There are four top tips that you can share with your child to help them develop their balance when starting out. These tips should be used when your child carries out balance bike activities where they push along with their feet while scooting and gliding:

Tip 1: You go where you look.

Explain to your child that the first rule of cycling is to turn their head in the direction that they want to go! Your child looking and pointing their nose in the direction that they want to ride will help them balance.

Looking forward, as opposed to down to the ground—as your child will instinctively do as a beginner!—will help them go in a straight line. If they want to turn, then they should turn their head in the direction they want to go!

Tip 2: Sit up nice and straight.

Teach your child to sit up straight so that their weight travels down through the saddle. This way, they will balance using their core and through the centre of the bike. They should try to keep a straight back that is in line with the frame of their bike. Sitting up straight will help reinforce Tip 1 (You go where you look)! To make this aspect fun, why not tell your child to “sit up nice and straight like a king or queen eating their breakfast"?

Tip 3: Speed brings balance.

A little speed will make it much easier for your child to lift up their feet and glide. However, when supporting your child to learn to ride, ensure that they don't go too fast and always cover and use their brakes to stop. Getting your child to repeatedly carry out controlled stops is important. Once they can stop confidently, they will have more confidence to ride with a little speed, which will help them to balance!

Tip 4: Turn the bike the same way that it leans.

This is the opposite of what almost all riders do when attempting to cycle for the first time! You should teach your child to turn the steering wheel in the direction that their bike leans in order to straighten the bike up. For example, if their bike leans to the left, rather than putting their left foot down, they can instead turn the steering to the left so that their bike will correct itself and stay upright!

You can help your child practice this important technique by standing in front of them while facing them and holding onto both ends of their handlebars to support them on their bike. From there, with your child still controlling the steering, ask them to lift their feet off the ground as you support them to keep the bike upright by holding onto the end of their handlebars. You can then gently lean the bike to one side and ask or show them which way to turn: if their bike goes to the right, they should turn to the right; if their bike goes to the left, turn to the left! They'll soon get the hang of it! Learning this trick is often the magic ingredient missing for learning how to balance! Just remind them that when turning the handlebar to the side to straighten up their bike, their movements of the handlebar should only be slight.

What are some fun balance bike games and activities?

Unii shares some fun balance bike games and activities when your child’s learning to cycle.