Benefits of Balance Bikes for Toddlers

Benefits of Balance Bikes for Toddlers

You may have heard of balance bikes? If not, you are in the right place to learn.

Today, we will discuss balance bikes and their benefits for toddlers to help you understand why you should get one for your toddler as their first bike.

But first...

What Is a Balance Bike?
Balance bikes are a new type of "transitional" bike sometimes referred to as striders. They have 2 wheels like a normal bike but no pedals. Balance bikes are specifically designed for toddlers to learn balance and steering without the added function of pedalling.

Toddlers as young as two can start riding balance bikes with 12-inch wheels. These transitional bikes make it easy for toddlers to learn steering and balance before they make a smooth transition to a normal bike.

Benefits of Balance Bikes for Toddlers
While training wheels and tricycles have been around since parents and grandparents were young kids, balance bikes are the latest and greatest in bikes for young kids.

Here are the key benefits of balance bikes for toddlers.

• Builds Interest and Confidence
Cycling attracts kids from the very first time they see someone riding a bike. However, facing a bike and mounting one for the first time feels dreadful to most kids, as you may remember yourself. Balance bikes help build cycling interest and gives toddlers the confidence to start riding and learning.

Since toddlers' feet don't have to leave the ground with the balance bikes, they feel less fear and quickly develop interest. Moreover, toddlers easily acclimate to balance bikes, giving them the confidence, positivity, and self-assuredness they need to continue learning and riding.

• Teaches Bike Control
Nothing teaches toddlers control of a bike better than balance bikes. Since their feet are on the ground, they quickly learn bike steering without ever fearing loss of balance. Unlike training wheels and tricycles that require pedalling, toddlers never rely on tires for balance. They feel safe and grounded while riding the bike.

This sense of safety and stability enables them to focus more on steering and control from a young age.

• Teaches One Thing at a Time

A typical bike requires kids to learn balance, steering, and pedalling at the same time; this is a mammoth task for kids, let alone toddlers. Balance bikes allow them to learn one thing at a time without the fear of losing balance or control.

First, they learn how to mount the bike with both feet on the ground. Then they learn to push the bike with their feet as they balance it between their legs. They quickly develop steering skills to manoeuvre the bike. Before you know it, they master balance and steering on their own.

Do not be surprised if your toddler starts using momentum and steering to ride without their feet on the ground; this is a sign that they have mastered balance and steering.

• Easily Develops Multiple Skills
Balance bikes teach toddlers all the necessary skills that a bike would teach a kid, only in a much easier way and at a much younger age. Toddlers develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, balance skills, risk assessment, and much more.

Additionally, balance bikes improve their leg and lower-body strength to give toddlers a strong base from a very young age.

• Smooth Transition
Of course, toddlers won't ride balance bikes forever and when the time comes for them to move on to a bigger or pedalled bike, they transition very smoothly. This transition is what balance bikes are made for, and toddlers have already mastered balance and steering before they grow and move to a traditional bike.

This bike allows toddlers to learn pedalling quickly while balancing and steering.

Conclusion
The mentioned benefits of balance bikes for toddlers easily outshine those of tricycles or training wheels. A balance bike is an excellent bike for toddlers to keep them interested and teach them numerous skills they will need for cycling on traditional bikes.

Hopefully, you now understand balance bikes better and will consider them for your toddler as their first bike.