Growing up in the city definitely has its perks. There’s plenty of adventure and excitement to keep Baby interested, and there’s action around every corner. Boredom? A city-dwelling toddler doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
Still, living in a city can have its drawbacks. Unlike neighborhoods with quiet cul-de-sacs, cities are densely populated, and most streets are high-traffic areas. This can be a challenge for toddlers who want to get outdoors and learn to do fun stuff, like riding a bike. Even storing a bike in a city apartment is no easy task.
While city life may not offer quiet dirt roads for Baby to pedal down, here are a few locations where they may find some luck in the city.
- Schools: Kids need a safe place to play, and urban schools have done their homework in designating appropriate areas for fun. Try to pick a time before it gets dark, but after the children have gone for the day, to help avoid cars coming and going. The paved schoolyard area can be a great place to practice, and is likely to be fenced in, too.
- Parks: From joggers to dog walkers, and even other cyclists, any urban-dweller knows city parks can get pretty congested. A little research can help you find times when the parks are a bit less populated, and may help you find an area off the path for Baby to practice their cycling skills in. Before too long, they'll be able to keep up with the grownup riders.
- Driveway: If you’re lucky enough to have a private driveway, there’s no harm in using that for those early lessons. Block off the entrance with cones to make sure no drivers will be turning around, let anyone who might try to use the driveway know what’s going on, and get going up and down the pavement. As Baby gets their bearings, they won’t need much room to ride, so don’t worry if your driveway isn’t very big.
- Neighboring communities: Do Grandma and Grandpa live out in the ‘burbs? Pack up that trike and bring it with you on your next visit! Even if you don’t head there regularly, it will still give Baby a chance to ride, and something different to look forward to each time you go.
- Lessons: In areas where finding space to learn to ride can be tricky, sometimes it’s possible to find lessons for budding bicyclists. Run a quick search for your location to see if anything similar is available. Not only will Baby be able to learn from lessons like these, but they may pick up some riding buddies, too!
Riding a trike – or, one day, a big-kid bike – doesn’t have to be an adventure city kids miss out on – it just may take a little extra effort.
