Teaching your child to ride a bike is one of the most rewarding experiences you can share as a parent. It’s a rite of passage that builds confidence, encourages physical activity, and opens the door to a lifetime of adventures.
We taught our daughter in lockdown 2020. She had just turned 4 and we were able to take advantage of the quiet streets and car parks to teach her with ease. It’s a little more challenging in normal times.
With pavement parked cars, busy streets and traffic it’s a real challenge to give your child the wings of cycling unaided to set them free.
Finding the right place to start can make all the difference and since we have started to teach Barney we’ve realised these things need to be carefully thought through!
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best spots in West Yorkshire to help your child take those first wobbly pedals free from traffic and the pressures of other road users. We’ve tested many local spots to find the best places for beginners and the list we have below are just some of our favourites. You’ll understand the types of places we are looking at and maybe be able to find similar ones closer to your home. Most of these are within a 20-minute radius of our home and are regular, familiar places to get started.
The key? Flat, even paths and plenty of space to practice. Here are our top recommendations, along with tips to make it into an entire day of fun versus a grind for you and your child.
Hello. I am Ryan and along with my wife Beth and our two children Matilda and Barney, we love all things cycling and exploring. We spend our weekends exploring fun places to cycle and discover and wanted to help other people do the same too. There’s no better way to travel than via bike and it’s an amazing activity for the whole family to enjoy.