How Old Was Your Child When? - Spring,TX

My boys got their "big kid bikes" at about age 4-5. We left the training wheels on for a while, and then started adjusting the training wheels.

The thing is, most people don't know how to USE training wheels. The wheels themselves adjust to raise up off the ground...so at first, all three wheels are touching pavement...then you adjust them so they are an inch or so above the ground...and a week later a little higher.

Finally, you take them off and have them practice riding on level grass until they are feeling confident enough to get back on the pavement. When they fall on the grass it isn't so scary or painful...so they can really commit to practicing balance, steering and stopping.

Both of my boys were riding with no problem within a short amount of time. But they need guidance, patience, and someone who is experienced with riding to teach them how to start and stop properly.

Good luck!

She was almost 4 but she still needs traing wheels. My son was 6 when he learned and no training wheels!

Oh, this is driving me nuts. She's had a bike since three. Now we're first grade, 6 and a half, and she still can't ride it. We've kind've made a very half-you-know-whatted attempt this summer, but she's so hesitant. I could use some pointers myself.

My oldest son turned 5 in August, and he has been able to ride a bike since probably 3. He has been riding a bike without training wheels for over a year now, and my 2 1/2 year old has showed interest in the old "little bike", that was my 5 year olds so we've gotten it out a few times, but don't push until they are ready. Every kid is different. My neighbors kids were at least 7 and didn't even ride bikes with training wheels so I think it really depends on the parents.

My daughter got her first bike when she was about 2-2.5. We actually got it for free so I probably wouldn't have actually purchased a bike for her at this age, but she loved it and still does! She moved up to a bigger bike (almost 4 now) but she still has training wheels. My son (almost 2) is very interested in her smaller bike and always tries to climb on it and ride it although he hasn't grasped peddaling yet. I figure around 5 is when it will be time to take the training wheels off.

4 years old. Training wheels off at 5 for all 4 kids.

My kids had and still have their tricycle. Which from 2 years old they had.
They each now have their own 2 wheel bike. They have had 2 wheel bikes... since about 4 years old. They are tall kids.

My daughter was about 7, when she learned to ride a 2 wheel bike without the training wheels.
My son, well he's 5... and still has his training wheels on his bike.

Bike with training wheels the month before his 3rd birthday (Christmas). I plan to tackle taking off the training wheels at 5.

First bike the Easter bunny brought it when they were 2 1/2. We worked on learning to ride it right away. I didn't want them to be scared of falling off and when they are younger mine seemed to be fearless.

We bought DD her 1st bike last year...she was 4.5.
She still has the training wheels on it because she has expressed little interest in learning to ride a 2 wheeler.
And I haven't pushed it cause I can't teach her while chasing my toddler. ;)
Hopefully next year!

We bought our son a balance bike for his 3rd birthday. I can not recommend a balance bike enough! He learned to balance within a week or two. Now he just cruises on it. We'll probably get him a bike with pedals for Christmas and he won't need the training wheels! He'll be a little over 3.5. Lots of kids start with balance bikes even earlier (some even before 2). Even though our son didn't use the bike for that long it was definitely worth it and we'll use it again for his younger sister.

My twins were 3 when we bought them their 1st bike. The twins are now 6 and one twin can ride his without training wheels. He was about 5 1/2 when we taught how to ride without training wheels. The other twin doesn't have any interest in riding the bike without training wheels. He would rather ride a scooter. My 4 year old little girl is already showing interest in wanting to ride a bike without training wheels. She does have a bike with training wheels for now but tries to rideher brothers smaller bike that the training wheels are off of.

DD just got her first bike this past spring at 3.5 - with training wheels. When the training wheels will come off, don't know yet. She had been riding a tricycle and a Big Wheel type toy before then.

We got our daughter a bike for her 4th birthday. She just turned 5 and still has the training wheels on it. Unfortunately she hasn't been able to ride it too much lately because it's been too hot out. I'm looking forward to cooler weather and letting her get out and start riding again.

