My son is 4 years old and has no interest in riding a bike. Does anyone else have any experience with this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Gina
Thanks for the advice, everyone! We did start him with a trike that was low to the ground but he got too big for that (he's as big as a 6 year old). Then we got him a bike w/ training wheels for his 4th b-day which was in June. The trike he did just OK on, never great. The new bike he will get on if it's inside but not outside so much. He doesn't seem to understand how to pedal or else he doesn't have the strength. It's hard to say which. His OT worked on a bike with him once and he wasn't very interested in that either so she didn't push it much. I try not to get frustrated but it is REALLY hard. I keep asking him if he wants to ride it but it's always the same answer, NO! Hopefully it will click one of these days. He's been late with lots of milestones so I guess this is par for the course. Thanks again!
Aug 31, 2009 Rating
Ride a bikeNEW by: Anonymous
It took a few years before my son rode a bike, but I read an article that suggested they ride in the grass. The fear of falling on the ground scared him. So after a few tries on the grass he went on the sidewalk. I found a soccer field that had the grass cut really short which will make it easier for him or her to pedal. Be patient...but it will happen.
Jul 30, 2009 Rating
My son managedNEW by: KATE
Keep persevering and try not to get frustrated yourself (which you cannot help at times). My son has quite severe SPD problems and although he took a LOT longer to learn he did conquer it and can now ride just less than 15 miles at a time and he is only 10. However he might not know his left from right and you need to keep with him so he concentrates for his surroundings etc.
Jul 19, 2009 Rating
Bike RIdingNEW by: Anonymous
I've heard that many kids are afraid of the feeling of bike riding b/c there's not enough environmental feedback and they feel like they are falling the whole time.
My son never had a big problem with bike riding,but my friend's son did. He had a low-to-the-ground "big wheel" type bike that he started out on, and now at age four rides a 16 inch with training wheels. The low "big wheel" type bike might give him a better feeling of stability.
Likewise, we started slow with a trike,then a 16 inch with training wheels,then moved to a two-wheeler--but not until he was 5. My OT also incorporated a three-wheeled bike into her sessions. This one is the type of bike the kids have to push and pull the handles on so they get lots of sensory action, but learn some mid-line coordination and body alignment (pretty important for bike riding) too. Your OT might do the same.You don't mention what type of bike, but 4 is still pretty young if you are talking about a two-wheeler.
Some people say "so what if he/she never learns to ride a bike." But I think any kid with SPD can do it, though it might just take extra planning, energy, effort, and time. But you are used to that, right? Keeping up with an older sibling or neighbor can be great incentive,too.
I know my son gets a great feeling of independence from jumping on his bike and riding around--even if it's just in circles. And it can me very calming. Keep up the good work. He'll get it sooner or later, and what a sense of accomplishment he will have.
