Balance Bikes for Nursery & Reception

There was great excitement in the playground at St Swithun’s last month as our nursery and reception children proudly took delivery of a brand-new set of balance bikes. The colourful fleet arrived as part of the national Bikeability programme, giving our youngest learners the perfect opportunity to begin their cycling journey.

Balance bikes are specially designed without pedals, helping children to develop coordination, steering skills and, most importantly, confidence. For many of our children, this has been their very first experience on two wheels. The children wasted no time in setting off across the playground with big smiles and even bigger determination.

Staff have been guiding the children through the basics — learning how to push off, glide, walk with the bikes and, of course, stop safely. It has been wonderful to watch their progress in such a short time. What began with cautious steps and a few wobbles has quickly turned into confident gliding and proud grins.

The scheme not only encourages physical development but also supports balance, spatial awareness, and resilience. The children are learning to take turns, navigate space thoughtfully and persevere when something feels tricky — all valuable skills both on and off the bike.

We look forward to seeing our young riders continue to grow in confidence — and perhaps before long, we’ll have a whole generation of very confident cyclists ready for the road ahead.