If you’re reading this article, you may have already purchased your child’s first balance bike, or at least, are about to. In essence, we believe (and yes, we are first to admit our balance bike bias here) that you are about to or have already made a wonderful decision in providing your little one with a powerfully fun toy that is brimming with learning and development potential.
“here at ilovetoridemybike.com we don’t see bike riding as a hobby. It’s our modus vivendi, our way of life!”
A balance bike is designed to be a super fun and enjoyable toy for your child. However, like all activities that we as parents love to introduce our children to (no apologies here as I put on my proud parent helmet), there are risks that we should be aware of, seriously consider, and consciously take action towards mitigating.
Strider Balance Bike – highly recommended!
Find at Amazon USA here or Amazon AUS here
Here at ilovetoridemybike.com we don’t see cycling as a hobby. It’s our way of living, our modus vivendi, our way of life. So, naturally we take bike safety very seriously too, and that’s what this article is all about!
We believe it is essential for parents and carers to be super well-informed regarding the best balance bike safety measures so that your little rider not only has a wonderful introduction to their lifetime of cycling fun but are actively learning that bike safety plays a crucial role in their riding development.
In this, our first article in the series or two, Balance Bike Safety for Kids – Part I our goal is to present the first 5-steps, in our 10-step guide to help parents and carers learn all about what balance bike rider safety is, and how we can help to ensure our little gems are actively learning about rider safety the right way, while having a ball developing their bicycle prowess.
So, we invite you to put your feet up with your favorite means of hydration and enjoy as we present to you steps 1 – 5 in our guide, with our research backed article Balance Bike Safety for Kids – Part I.
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Our 10-Step Guide to Balance Bike Safety for Kids
Part I – Steps 1 to 5
1. Helmets
First up, we take a look at arguably the most crucial piece of safety equipment for any rider, the helmet. Helmet’s play such a crucial role in protecting our heads from potential injuries that many countries have mandated their use, and for good reason.
Be sure to purchase a helmet that meets your countries safety standards. This is usually found on the label inside the helmet. For example, the current Australian and New Zealand standard AS/NZS 2063:2008, was introduced in 2008 following a two-year review process. This label provides you with the assurance that the helmet meets some very hefty testing and manufacturing benchmarks.
Balance Bike Safety starts with a great quality helmet!
Strider 12 Sport Balance Bike – find at Amazon USA or Amazon AUS
Next, we are after a snug fit. Without the strap fastened, the helmet should be snug. Not too tight, but the inner padding should be touching your child’s head on all sides. If possible, look for a helmet that has a rear dial adjustment. This feature complements the right size helmet with a super simple fastening device and assures a great final fit.
Lastly, be sure to adjust the strap so that it’s tight, but your still able to place your fingers underneath between your rider’s chin and the strap.
Oh, one final tip. Always buy new. Helmet safety may be compromised if they have been dealt with some form of impact. Best to be certain that the helmet you have provided for your little champion hasn’t had any previous damaging impact.
2. Elbow and Knee Pads
Elbow and knee pads are a relatively inexpensive winner to help avoid those scratches and scrapes all too common to bike falls. Our tips are simple and right to the point. Before buying, make sure of the following,
- these fit appropriately and,
- the quality is credible so that these stay on over clothing and allow for nonrestrictive bike riding movement
Take the time to teach and instruct your child, as with each of these safety tips in our guide, that they are to help ensure their safety by assisting you to fit these correctly each time they are going off to ride.
Banana GT Balance Bike – a great option!
Find at Amazon USA here or Amazon AUS here
We cannot guarantee their will be no scratches from falls, but gee whiz, these pads will drastically reduce the likelihood of these injuries on their little knees and elbows beautifully.
3. Footwear
A balance bike is designed to have the rider actively learn to balance, propel, glide, and control forward momentum by slowing down or completely stopping as their little feet make contact with the ground. Therefore, closed, comfortable footwear is essential.
Some form of runner is perfect here, as these generally are comfortable, durable and ready to take a bit of a beating from the everyday activities’ toddlers get up to.
You may even want to have designated balance bike shoes if you can afford it, as this will hopefully give these runners greater longevity and provide that bit of specialness to their bike riding outfit! After all, bike riders do love to get their kits on!
Firstbike Balance Bike – includes a rear brake!
Find at Amazon USA here or Amazon AUS here
4. Reflective Gear
Children are small and at times pretty fast on a balance bike. Any strategy that helps to improve their visibility is therefore worthwhile.
Reflective, hi-visibility vests are just one measure that can be adopted. In addition to your child wearing such a vest, it may be worthwhile including a fun air horn or bell to your little rider’s balance bike and inviting them into the safety considerations that making some noise at appropriate times can provide for a bike rider.
“the overall effect of visibility aids on cyclist and pedestrian safety remains relatively unknown”
A note of caution is worth mentioning here when talking about visibility aids and their use in promoting rider safety. We have looked at depth into the research, and while these aids do provide increased visibility for cyclist’s and pedestrians alike, enabling drivers to detect road users earlier, the overall effect of visibility aids on cyclist and pedestrian safety remains relatively unknown.
Cruzee Balance Bike – ultralight option!
Find at Amazon AUS here
Essentially this is saying, yes you will increase your ability to be seen by others by wearing visibility aids, but this may not necessarily mean that you are safer while out there riding.
5. Gloves
As any cyclist knows, gloves make for a super comfortable ride especially when the conditions may be a little cooler. But that’s not all. Gloves also provide fantastic protection for your hands during a fall, as usually our hands are the first point of contact with the ground.
