Comment apprendre à faire de la draisienne à mon enfant?

HOW DO I TEACH MY TODDLER TO RIDE A BALANCE BIKE?

Kids should master walking first before learning to ride a balance bike. How do you help them in their discovery? What games can you offer them to make them interested?

Seasoned in their movements, your child seems ready to learn the balance bike. How can you be sure it is the right time? What are the prerequisites? How do you show the fun and excitement of this kids bike without any pedals? How do you avoid frustration? What exercises do you suggest? What do you do if there is no interest? Two kids balance bike learning experts answer your questions, and will help you make great choices: Karine Roulin, Psychometrician, and Pauline Sterckeman, Product Manager at B'TWIN KIDS.

1. WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE BALANCE BIKE: HOW TO USE IT? ARE THEY WORTH IT?

Pauline Sterckeman: “A kids balance bike is like a mini bike without pedals and small wheels. The child has their feet planted on the ground and will begin to walk. Little by little, they will gain confidence and go faster and faster by lengthening their stride. They will play with their centre of gravity and discover what balance is. If they lean, the bike will also lean. The way the child is on a balance bike is similar to that of walking, which makes it comfortable.”

2. FROM 18 MONTHS OLD TO 2/3 YEARS OLD, WHAT IS THE BEST AGE FOR A BALANCE BIKE? WHAT BALANCE BIKE DO YOU CHOOSE AT 18 MONTHS OLD?

Pauline Sterckeman: “Learning to ride a balance bike usually takes place around two years old. But there are no rules: some children are interested around 18 months old while others are not until around three years old. Beyond age, the necessary criteria are height: above all else, the child must have their feet flat on the ground when seated on the balance bike with room to grow. Be sure to offer them a balance bike in their size.”

3. TO START USING THE BALANCE BIKE: WHAT MOTOR SKILLS SHOULD YOU SEE YOUR CHILD MASTER?

Karine Roulin: “There are prerequisites: the child must be walking. The child does not stumble every 4 or 5 steps. The child can control their direction and overcome being seated off the ground. The child, therefore, has a good distribution of body weight. In particular, on their support leg, which allows the other to be free, called unimodal support. This more assured balance allows them, for example, to step over the sofa by throwing one leg to the side. They can easily ride on a carrier (small 4-wheeled machine)."

4. HOW DO YOU TEACH THE USE OF THE BALANCE BIKE TO YOUR CHILD?

Karine Roulin: “So that your child understands how to do the movements on their own, it is recommended not to pick them up and put them on the balance bike. Explain to them how to do it. Doing it themselves, kids gain confidence and enrich their overall experience. They must also acquire the different stages of understanding: stabilization of their body, the balance bike itself and its proper use. You can pretend to ride this little bike without pedals to show it off. Mimicry will do the rest. Your role as a parent is to guarantee child safety: choose a safe environment. The ideal place for learning is a flat, open place (without too many obstacles and pedestrians). Make sure there are no water points or stairs nearby. Your child will only have to focus on himself. Safety also depends on the equipment: the helmet is an essential part of the practice of the balance bike. To keep things fun, maintain a reassuring presence."

5. BEST EXERCISES FOR KIDS TO LEARN BEFORE RIDING THE BALANCE BIKE

Pauline Sterckeman: “Some children will be eager to get on their balance bike while others will need a period to get more familiar with things. There is no point in rushing them. Before sitting on the balance bike, your child will have learned many valuable lessons. The child can get used to the balance bike: a first grip will begin the adventure. Kids can, for example, "ride" the balance bike as they would with an imaginary pet or by racing a motorcycle. It is a formative exercise because it allows them to become familiar with the weight and size of the bike. They also learn to pick it up, manage the trajectory and put it down. These are all important milestones regardless of if they absorb the concept immediately. In this gentler approach, they have time to observe the operation of the balance bike (like the wheels turning)."

Another fun game is creating a course with chalk outdoors or indoors with your furniture. Suggest your child follows the marked path walking next to it with their balance bike.

After taking the time to discover this new bike, time to grab the handlebars and go for it!

Karine Roulin: “To work on their unimodal support on the balance bike, you can keep this idea of an obstacle course with hoops and sticks positioned in staggered rows. The child can enjoy small obstacles and learn to work the handlebars. Stand at the end of the course, and watch your child light up as they come towards you. From a reasonable distance, you can encourage and reassure them."

6. WHAT IF MY BABY IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE BALANCE BIKE?

Pauline Sterckeman: “For children who are reluctant to use the balance bike, and if the experiment has failed outdoors, the ideal is to leave the vehicle inside (a little cleaning of the tires may be necessary). This way, you let your kids discover it on their own, at their own pace. They will gradually have the balance bike part of their play environment. If your child is moderately interested in the balance bike, you can also try to vary the approaches to succeed in finding the motivation lever that will speak to them."

Karine Roulin: "As you go, and without forcing them, you can also offer your child little missions during walks: go to the bakery to get bread, pick up leaves in the park, etc.,". To divert the attention from your child and reduce a form of pressure, you can go on a walk and accompany them by wearing inline skates or riding a scooter. Show them you are having fun too. You can add a small basket to the child's balance bike, like on your bike. The desire to imitate mom and dad, and to put their cuddly toy inside, will undoubtedly be a win!"

Pauline Sterckeman: “Have you immersed yourself in kids imagination? Connect to their universe and imagine, according to their interests, what their balance bike could turn into a scooter, animal, or rocket. To motivate them to get closer to their balance bike, suggest that they put gasoline in their "motorbike", "feed their dinosaur", "go on a mission to explore the moon", or "take their little dog to the vet", and as a bonus, you have a time of developmental growth!

Karine Roulin: "Disinterest in the balance bike can be because of poor environmental settings. If the child is uncomfortable, they will not want to do it. We therefore strongly advise you to check the environmental settings before each ride. If all your attempts prove unsuccessful, do not insist. It may be best to leave the balance bike aside or put it away for a while. Who knows? A kids reaction may be very different when they discover the balance bike next time!"

7. ADJUSTING THE SEAT AND HANDLEBAR HEIGHT OF YOUR BALANCE BIKE

Karine Roulin: “A well-adjusted balance bike allows, above all else, the child to balance themselves. To start with the balance bike, the feet are flat on the floor and slightly flexed at the knees, which allows them to crush the ground and begin to move. The idea is to defy gravity: a straight bust while anchored to the ground, the alignment of the head, trunk and pelvis. All while not being too far forward.

Increase the seat height when your child is safe, has control, and wants to go faster. It is unfavourable to have the legs bent. We prefer to see the child's toes touching, which allows best use.

In itself, a poor adjustment has no morphological impact at 18 months old. It will, however, give some on the attractiveness surrounding the balance bike. If the child feels insecure, uncomfortable, unstable, or needs to be reassured, they will not move towards enjoyment and will be less keen to explore things further."

A LAST PIECE OF ADVICE FOR GOOD USE OF THE BALANCE BIKE?

Pauline Sterckeman: “A beginner will not necessarily have the reflex to sit on the seat pad of the balance bike. It will be important for the child to do so because it is less tiring for you as a parent. It is the only way that he will be able to taste the joys of achievement and learning to accelerate/gain speed independently."

With these recommendations in your back pocket, you can be sure your child will learn to ride confidently. Kids will no doubt appreciate this new step towards autonomy, that is, until teaching your kids how to ride a bike!

With these recommendations in your back pocket, you can be sure your child will learn to ride confidently. Kids will no doubt appreciate this new step towards autonomy, that is, until teaching your kids how to ride a bike!