Why Bike Rides Make a Great Family Activity

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Spring is just around the corner and even the sun made a bit of an appearance today too, even if it was still very cold! Spotting the daffodils blooming and the glimpses of sun and has me remember all the fun things me and the kids love to do in the summer, when the weather is warm and the days are long. One of those things being family bike rides! 

As a family we love getting outdoors, not only does it tire the kids out but its amazing being outdoors in the sunshine enjoying nature and good quality family time. Away from screens and technology and feeling the sun on our skin and the breeze in our air on a fun family bike ride. 

With that in mind, today I am sharing my top tips for enjoying a family bike ride... 

Find the right bikes for the whole family 

If you are planning to take up cycling as a family finding the right bikes for everyone is really important. Not only will it make the bike ride more enjoyable you will all be much more comfortable too.

When buying new bikes its also important to consider where you will be cycling too. Will you be sticking mostly to cycle paths and roads or heading off road on muddy, rocky or trickier terrain where something like the Mountain Tricycles from Jorvik might be more suitable. It is also worth thinking about any younger members of the family who might be too small to cycle yet, you can find some great bike seats and even small bike trailers which easily attach to the rear of a bike. These then provide a safe space for younger toddlers to sit undercover and strapped in during your family bike rides.

Other things to consider when purchasing bikes, especially for children is the size, weight and shape of the bike. A good bike isn't always cheap and so can be an investment, its therefore important to check their is room for your child to grow with the bike whilst still being comfortable right now. If you can try to take your child along with you when purchasing bikes, this way they can try it for size and check the bike isn't too heavy for them to hold up too.

Take drink and snack supplies

If you have children you are probably more than aware of how important it is to bring along drinks and snacks for any family outing, but this can be even more important when heading out for a family bike ride!

If there is more than one adult in your family, spread the snacks and drinks out across two backpacks (so one person isn't left with a super heavy backpack to cycle with!). Plenty of water is really important as you will be using up lots of energy whilst cycling, especially if its really warm too. I like to freeze bottles of water so that they melt slowly as we cycle and at the end you are left with a nice cold bottle of water even after a few hours of cycling. 

When thinking about snacks try to think about things that won't spoil in the heat or get crushed and ruined in a backpack. Don't forget to pop some loose change into your backpack too for ice creams at a local shop or ice-cream van too! Its a great way to help tired kids cycle a little longer to your destination. 

Have a destination in mind

Planning a route or having a destination in mind can really help when planning a family bike ride. It means you can plan a cycle based on routes you know everyone can cycle on including any dangerous roads or routes if you have young kids with you. It will also give you a good idea of how long the cycle might take you so you can plan stops and breaks judging by the kids ability. 

When deciding on the destination get the whole family involved, do you want to end up at a park, in a town, somewhere quiet and secluded or just somewhere near an ice cream truck. Once you all decide on the destination, you can then plan the route out. 

If you want to make it a bit more fun you could always give the kids a map and let them direct you all, stopping regularly to check the map and plan directions, this can be especially fun for older kids and helps them learn all about planning routes and map reading too. 

Safety first!

So you have your bike, snacks and have a plan of where you are going... but don't forget safety first! Ensure the whole family are fitted with well fitting helmets that fit securely and kids may also want to wear elbow and knee pads to protect against scuffs and scraps too.  

Another thing to think about is whether younger members of your family are aware of the safety rules around cycling? If not it can be a good idea to take them to a quiet park, field or designated cycle area such as the Faringdon cycle centre. This fun cycle park is open all year round and is free to use. It is set up to look like a real road complete with roundabouts, give-way signs and even zebra crossings. Its a fantastic way to give kids a feel of what it is like to cycle out on real roads and paths but without any danger whilst they learn. 

(Photo credit - Ella from Typical Mummy)

Do you enjoy going for a family bike ride? If so where is your favourite family destination to cycle too?

xXx



**This is a collaborative post.**