In BIKE 04/2022 we give recommendations on children's bikes, destinations for family holidays and the most exciting accessories for the next generation. But how do I motivate my child to bike in everyday life? BIKE volunteer Jan Timmermann is a qualified educationalist and social pedagogue. From ten years of coaching experience, he knows the most important tips and tricks for parents.
Bike tour experience
Hardly any parents' homes are located in the centre of a child-friendly trail network. The fact is that in most cases, parents take their offspring on a tour through the nearest forest. This is basically a good thing, as joint rides can improve the Parent-child relationship strengthen. They provide an opportunity to break out of the daily grind and share experiences as a family.
From an educational perspective, these are Key momentswhich can have a lasting impact. You can't force experiences, but you can create a suitable setting for them. Whether you are climbing a previously unknown mountain or riding down a great new trail: Stay alert for the extraordinary.
Experiences should always be reflected on together. Your child may not even realise that they have just completed the steep section for the first time or that they were faster than ever before. Such a debriefing is particularly important for Setbacks or failures. "What was it like when the rain started and what did we do then?" "Why didn't we make it all the way up? What can we do differently next time?"
The Security of your own children is a sensitive topic. An injury is also an experience. You can support your child in the learning process by finding out together how the fall happened. Make it clear that riding mistakes are completely normal. You too have probably crashed a time or two.
It's all about motivation
Force them to bike? Not a good idea! Young children in particular find it difficult to stay enthusiastic about one thing for a long time. Just like running or swimming, cycling is a new form of exercise for children. Suddenly they are faster, experience different forces and go further than before. That's why biking is basically exciting for kids. However, only as long as it is not perceived as unpleasant or boring.
You should therefore plan your outing carefully and appropriately for the age of your child. Tours suitable for children contain many Active breaks. Break up the trip regularly with other activities, such as building a small dam on the stream, balancing on a tree trunk, visiting a playground or touring a castle. The Variety does it.
Before departure, check the Technologyso your offspring's bike is also pressurised. On tours, slow-rolling tyres with too little air pressure are a real motivation killer. The feeling of not making progress is particularly frustrating for children. If their motivation still plummets on the road, you should be prepared. Trying to ride strictly according to plan can backfire badly.
Instead, try to motivate yourself with little tricks. "If we drive two more bends, we can see your friend Max's house!" To do this, you need to know the route well and also know the one or other Abbreviation have in the back of their minds. Is the energy gone? The bike too heavy? The route too boring? Take your child's lows seriously, but don't be fooled by excuses. Find out what the motivation gap is really due to.
Learning through play
It often seems as if the so-called youth of today are only interested in action. Shredding like Fabio Wibmer and jumping like Lukas Knopf. When parents frown and still insist on the planned tour, frustration is inevitable. Of course, children can train their stamina on climbs and improve their physical fitness. Health strengthen - that is important for their development. But every now and then, an empty car park might do the trick.
Take a few wooden planks, some rope and some plate cones with you and see what your child does with the situation. In such a Free play are the most formative learning experiences. You can always make offers, such as setting up a small course. Stoppies and wheelies are rarely used on the trail, but they bring Fun and train bike control.
Many parents find this extremely difficult. Finally, after a stressful week at work, you get to go biking and then have to squash around in a car park instead of going for a ride in the forest. Visiting a bike park or a pump track is one solution to this problem - but by no means the only one. Use the car park situation for your own Driving technique. Balance exercises, lifting the front and rear wheel, moving the rear wheel... your child will join in.
If you feel unsure, it can be helpful to attend a riding technique course (together with your child). In any case, play is the key to sustainable riding. Motivation of children. This can also be done on the tour. Interrupt your journey for a little section training, for example. "Who can ride the trail section without pedalling?" Race and other challenges keep the tour entertaining for kids too. But make sure you pay attention here too, Excessive demands and feel your way slowly.
Pioneering
Children are eager to learn. Use the tour together for a playful learning lesson about nature. Why not collect ten different leaves during a break and admire them together? Every child is also a multiplier who can tell other children and adults about such experiences and encourage them to learn about nature. Reflect stimulates. Taking litter with you and greeting hikers - children of primary school age in particular are enthusiastic about environmental issues.
Topic Skid markThere is nothing children love more than coming to a halt with the rear brake locked. Work on braking technique together and teach your child that a slipping rear wheel is usually a sign of poor bike control. But also make sure you designate a place where the children are allowed to "drift". This softens the fun brake and can be your own driveway, for example.
Get children involved in biking from an early age Responsibility take over. Many kids are even easier to motivate to clean their bikes than adults. Here too, packing in Stories: "When Grandma comes round later, we'll show her how clean our bikes are." Children can help with repairs and navigate on tour. A mountain bike is a great educational toy!
Older children increasingly place their actions in the context of others. Here, too, you can Role model be, wait for each other, help each other. With the onset of puberty, parental motivation is usually doomed to failure. During this time, your offspring will still benefit from the experiences gained as a child. It is particularly important to connect with a Group. It doesn't always have to be a club. Bike friendships also arise among friends, in bike or skate parks or at bike events.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
