Riding a bike is a great form of exercise and transportation, offering children a sense of independence. Families can also have a lot of fun riding bikes. But kids with sensory issues often need extra help learning to ride a bike comfortably. Part of their difficulty riding a two-wheeler is the difficulty of planning and making moves quickly while on an unstable bike that they must control.
1. Choose the right bike. Encourage your child to start riding a trike early to start building bike-riding skills, and then invest in a small, low-profile two-wheeler with training wheels. Both genders may be better off starting with a “girls” bike with a lowered kickstand bar, which makes it easier to mount and dismount. Also, wider tires are easier to balance than skinnier race tires.
two. Adjust the bike to facilitate learning. Make sure the seat is big enough for her and consider replacing it with a wider or longer seat (seats may be sold separately). Adjust the texture of the seat if necessary, with a nylon cover or towel tied over the seat, if this will make it easier for her to feel the seat under her and feel more secure.
Bicycles are most comfortable for long rides when the seat is adjusted so that when the rider is seated, the balls of their feet touch the ground. However, early in learning to ride a bike and feeling confident on a bike, a child may need you to lower the seat so his feet are flat on the ground when he is sitting. He may want to remove the pedals while he practices pushing off his feet while he is sitting and balancing.
3. Divide the skill into steps. Have him propel himself with his feet, then lift them up and try to keep his balance as the bike moves, stopping with the handbrakes just before his feet hit the ground. This way you’ll learn how to keep your balance, then how to use the brakes, and then you’ll add the pedaling step.
You can try putting your child on the bike at the top of a short, very gentle incline. Hold onto the seat and one side of the handlebars as he goes down the incline so he can feel his feet on the pedals as you move.
Four. Try training wheels. Once the child is comfortable with the training wheels, reposition the training wheels so they are slightly off the ground. You can encourage the child to listen to the sound of the wheels hitting the pavement and practice riding the bike while trying not to “make that sound”, which means not relying on the wheels. As he sees that he becomes more proficient, move the training wheels higher so that he relies even more on his sense of balance.
5. Protect her from injury. Encourage your child to wear long sleeves and long pants and even crash pads when first learning to ride if they tolerate these garments, which will lessen the impact if they fall and keep them from getting discouraged. Practice in a large, open lot with few visual distractions. Also, make sure your bike helmet fits properly. Use the sticky pads to adjust the fit if needed. The helmet should not fall backwards or forwards or rock from side to side while the child is riding, and the chin strap should secure it in place. You may want to desensitize your child’s head with massage or vibration before putting on the helmet.
6. Be patient and encouraging. Teach your child that learning to ride is a process. Challenge him to push himself a little each time he rides a bike so he doesn’t get overwhelmed and avoid riding a bike altogether. Be sure to celebrate his success when you take your first two-wheeler on his own, and remind him how proud you are that he persevered through this challenging task.
copyright (c) 2010 Nancy Peske