Balance Bike Programme

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Balance Bike Programme

The balance bike programme gives children the opportunity to develop their confidence, gross motor skills, spatial awareness, bilateral co-ordination and enhance their physical literacy whilst having fun with their peers.

The programme funded by Healthy Leitrim Fund and is delivered on-site in the childcare services. The programme is aimed at pre-school children aged 2½ to 6 years old and is the fundamental starting point for children’s cycling and an excellent opportunity to promote active lifestyles at the earliest possible age.

A trained tutor will visit the service and complete a 1.5 hour balance bike introductory programme with the childcare practitioners and the children. Three weeks after the initial introductory visit, the tutor will return to deliver a 1 hour mentoring session. The service will keep the bikes in the service for three weeks and use the bikes to practice. 

The programme will incorporate fun activities to help children develop gross motor skills, spatial awareness, bilateral co-ordination and enhance their physical literacy. Upon completion of the programme, children will more easily transition to riding a pedal bike in a safe environment. The programme combines balance bikes with a variety of fun activities that build confidence, spatial awareness and dynamic balance skills enabling young children to cycle without ever needing stabilisers. Balance is important to achieving success in almost every sport or physical activity and is fundamental in the process of learning to ride a bike.