All Kids Bike instructor: curriculum teaches kindergarteners to balance, ride and gain confidence

An All Kids Bike instructor said the nonprofit’s curriculum, launched in 2017, teaches kindergarten students how to balance and ride bicycles while building confidence.

The instructor described the program as a structured curriculum that can run for a semester or a quarter and is designed so children "can manage" a bike quickly, often before spring break. "This is All Kids Bike, and it started they started the bike program in the nation in 2017. I love teaching this. This is, like, my 1 of my favorite things I teach now. And it's a whole curriculum. The curriculum's easy to use," the instructor said.

The presentation stressed balance and coordination over early speed. "Once they see that they can manage their bike without the bridal, with just the Striders, they can manage it. They gain confidence so fast. And you can just see it in their eyes. They're so excited. We'll play games," the instructor said, describing classroom activities that focus on looking up, gliding and coordinating the body in a confined space.

A student described the outcome in plain terms: "First, I could ride a bike, but now I can ride all by myself," and later added, "I feel happy I ride a bike." The instructor said the class uses games so children "don't even realize that they're balancing and they're moving the bike, and they're learning new skills." The instructor also noted the program is often scheduled so students finish before spring break so they can use their new skills during the break and over the summer.

The instructor said classes are often run in small indoor spaces, requiring care when navigating the gym. The instructor emphasized the social and emotional benefits of learning to ride, calling biking "a lifelong sport" that gives children confidence.

No formal actions or votes were recorded on the transcript about the program.