Bicycling is an excellent form of exercise and transportation, giving children a sense of independence. Families can also have a lot of fun riding their bikes. but kids with sensory issues often need extra help to learn to ride a bike comfortably. Part of their difficulty in riding a two-wheeler is the difficulty in planning and making movements quickly while on an unstable bike that they must control.

1. Choose the right bike. Encourage your child to start riding a trike early to begin developing bicycling skills, and then invest in a small, low-slung two-wheeler with training wheels. Both genders may do better if they start on a “girl’s” bike with a lowered support bar, making it easier to mount and dismount. Also, wider tires are easier to balance than thinner race tires.

two. Adjust the bike to facilitate learning. Make sure the seat is big enough for her and consider replacing it with a wider or longer seat (seats may be sold separately). Adjust the texture of the seat if necessary, with a nylon cover or towel tied over the seat if this will make it easier for her to feel the seat under her and make her feel more secure.

Bicycles are most comfortable for long-distance riding when the seat is adjusted so that when the rider is seated, the balls of the feet touch the ground. However, early in learning to ride and feeling secure on a bike, a child may need you to lower the seat so that his feet are flat on the ground when he is seated. He may want to remove the pedals while he practices pushing off with his feet while sitting and balancing.

3. Divide the skill into steps. Have him propel himself with his feet, then pick your feet up and try to balance as the bike moves, stopping with the handbrakes just before his feet hit the ground. In this way, you will learn to balance, then to use the brakes, and then you will add the pedaling step.

You can try placing your child on the bike at the top of a short, very gentle incline. Hold onto the seat and one side of the handlebars as he goes downhill so he can feel his feet on the pedals as they move.

Four. Try training wheels. Once the child is comfortable with the training wheels, reposition the training wheels so they are slightly off the ground. You can encourage the child to listen to the sound of the wheels hitting the pavement and practice riding the bike while trying not to “make that sound”, which means that he is not dependent on the wheels. As he sees that he becomes more proficient, he will move the training wheels higher so that he will trust his sense of balance even more.

5. Protect her from injury. Encourage your child to wear long sleeves and long pants and even crash pads when first learning to ride if they tolerate these clothing, which will lessen the impact if he falls and prevent him from becoming discouraged. Practice in a large, open lot with few visual distractions. Also, make sure your bike helmet fits properly. Use the sticky pads to adjust the fit if necessary. The helmet must not fall back or forward or sway from side to side while the child is riding, and the chin strap must secure it in place. You may want to desensitize the child’s head with massage or vibration before putting on the helmet.

6. Be patient and encouraging. Teach your child that learning to ride is a process. Challenge him to push himself a little each time he rides the bike so he doesn’t get overwhelmed and avoid riding the bike altogether. Be sure to celebrate his success when he takes his first two-wheeled trip of his own and remind him how proud you are that he has persevered through this challenging task.

copyright (c) 2010 Nancy Peske