My son is 35 month old. We try to teach him to ride a tricycle. He tried it a couple of times by sitting on it and pushing it with his feet on the ground, and also even tried to pedal, but was not much interested to ride it after. He just decided to push it instead. We ask him if he wants to ride it, he says "no". Any advice?
Be patient with him, and don't nag him about changing, he's enjoying it this way. It will probably help for him to see other children riding bikes and trikes. Once he sees other kids doing it, he might be more motivated! :)
Best wishes!
Let him learn to use it at his own pace....maybe he isn't quite ready for the pedaling...I know that our 3 year old grandson is more comfortable with a big wheel type toy than he is on a typical tricycle. There is no "right " or "wrong" way to enjoy a toy...let him just enjoy it!!!
I don't think it's unusual for them to be 3 1/2 or even 4 before they get good at it. It's hard work for them at this age. I bet he will get it before the summer is over. Encourage him occasionally but don't make a big deal out of it. I second the very slight slope of a driveway. Our kids went down the driveway way before they went up it.
we did this when we were children too. I can remember my mom being so frustrated cause me and my best friend decided to make perfume once with our tricycles. this required it to be upside down and we tore my moms roses off the bush and stuffed them down in the wheel and turned the pedals. thought she was going to blow a gasket. i can still remember it now and I was about 5 lol
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That's very common. Pushing is easier than figuring out the pedaling maneuver. I'd let it go.
The other thing he can try is being on a SLIGHT downhill slope - perhaps someone's driveway. He can roll down the hill with his feet on the pedals, and he'll get the feeling of his legs moving in that way. Some tricycles have handles on them for the parent to push or pull, but my son's did not. So we attached a rope to it so I could slow him down going down hills, but he thought he was in charge. You could try that.
Hi O.---My daughter did this also...especially the walking behind the pedals while sitting on the tricycle. Her shins would get so bruised, I had the Dr. ask me about them. I bet the doc thought I was beating her.
Nothing to worry about. He'll pedal when he's ready. Be well, D.
I'm told I was not a speed demon, either. I learned to ride trikes and bikes well after the other kids in the neighborhood. But I learned.
The great thing about pushing a tricycle is that you still can keep your feet on the ground!
But in time (maybe a short time) he'll try other things, and pretty soon he'll feel comfortable enough to put his feet on the trike pedals and make the thing move. Keep giving him the option, but don't urge too hard. It will come.
some kids aren't interested. i will say that by age 3 we had our son on a small bike with training wheels. he was never interested in the (super cool vintage radio flyer) tricycle that i went to a lot of trouble to get him for christmas lol. but he loves the bike. we didn't get the smallest size (my son is big for his age) but the next one up, and put the seat all the way down, he's in love.
He will learn. DS did not learn to pedal by himself until he was almost 4 - he was perfectly happy to be pushed while he pretended to pedal. He will learn when he is ready.
Some little ones have not developed that particular motor skill at 3. Making legs go in that direction takes some coordination that might not be there yet. Keep offering the bike...do you have a bike to ride with him? Not a big deal, he will figure it out.
My 3 year old son won't pedal either, no matter how much I try to get him too. When I took him in for his 3 year well visit, that was one of the milestones they checked for...if he could pedal a tricycle. When I told the dr. that my son wouldn't/couldn't do it, he told me not to worry. That he will do it when he wants to do it. Now of course, my son can ride a two wheeled scooter but still wants nothing to do with that trike. Oh well...no worries.
