One of my summer goals was to get my 4-year-old more bike confidence - a goal we've been working on with the help of the Y Velo Balance Bike from Yvolution.

I started my first two sons on bikes with training wheels, and it took them both a while to finally transition to "big boy" bikes. So I'm trying something different with my third son. Kids who start with a balance bike such as the Y Velo have been shown to transition more easily to a bike, completely skipping the training wheel phase.

The Y Velo is fast to assemble, lightweight and easy for kids to get started on. To get going, kids start by simple sitting on the seat and basically walking, one foot and then the other, until they gain confidence and begin to push off a bit more and glide. Eventually, kids develop the balance needed to push off and keep both feet off the ground.

My 4-year-old was a little hesitant, but with a little coaching from his older brother, he started having fun and getting the hang of it. I love that the Y Velo is lightweight so it's not scary or heavy if the child starts to tip. The bike also lets you adjustable both the seat and handlebar height and has wide, shock-absorbing wheels that provide a smooth ride.
http://youtu.be/7Wh6TymWQyI
I'm hoping that with another month or so of practice, we might be able to move him to a regular bike so he can start to keep up with his older brothers. Most of all, I'm really looking forward to skipping training wheels.

The Y Velo Balance Bike is available exclusively at Target.com for $59.99

Did your child use a balance bike?

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