By Nicole Pates
When to Introduce a Trike
First up let me clarify what I mean when I say "trike"
In this quick blog we are talking about balance trikes or push trikes, not pedal trikes.
Trikes that your little one can sit on and that they propel themselves by pushing through their legs on the ground.
You can see an example below, in the photo of Miss C, who received her first trike as a gift from her Aunties on her 1st birthday.
There are two things wrong with this picture.
Miss C isn't wearing SHOES or a HELMET.
The rule in our house is no helmet no ride. A non-negotiable. Just like how they are not allowed to drink my wine.
So now we have cleared that up let's chat about when to introduce a trike and also the potential benefits.
When to introduce a trike?
Miss C received her trike at the age of 1. But is it about ages?
No.
Remember that there is SO much variance in development, particularly around 12 months of age. Some babies have been walking for 2-3 months and other have only really just figured out crawling and pulling to stand.
So I like to look at skills to determine readiness for introducing a trike,
Particularly
- Independent walking
- Getting on and off the trike independently
Why these two skills?
It comes down to safety.
Walking independently ensures they have the strength and control.
If you sit them on the trike, your little one may be able to sit on the trike and push... BUT I have seen lots of little ones overbalance and crash or take big tumbles because they want to get off but they can't do it by themselves.
Also for some little ones who master the balance trike before walking, they prefer to use the trike rather than practice their walking skills - yes this does happen. If you are reading this and you find yourself in this boat just put the trike away for a little bit.
Why introduce a trike?
I am a paediatric physio so I am going to lead with my favourite benefit... they get your little one active!
- Building a healthy relationship with moving.
- Improving physical activity
- Improving balance, coordination and strength
- Improved body awareness & spatial awareness
- Improving fitness
Trikes also encourage outdoor and risky play. Balance trikes particularly fall into the category of "speed" - not speed as you and I think about it, zooming along, but more what is comfortable for your little one and slowly (or quickly) pushing their limits to go faster.
Benefits of a trike on your little ones social and emotional development include:
- Builds resilience
- Builds confidence
- Builds independence
- Provides opportunities for social & emotional development
Not sure about Risky Play? Check out this podcast series here
But if we look to the future... does a balance trike and a balance bike help with learning to ride a pedal bike?
Research suggests, yes it does.
In this research in 2022 the authors found that children who started with a balance bike, particularly in the toddler years, were able to learn to ride a pedal bike ~2 years earlier than those who only started learning with training wheels. They found children progressed from Balance Bike to Bike round 4 years of age (M = 4.16 +/- 1.34 years) and training wheels to bike around 6 years of age (M = 5.97 +/- 2.16 years) (p < 0.001).
Why? Well the theory is with a balance bike, your child gets to explore various movement patterns. They can walk, run, push with both feet, or just one, and even experience moments where they balance without their feet touching the ground. Throughout this process, they're honing their ability to control both their own centre of gravity and that of the bike. It's like a dynamic learning experience where they're mastering balance while having fun riding around.
How to Choose a Good First Trike
Going with friends is super motivating for your little one.
They want to keep up and they have a great role model.
Thank you for reading
Hopefully these tips help you support your little one in starting their journey on a balance bike!
If you are finding it tough to support your little one in mastering the Trike come and join the Toddler Play Academy where we will go through it step by step and I will be on hand to troubleshoot with you.
