How Do You Fit a Children’s Cycling Helmet?
It’s a fantastic feeling to get your little one all geared up with a new helmet - you just slap it on, buckle it up, and they’re good to go and safe to ride, right? Wellllll… not exactly.Development Through Balance Learning
It is incredible how learning a few simple things at a young age can contribute to developing a wide range of skills in a growing child.
There's more to balance bikes than just learning how to cycle. The skills that a young child learns from riding a balance bike (or balance learning) can translate into balance, muscles, posture, coordination, confidence and more that can improve their academic performance and physical capabilities well into adulthood.
This level of development represents the foundation for later movement skills, such as drawing or writing when they're in school, and as adults when performing complex and high-precision jobs as surgeons, airplane pilots, and violinists.
Dr. Jean Piaget, a Swiss child psychologist and biologist, recognised that a child's ability to understand the world around them and communicate with others is based on early, adequate sensory and motor-skill development and integration, as well as a stable emotional development.
You can even become involved with your child's development by encouraging short walks to and from kindergarten, or family bike rides on the weekend. Doing so can provide valuable time for bonding with your child, and strengthen their trust in you as a positive parental role model.
By frequently practicing a low-strain physical activity, children can grow used to exercising, and become more likely to enjoy and seek out exercise as they grow up. The most up-to-date health advice is that children under 5 should be physically active for at least 3 hours every day.
But although this all sounds fantastic from a parent's perspective, how do you encourage your child to take the first few steps? Make it fun!
Children are naturally more receptive to learning and development through play, and encouragement from a parent can help guide them as they learn new skills that can carry over to other aspects of life.
Bikes And Helmets Are Like Peas And Corn
"Should I get a helmet for my little one who is getting their first bike?" It's a question we get asked a lot here at Kiddimoto.
We believe in teaching children safe riding practices when as young as possible, so that they can become habits that they will be inclined to follow as a second nature as they grow.
Although the rest of the globe has yet to follow suit, Australia was the first country in the world to make helmets necessary for riding bikes by law - for all ages.
Australia and New Zealand also have strict Safety Standards testing that certify helmets that are able to be sold within Australia. Helmets from overseas may have American or European safety standard stickers, but they can't be guaranteed safe by Australian standards.
We are proud that all of our Kiddimoto Australia helmets undergo frequent testing to earn the ANZ Safety Standard tick on the inside of every single helmet.
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Studies over the years have concluded that there is strong evidence that helmets prevent brain injury, spinal injuries, and face trauma, and interestingly enough, nearly 75% of all bicycle-related emergency department presentations were in children aged 15 years and under.
In the two years after compulsory helmet legislation was introduced in Victoria, the number of cyclists with head injuries had decreased by 48% and 70% respectively, relative to the last year prior to the law.
It's something no parent likes to think about, but they are necessary.
Bikes and helmets are like peas and corn - they just go together.
Click here to see our range of Kiddimoto Australia helmets - all approved with the Australian and New Zealand Safety Standard Tick.