In an environment where many young people do not exercise, bicycling is a positive way for your child to be active. However, you must teach your child the principles of bicycle safety. This includes wearing a helmet and appropriate clothing and practicing safety rules. In order to get this message across, you must serve as a mentor to your child and teach her bicycle safety tips she can retain and follow.
Model Good Behavior
Teaching your child to safely ride a bicycle requires you to first model good behavior. This means always wearing a helmet, riding with traffic, signaling when you turn and wearing the proper clothing where you can be seen. Your child by nature looks up to you; therefore, showing your child the grown-up way to ride a bicycle will help her to practice safe behavior.
Make Safety Cool
You likely know your child should wear a helmet at all times when riding a bicycle. However, your child may say that wearing a helmet is uncomfortable or uncool. Convince her otherwise by emphasizing how adults and "big kids" wear helmets and wear them properly. You also should teach the importance of wearing a helmet properly. This means the strap should be securely fastened underneath the chin and two fingers fit between the eyebrows and top of the helmet, according to Safe Kids USA. You also should emphasize the importance of just riding her bicycle--not performing tricks or other dangerous maneuvers that could lead to a bicycle accident. Let her know the consequences of failing to listen to your safety expectations, which could include taking away her bicycling privileges.
Gradually Teach Safety Skills
The International Bicycle Fund recommends first teaching children bicycle safety tips in an area free of obstacles and distractions, such as a park, basketball or tennis court or driveway. Practice with your child the skills you want her to learn, such as when and how to turn, looking both ways before crossing the street, judging proximity to cars and how to avoid obstacles. When you feel confident your child is ready for more distractions, select a slightly busier, yet not bustling, area to practice. This can include a sidewalk in a quiet neighborhood, a parking lot or busier area in a park. Reinforce the skills learned and encourage your child when she properly uses the skills you taught. When your child and you feel comfortable with your child's skills, she will be more ready to take on the challenges of bike riding.
