How to teach a kid to ride a bicycle

After teaching my oldest to ride, I poked around to see what other people did. One of the tricks is actually quite close to the method I’ll describe below, and I’m considering using it on the younger one. That method is basically lowering the seat and removing the pedals and training wheels. Then just let ‘em paddle around. Make a game of seeing how long they can coast without putting their feet down. Once they’ve got the coasting figured out, put the pedals back on. They’ll ride away.

The thing we did that worked KILLER was just putting him on a razor scooter for about a week. He loved figuring out how to ride it and he just kept getting better and better. We practiced at a large church parking lot near our house. He’d scooter around and have fun until he was tired, then we’d go home. After about three days he was scootering around on the two wheeled scooter with no problem. He’d cruise down mellow inclines with ease.

That’s when I knew he was ready for the bike.