Learning to ride a bike is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so make it a fun and memorable process for your child and yourself with patience, love, and our tips.

Reminder: ALWAYS be sure that your child is wearing a bicycle helmet before riding. Also, before your child rides anywhere near traffic, be sure to explain and model the Rules of the Road.

What's the Right Age for a Tricycle or Bicycle?

Tricycle: Children between 2 and 4 are typically ready to begin riding a tricycle, and it's more than fun—it helps your child learn how to both steer and pedal, skills she'll put to use later when she learns to ride a bike.

Bicycle: Most 3 year olds can handle a small bicycle, with or without training wheels. Once your child's height and/or skill tell you that it's time to leave the tricycle behind, here comes the bicycle!

Buying a Bicycle

It's very important to choose a bicycle that fits your child. Children's bicycles are sized by wheel diameter, from 12-24 inches. The bike should be small enough that your child can plant both feet on the ground when straddling it, and get up onto the seat easily; this may require a seat adjustment, or selection of a smaller bike. On the other hand, the bike should be large enough that your child's knees won't be bending excessively as he rides; again, this may require a seat adjustment, or a move to a larger bike. Bicycle-shop staff should be able to help you find the right fit for your child.

Now it's Time to Teach:

NOTE: Our guidelines focus on teaching your child to ride a bicycle without the assistance of training wheels; if you decide to use them, skip Step 1 and see Training Wheels--Dos and Don'ts

Make sure your child is comfortable with each step before moving on to the next. These steps may be completed in an afternoon or over the course of a few weeks; allow your child to develop each skill at his own pace.

1. Teach the Most Important Skill: Balance

Learning to ride a bicycle is mostly about learning how to balance, as pedaling and steering come fairly naturally. This step is easiest if you remove the pedals (even if your child knows how to pedal from tricycle experience). The key here is getting a feel for how to balance, with the assistance of having feet on the ground and without the pedals banging into little ankles. - Find a safe place for your child to practice, such as a sidewalk at the park with grass on both sides to help cushion falls. - Lower the seat to the point that your child can place both feet as flat on the ground as possible. During this stage, she can feel more secure and prevent major falls by simply planting her feet on the ground as needed. - Show her how to use her feet to move her bike along in a fairly straight line (turning will come later). - As she moves the bike with her feet, encourage her to lift them up for brief periods and coast. Remind her how easy it is to stop when she feels the need to: all she has to do is put her feet back down on the ground.

2. Add Pedaling to the Mix

Replace the pedals if you removed them in Step 1. Still on a very gentle slope, let your child pedal along slowly for a short distance, still using his feet to stop rather than the brakes.

3. Teach Braking Skills

The smallest children's bikes typically are equipped with a coaster brake that stops the bike when a child pedals backward. Some of the smallest bikes, and most of the larger ones, are equipped instead with a hand brake.

Adjust the seat upward until your child's feet reach can touch the ground, but not as completely as before. Whichever type of brake your child's bicycle has, help her learn to use it by having her repeatedly start and stop using the brake.

4. Teach Turning Skills

Once your child can brake and pedal confidently in a straight line, it's time to try out turning. Since he has already learned to balance on his bike, your child has inadvertently had some experience with controlling the direction of the bike using the handlebars. He may be able to figure out how to turn all on his own with a bit of experimentation, but some coaching from you is fine too.

5. Step Back and Enjoy the Achievement

You may be amazed at how quickly your child learns to ride that new bicycle. Now all that's left to do is watch as he enjoys his newfound freedom.

Teaching your child to ride really isn't as difficult as it might seem. Just stay relaxed, let her set her own pace, and before you know it she'll be off and riding.