Tips for 4-H and Youth
Teach your tyke to bike
BY: NORMA FLANAGAN

One of parent's most cherished memories is watching her child learn to ride a bike. Here are some tips for learning safe and fun cycling habits.

What's the best age to begin? A child as young as 3 can try a two-wheeler with training wheels.

What's the right bike? Look for one with steel training wheels, which are safer and sturdier than plastic. Measure your child's inseam, then measure the bike from the ground to the crossbar to see if she can comfortably straddle it while standing on the ground. Also, make sure the bicycle's seat and handlebars are adjustableyour child should be able to use the bike for two years before she outgrows it. Expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $110.

What should my child wear? A CPSC-certified helmet, long sleeves, long pants, and elbow pads. If pant legs are big enough to touch the bike's sprocket, snug the cuffs around your child's ankles with a velcro band.

Where should we practice? Try a firm lawn or an nonrocky dirt road.

How do I teach her? Hold on to the seat, not his body, while he rides so he can learn to balance while rounding corners. Gradually raise, and eventually remove, the adjustable training wheels when he no longer needs them for balance.

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences