What to do with my 3 year old?

gabriel959

So I have this issue with my 3 and a half year old.

She has an Islabikes balance bikes which she dominates - she is very tall for her age and is already at the maximum seat post size. She can coast for over 20 seconds and knows how to use the brake. She is at a better stage than when her sister, just 4 at the time, made the move to a pedal bike.

I have an islabikes Cnoc 16 which she fits fine on the lowest setting - the problem is that she doesn't know how to pedal, she pedals backwards and gets frustrated so she prefers to use her balance bike. I was wondering if it would be worth put some stabilisers (got them already) on her pedal islabikes for a couple of weeks so she learns how to use it or if I should just persist without them.

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

joenobody

Nothing to add, but interested to hear people's thoughts...

Daz555

Pedalling can be tough to master - my kids ended up learning it quite well due to trikes etc at their nursery so when it came to moving from balance bike it went quite smoothly - - but still involved a fair bit of running alongside to correct the most serious wobbles or keep their speed topped up when feet fell off pedals etc.

Just stick with the new bike but don't push it and allow them to ride the old balance bike whenever they want.

As for tips to get her going. Do not go back to stabilisers. I say just stick them in a hoodie so you have plenty of material to grab onto when needed and run alongside them to keep their speed topped up as they learn the basics of pedalling.

gabriel959

So good news, I persevered with the Islabikes Cnoc and she is getting the hang of it, she has now managed to pedal by herself for 150 yards or so unassisted, she is still coming to grips with stopping and starting but we are getting there. So my suggestion from my experiences would be to persist, we are not yet there, but at least it is looking ok now :-)

Anonymous

What's the reward? N+1, surely (for each of you)

gabriel959

coriordan wrote:

What's the reward? N+1, surely (for each of you)

I already bought a bike last month! :-) She has an Islabikes Cnoc 16 which is fairly nice.

She went on it again today and she is getting better all the time now, she is even using the brake to stop properly! It took me a few weeks to teach my eldest that.

pmannion9

Having very similar experience with my soon who just turned 4.
Has had a balance bike and very confident on it.
Just got pedal bike last week with stabilisers - think he needs stabilisers as a little short...
- He has not had pedal trikes etc so a bit confused...
keeps pedalling backwards too...
He also thinks he will fall off even with stabilsiers!!!

I'm thinking of leaving stablisers on for a week or so and then taking them off when we are on holiday...

Any advice?

Cheers..

gabriel959

Don't use stabilisers, I didn't and had to persist and ride holding her for a while, she got used to the idea of pedalling forwards in the end, it just took a few sessions of my being hunched up and running behind her. It worked out in the end, but no stabilisers were used.

figbat

My son used a balance bike and we used a tag-along for longer family rides. He got the balancing from the BB and the pedalling from the TA. When he got his first bike he was up-and-running inside an hour.

Jonesinamilion

I have a 6 yo daughter and 3yo son, this is their journey...

All learning done onflat, easy roll surfaces.

Both had a trike with pedals first; if they need it to go, they have to pedal!

Both then had use of a balance bike, with lots of use they both learned the principal of balance and that if it's moving you won't fall off.

they both then moved on to proper bikes, my daughter used stabilisers briefly, the boy didn't.

Brakes & learning how to fall off can come later, just take them on flat to start.

Both are now competent riders. The boy nailed it at just 3yo, daughter was just 4yo.

Biggest going to drill into them is to KEEP THEIR FEET ON THE PEDALS untill they have come to a complete halt.

I'm very proud and people still find it amazing to see a 3 yo riding a bike unaided, they both adore riding their bikes which is satisfaction in itself.

Jonesinamilion

Just to add, if you need to use stabilisers then be aware that they can be raised so that it's a buffer when they cannot achieve ballance.