Our kids were 8, 4, and 2 when we bought them their bikes. We did it around March of this year. Our 8 year old was obviously old enough. Based off my kids, I wouldn't do it much younger than 3-4 years old. They all are still using training wheels. They figured it out pretty fast. Our little neighbor across the street is 6 (i think) and I think he can ride without training wheels. It's just been so hot that we haven't had much outside time to teach our older ones yet!

We bought our son his first bike last christmas he was a couple weeks shy of turning three. This was his first bike of any kind. Never had a petaling toy only push with feet toy. I think that was our mistake. We are planning on buying our daughter a trike to see if she gets a hang of the whole bike situation quicker. Our son is just now learning to ride...in our house. The drive way and our side walk are very unlevel so he has a hard time balancing even with training wheels. So he rides in our house.

Our neighbor is a few months younger than our son and also got the exact same bike at christmas and can ride like the wind no problem at all.

First bike was a balance bike at 2.5 yrs. He was riding his two wheel bike with out training wheels at 3 yrs. At 3.5 yrs he is completely independent on it (the first 6 months we had to help him 'start' off) My 24 month old just got his balance bike a couple weeks ago--I'm hoping he transitions just as easy as my first!

Bought my girls balance bikes for their 2nd birthday. They learned to ride in about six months. They're getting bikes with pedals for Christmas (age 4.5). They can already ride with pedals mostly. Their new bikes will not have training wheels - not necessary if they've already learned how to ride a balance bike (that's the beauty of balance bikes!!).

Depends on what you define as "first bike".

My kids get a small bike around age 2 or 3. I remove the pedals, and they have it available in addition to their trike. When they are confidently swooping and turning on the balance bike, I add pedals and teach them to ride. This may happen quickly. It may also take several years. Depends on the kid.

Learning to ride happens much, much later if you use training wheels. It's not unusual for kids to be on training wheels until 8 or later. I do not recommend training wheels, including the "raise them slowly" method Christy P. mentions below. Training wheels teach kids that their goal should be to hold the bike perfectly steady and turn with the handlebars. But that isn't how you ride a bike! You ride a bike by leaning into a turn, with very little handlebar involvement. Starting and stopping is also completely different. Training wheels teach bad habits which have to be un-learned in order to ride a bike.

If anyone wants more details on my "no crash" method for teaching kids to ride bikes, contact me privately. I've taught more than a dozen kids to ride a bike and there zero crashes during the learning period. Warning: a few weeks later they get overconfident and have a truly epic wipeout. Keep bandages on hand and insist on helmet use.

Bikes about 3 to learn on except for the astounding middle one that learned at 3 how to ride, start, stop,etc on her big brother's bike all by herself. My other two kids were bike riding by 4 or 5.
We did training wheels a bit but they were pretty high to start out with-more as something to catch them rather than 4 wheels on the ground.
Middle child had incredible balance from the get-go so she never needed help.

My boys were all 3 when they got their first bikes. It took them a while to get the training wheels off, but that was out laziness as parents and not their lack of ability or desire.

I think it was a small bike with training wheels when they were 5.

As with most things dealing with children....it depends on the kid. Our middle child is just now independent on his bike ( he is 8)- our youngest child however was ready to go at age 4 - go figure.

We bought dd a small bike with training wheels when she was 4. She asked to take off the training wheels when she was barely 5.

I had one take off training wheels at 4, one at 5 and one at 7 (first we raised the wheels a bit then one night the training wheel fairy came and took off a training wheel because she Knew it was the right time.Those fairies KNOW)

My son had a bike with training wheels around age 3, but he didn't learn to ride without the training wheels until age 7. Until then, we bought a trailer bike that attached to ours so that we could go on longer rides as a family and he could get the hang of pedaling. His friend down the street was already riding without training wheels when he was 3.