In addition, gloves provide your hands with greater padding and shock absorption when riding, better grip and warmth in the cool, and both shock and perspiration absorption in hotter conditions.
Overall, gloves allow the rider to have a safer, more enjoyable experience regardless of the conditions experienced. Therefore, we highly recommend your little gems making gloves a key piece of their cycling kit on every ride.
Kinderfeets Wooden Balance Bike – environmentally friendly option!
Find at Amazon USA or Amazon AUS
Conclusion
In our first article in our series of two, our goal was to present you with our balance bike safety recommendations for kid’s numbers 1 – 5.
Our next article will provide the capstone in our series, and present recommendations 6 – 10 to help provide parents and carers with a complete guide that we believe, will best arm you with contemporary, research backed safety considerations that will not only help to keep your little riding champions safer, but allow you to feel empowered with the right knowledge and guidance as your ride beside your child on their balance bike journey.
We want you to be reassured that you are teaching your child the correct skills and balance bike safety considerations, enabling them to fully enjoy the wonderful world of balance bikes for many years to come.
As always, if you have any questions or would like to provide us with any comments or feedback about this topic or anything related to balance bikes for kids, we absolutely love to hear from your here at ilovetoridemybike.com. We hope your enjoyed reading our first article in our series on balance bike safety for kids!
You are correct. Safety is one of the first things we must ensure and teach our kids when they start riding their bikes. Helmets and footwears are always on my priority list for I and my children because they protect my head and foot. But I will ensure I get elbow and knee pads for him today. They are essential to protect the elbows and knees that can easily be injured
Thank you for sharing about Balance Bike Safety for Kids!
In order for your child to fully enjoy the amazing world of balance bikes for many years to come, we want you to feel confident that you are teaching them the proper skills and safety concerns for riding a balance bike.
Helmets and gloves are 2 items I always have on hand.
Helmet use is required in many countries, and for good reason—they serve an important part in safeguarding our heads from harm.
When riding, gloves provide your hands more cushioning and shock absorption; they also improve grip and warmth in the cold; and in hotter weather, they absorb shock and perspiration.
Just like when we are driving any vehicle, the principle is: “Safety first.”
Thank you for posting these safety guidelines when riding balance bikes. Safety precautions are not only applicable to riding single bikes but also to balance bikes, especially when it’s young kids riding them. Yes, a helmet, elbow and knee pads, footwear, gloves, and reflective gear are all very important, the first two are really a must.
Parents should make sure that before they let their young kids ride a balance bike, they must have the necessary safety gear.
My youngest nephew just turned 3 and I am thinking of buying him a balance bike as a Christmas present. I’m just not sure if my sister would allow him because knowing her, she’s an over-protective mom. Any tips on how to convince my sister to let her youngest child get on a balance bike? ☺
Hi Alice, thank you for your sharing your comments and questions with us. It’s a great idea of yours to introduce your nephew to a balance bike. To help provide your sister with the right information please share our website with her. We have a series of articles on the benefits of balance bikes for toddlers, and this provides parents / carers with an explanation of the wonderful benefits that children may gain from riding a balance bike.
Also, you can encourage your sister to ride alongside her child and experience the many health and wellbeing benefits that activity provides (if she is not already riding). I hope this helps you out! Thanks again for sharing your feedback.
This is a great resource for parents who want to get their kids started on learning to ride a bike. Balance bikes are the perfect thing for this! I love how you list out everything that will be needed. This makes it so much easier for parents who are just getting started and aren’t sure exactly what they’ll need. This is immensely helpful for first-time parents as well. Safety is so important, thank you for discussing this subject!
Hi, your most welcome Marissa. We are so glad that you have found our latest article helpful and thank you for your positive comments. Stay tuned as our next article will finish our 10-step guide to balance bike safety for kids!
These balance bikes are extra special at teaching children how to ride a normal bike and makes them feel great accomplishment. It is certainly of great value to introduce the children to bike safety at this young age; too many children have failed to learn safety and this could result in serious consequences. The accessories that you have given will help to ensure that they play safe but will also prepare them for future rides on larger bikes and longer trips. Thank you for providing such a valuable guide.
Hi, thank you for your comments. Your most welcome! Glad you have found this guide helpful. Be sure to read our next article which provides readers with the last 5-tips to complete our 10-step guide to balance bike safety.
Balance bikes are so much more than just a toy, it does become a part of the way of life in a family. Having a balance bike helps kids to learn how to balance, but is also a great way of exercising. Having the correct equipment, and specially safety gear like a helmet, is essential for your child, so having these guidelines are very helpful.
What age do you think is best for kids to start on a balance bike? Should they try other ride-on toys before starting on a balance bike? Or is it better to go straight into a balance bike? Thank you.
Hi and thank you for your sending through your comments and questions to us. We believe there is no set age for a child to begin riding a balance bike, as every child is unique and their development occurs parallel to many factors, including their personalities, temperaments, and environments. That being said, as long as a child is already walking, they potentially are ready to begin exploring the world on their first balance bike. We also recommend beginning with a balance bike as this will teach them the correct motor patterns for bike riding straight away. Other modes of riding, such as three-wheeler bikes do not teach children the correct skills, and these will need to be unlearnt at a later time when they begin riding a balance bike or bike. So yes, go straight for a balance bike, then they will be primed to venture onto the big-bikes in their own time with the right ‘balance’ skills already being learnt.