Riding a bike is a rite of passage, a passport to worlds beyond the front lawn, for toddlers and young kids. Bikes represent fun, freedom, and fresh air – everything that’s good about being a kid! A bike park enables all of this and more.
Build Cycling Confidence
A bicycle playground is exactly what it sounds like: a playground designed with features for kids to ride. Bicycle playgrounds include features like ladder bridges, rollers, tunnels, and even teeter-totters specifically designed to offer a variety of fun obstacles that safely build cycling confidence.
Bicycle playgrounds are also safe. They get kids away from busy streets while providing a dedicated space to ride.
Many people live in neighborhoods where kids don’t have a safe place to learn to ride, so they end up trying to learn on the sidewalk or in the street. In a neighborhood with a bicycle playground, parents can teach kids to ride in an area created just for that. Open spaces allow for better sightlines for parents to watch their kids without getting in the way of their fun.
There’s added motivation for kids to learn to ride, since they’re witnessing other kids riding and having fun. Your kids may improve their social skills while building confidence in their own abilities.
Bicycle playgrounds have benefits that kids never think about yet sit at the top of the list for recreation professionals, such as getting kids outside, learning balance, gaining strength, focusing on and completing tasks, and interacting with other kids. Bicycle playgrounds also teach kids to practice taking turns as they complete laps around the track. Children who are physically active at a young age are more likely to maintain their physical fitness through adulthood, which reduces age-related maladies and diseases.
Like traditional parks and playgrounds, a bicycle playground creates a place for neighborhoods to gather, families to bond, and new friendships to form. Unlike traditional playgrounds that children eventually outgrow, everybody can use and enjoy a bicycle playground regardless of age. Even if your community has a world-class cycling infrastructure with access to paved and natural trails, a bicycle playground can complement what already exists by providing a place purposefully built for young riders.
Start with the kids and start with a bicycle playground. Those kids will grow up happier and healthier, and they can become the community’s best advocates and volunteers for outdoor recreation. They’ll also learn to appreciate family time and spending time with their peers, which makes a better world for everyone when those kids turn into parents themselves.
American Ramp Company has built some amazing bicycle playgrounds for communities across the country. Check out our past projects to get a sense of what’s possible for your community.
Does your community need a safe space for kids to ride bikes? Bike parks offer fantastic opportunities for kids to learn and perfect their riding skills at any age. Contact ARC for more information.
