The busyness of everyday life can make it difficult to spend quality time with our kids. If you’ve noticed that most of your evenings and weekends are spent shuttling them around or finding them hidden away in their rooms at home, it may be time to shake things up.
Our suggestion – take a trip out to the shed and dust off your bikes!
It may seem like riding bikes together is a simplistic solution to strained family relationships, but take a closer look and you will find that engaging in activities with your loved ones strengthens emotional bonds and fosters child development. Even teenagers! Bike rides can be beneficial for everyone and offer new experiences, a sense of adventure and opportunities to overcome challenges.
Here are 9 creative ways to use your bikes together as a family:
Start Small
Practice Tricks
Bonding by bike can be as simple as going into the backyard to work on some new moves. See how long you can balance without putting your feet down (and find out why balance bikes are the way to go!). Try wheelies, then laugh about how hard they actually are. Maybe you do bunny hops or practice coming to a fast stop. All the while, both you and the kiddos are developing skills that will help build confidence and ensure a lifelong love of riding bikes.
Go for a Jog
Sometimes the best way to relieve stress and clear your head is some good, vigorous exercise. With a Strider Bike, even the smallest of toddlers can scoot along at a decent clip. You can work out a little tension, and your little one can work off some energy. You will be spending time together and instilling a love for bikes early. It’s a win-win!
Set Realistic Goals
Whether it’s aiming for a certain mileage or attempting a challenging obstacle like learning to pedal, goal-setting can help create focus and encourage your kids to keep going. And, while you’re at it, set one for yourself too and let them hold you accountable. What an awesome experience to motivate each other as you strive to achieve your goals, big or small, together.
Branch Out
Get to Know Your Community
Traveling by bike offers a unique opportunity for your family to see local surroundings with a fresh perspective. It is a perfect occasion for children to learn to navigate the town. Make it a point to indicate crosswalks, buildings and landmarks. From this vantage point, you’ll end up seeing things you never noticed when driving through your neighborhood.
Choose a Destination
When it comes to getting out for a longer ride, kids tend to do better when they have a specific place in mind. Pick a location they’re excited about and include other non-riding activities for while you’re there. A park, an ice cream shop, a historical site, or even a friend’s house could be the perfect spot. Include them in the planning process and let them help prepare supplies for the excursion.
Explore Local Offerings
Have you ever taken advantage of the recreational services and supports provided by your city? Use the bike paths to discover new sections of the town, or take the family to a nearby state park and try different trail systems. Check to see if there are skate parks or pump tracks in your area. These are great places to tour on a bike without having to travel far!
Push Boundaries
Take Family Trips
Going on one of your annual road trips together? Take your bikes along! We won’t pretend that loading them on a rack and gathering the extra helmets and necessary tools in addition to everything else isn’t a challenge in itself, but you’ll thank us later. Physical activity, whether it’s enjoyed alongside intermittent rest areas or on a greenway at your final destination, is totally worth it.
Head to the Sled Hill
Family bonding doesn’t have to hibernate during the winter months. We’ve got you covered, simply attach Snow Skis to the tires of a Strider Bike and take your kiddos to your local sledding hill. Let them show off their skills, and join in on the fun with your older children using bikes with fat tires specifically made for riding in the snow. Hit the slopes or explore trails and make lasting memories.
Participate in Events
Attending bike races and other community events is the best way to meet others who share your family’s excitement for riding together. With Strider Bikes, you become part of a close-knit club and get access to all of our amazing Official Strider Events happening around the globe! The merriest way to bond, not only with your loved ones, but within an extended network of those who are as committed to life on two wheels as you are.
If riding a bike was just that, we wouldn’t have such a passion for getting more kids and families on them. We know first-hand how transformative it can be for both promoting individual growth and providing quality connection. Science calls it family cohesion. We call it a darn good time!
