride by themselves further if they are doing well.



Where Is the Good Place to Go?

If your child is learning how to ride or has just learned how to ride, find a quiet area with little traffic such as a cycle path or somewhere with short grass or smooth tarmac.

A slightly downward slope.

Be careful about hazards like pedestrians, pets, balls, and vehicles that might scare your child.





If your child is practiced and ready for comparatively long distance riding, you try one of the following:



A few circles around the block or your neighbor, make sure you are aware of the traffic condition.

A relaxing family trip to grandparents house provided they are nearby(forget it if they are thousands of miles away!), or ride to the park you usually go with a picnic in a rucksack.

Is there a canal nearby? Canal towpaths are straight and flat (if rather narrow!) or an old disused railway?

It will be a great choice if there are any canals that are straight and flat or old disused railways.



Traffic Safety Rules for Children

Don't jump red lights no matter how urgent you are. Only ride on the pavement if there is no designated cycle path;
Turn back to check are there any vehicles or bikes following you before you turn right or left, signal all the time;
Ride in a position where you can both see clearly and be seen, do not overtake others if you can not see clearly what is in front;
Make sure you have a working white front light, a red back light and a red rear reflector for your child’s bike when they are going to ride at night(it is a law).
Do not ride too fast if you are biking on paths shared by walkers, wheelchair users and horse riders, you might knock into them or intimidate them.
Remain space for others and always be ready to slow down and stop(put on brakes suddenly will probably hurt you!)