Let’s Go Ride a Bike

May is National Bike Month

Spring is a terrific time to get out and ride with your family and friends, and there is no better time to get started than this month, which is National Bike Month.

In communities across the world, there is a growing need and responsibility to provide options that give people the opportunity to bike—to bike more often, to bike to more places, and to feel safe while doing so. The benefits of riding a bicycle-whether for utilitarian or recreational purposes—can be expressed in terms of improved environmental and personal health, reduced traffic congestion, enhanced quality of life, economic rewards, as well as others.

Bicycling can be a terrific family activity and it’s wonderful exercise for everyone. Bike riding is also a great activity that your au pair can share with your children. Bike riding is a staple of childhood, a rite of passage into the world of motion. The pure joy it produces ingrains the motion indelibly into the muscles even as they grow into adulthood.

The following games and activities are intended to spur your children’s biking adventures, from participating in a zig-zagging racing game to making their bikes the coolest on the block. Take a few moments to review these suggested games with your au pair.  Also, be sure to review bicycling safety rules with your au pair, and your children,  as well as safe areas for riding.

As always, Safety First. The tips listed below will help to keep children safe as they take command of the road:

1. First and foremost, always wear a helmet, even when riding in your own driveway.

2. Travel single file, going in the same direction as traffic and leaving a bike’s length between riders.

3. Ride on a sidewalk if the street is really busy, but stick to the road when there are lots of pedestrians or driveways that cross the walkway.

4. Obey the traffic laws: Stop at all stop signs, signal before every turn, and yield to other vehicles when turning left.

Once bikes have been tuned up for spring, your kids can practice their pedaling skills with the following games. All it takes is a few props and a traffic-free area, such as a private driveway or public playground, to get things rolling.

Remember Safety Rules for Biking

Games for New Riders. Draw a chalk track on the driveway and challenge kids to stay within the lines. Using a lawn chair as a pretend tollbooth, they can practice stopping and starting. Then ramp it up with an obstacle course: traffic cones, a hulu hoop tossing station, and more. Check out this bike rodeo game for more fun.

Use Your Beanie. Staying on course is just half the challenge in this contest. Riders also must balance a beanbag (a zip-top plastic bag filled with rice will do in a pinch) on their helmets. Use a piece of chalk to draw a racetrack with a lane for each contestant. The course can be straight, circular or wavy as long as the lanes are at least 6 feet wide and run parallel to each other. The first child to ride across the finish line without having lost his beanbag wins. For a greater challenge, see who can balance the tallest stack of beanbags.

Toe the Line. Instead of riding in a lane, contestants must keep their front and back wheels on their respective chalk lines at all times. Whoever does so, and crosses the finish line first, wins.

Can it. Set up a bunch of empty cans or plastic soda bottles to form a large circle on the ground. One at a time, riders take turns pedaling around the circle. Anyone who knocks over a marker is immediately disqualified. The one who finishes clean in the shortest time wins.

Like any occasion worth celebrating, National Bike Month calls for fitting decorations. Help kids out by decorating their bikes and bike helmets.  They can decorate their bike handlebars and bike frames with streamers and fringe. Decorate bicycle spokes by adding colorful drinking straws over the spokes. Use colorful tape or stickers on helmets.

Check out special events going on this month in celebration of National Bike Month by visiting www.bikeleague.org You’ll find events such as family rides, cycle-to-school contests, and bike rodeos, as well as resources such as bicycle instructors, groups, clubs and shops in your area.

Get up, get out, and let’s go ride a bike!

If your family, or a family you know is interested in learning more about the benefits of hosting an au pair as an affordable child care option which provides quality, in-home child care, please visit our web site at www.goaupair.com or contact Kim Nuttle at knuttle@goaupair.com