Bike Rides: Staying Active While Respecting the Rules

While Respecting Physical Distancing, Family Bike Rides Are Ideal

Two topics are coming up often in my five-year-old’s social sphere these days - loose teeth and training wheels. The loose teeth conversation in her preschool Zoom class gave me a fair warning to prepare for the arrival of the Tooth Fairy, who fortunately I’ve learned, is immune to all viruses, as is the Easter Bunny. 

Additionally, my little girl is busy learning to ride without her training wheels and is thrilled that many of her friends are also focused on the same goal. There’s an incredible sense of camaraderie in this exciting milestone despite the current physical distance. It’s something they are looking forward to doing together once life goes back to normal and it’s also logical that this activity would be such a popular trend right now given the freedom it allows.

Why Is Riding A Bike Still A Good Choice During COVID-19?

• Maintaining a respectable distance from others is essential to bicycle safety.
• We can attribute the necessary six feet of physical distance to riding safely, rather than constantly harping on the virus every time we step out of the house.
• Kids’ hands are busy when they are biking, so touching everything is no longer an option.
• Fresh Air provides obvious health benefits.
• Cycling is a low impact form of exercise.
• Riding bikes is both a calorie-burning and fun form of physical activity.
• Practicing in different settings further develops this lifelong skill.
• Biking delivers an immediate sense of freedom and adventure, which we all need right now.
• It also reduces stress and lowers the potential for future heart disease.
• Traffic has decreased with most people remaining at home except for exercise and necessities, so teaching little ones to bike in public spaces is safer.
• Coasting enables us to enjoy the outdoors more fully, at least for those of us used to moving on pace with preschoolers on foot.
• Trails and bike paths are significantly quieter, partly because people are isolating, and also because more flexibility in people’s days cuts out exercise “rush hours.”
• A simple scavenger hunt adds an extra layer of fun to bike rides, so check out this week’s Featured Activity: Scavenger Hunts for a printable one!

My husband and I always intended to bike as a family once the kids were ready, and our little guy is three, so it’s a great time to start. More time at home gave us the proper motivation to make the move, and dust off our bikes. Bringing the kids into more public areas, in addition to their normal safe zones, has brought another level of exploration to biking. 

It is quickly turning into a way of life for us, and one that we are all very much enjoying. They love having mom and dad join in the fun, and I’m confident that after physical distancing is a thing of the past, we will continue to bike together. If there is a silver lining in the midst of this twilight zone for our family, that could be it!

What's working well for you and your family? We look forward to hearing from you at share@happyly.com. 

We welcome you to check out our blog for more inspiration from Adapting to Our New Normal, join as we Banish Boredom or helpful tips on Nurturing Your Partnership in light of social distancing.

Also, please take a moment to explore Week #2 of our Daily Schedule For Preschool and Grade School. As always, we welcome your family's highlights! Tag us on Instagram @gethappyly!