Children run along whilst seated, push off the ground to create forward movement and use a combination of their feet and hand operated brake to slow and stop safely.
Why not stabilisers? Many of us learnt to ride a bike using stabilisers which shows this way also works. Children can become reliant on stabilisers preventing them from developing balance skills. Once stabilisers are taken off the child needs to learn how to balance and steer all over again which can also affect their confidence on a bike.
Nearly half of the UK’s children are unable to ride a bike by the time they turn six due to the increased pressures of modern lifestyles. Through a fun and safe introduction to riding a bike, Balanceability aims to ‘embed in the psyche’ of young children that cycling is a part of life.
It is widely reported that modern lifestyles are becoming more sedentary and fast-food diets are contributing to poor health and obesity – especially in young children.
“The Balanceability programme contributes to meeting the physical activity guidelines for healthy development as well as providing a success-orientated experience, helping to build up children’s confidence and sense of achievement.”
Patricia Maude MBE, lecturer in physical education at Homerton College, University of Cambridge and author of Physical Children, Active Teaching
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When your Purchase Order has been received, an invoice will be sent back to you, which also includes a delivery date.
Attending a Balanceability demonstration at Welton Primary School, I was impressed with the potential opportunities it offered for younger children who would normally have to wait until year six to receive any formal cycle training. Not only does the scheme offer a logical step on the way to Bike-ability training, but it appears to equally support the requirements of the PE curriculum at Key Stage 1.
Balanceability also has the potential to fill a gap in current cycling and cycle training provision and dovetail into NGB schemes like British Cycling's Go Ride scheme. As an indoor activity it should offer leisure and community centres a great all-year-round fun activity and along with our local Avon and Somer Valley community schemes - plus the Sky Ride Bath - it is well placed to promote cycling to a wider age range.
