We wanted to try something different with our oldest daughter this Summer, sure she’s signed up for swimming lessons, but we wanted her to work towards a new skill. Thanks to Pedalheads, she had the opportunity to try out the Pedalheads bike program.
Just over a week ago she completed her Newbees – Level 1 program, and we could not believe the impact it had on her. She went in with limited experience on a bike with pedals and training wheels, at home she had recently mastered riding on her balance bike. We still weren’t certain what to expect from 5 days of working on pedal bike skills. We were in for a big surprise.
THE TRAINING WHEELS CAME OFF ON DAY 1!
That’s right, day 1 of Pedalheads and half way through the training wheels were taken off her bike. We couldn’t believe it. Her Pedalheads program was 5 days long and consisted of 2.5 hour long sessions each day. We were thinking that maybe on day 3 they might attempt to remove the training wheels, not day 1. What surprised us even more was that she was attempting to go short distances on her own, without training wheels and just a little help from her instructor to get going. She was riding a bike!
Pedalheads has a goal of providing classes that are engaging, exciting and challenging for children, and that is exactly what it was for our daughter. She had a great time each day with her instructor and peers. We immediately noticed the all of the staff were very kind and paid attention to their students and their needs. Taking the time to get to know each child and figure out what worked best for them.
This is a very active program but the kids also had a break from all of the physical activity. They would take some time to refuel by enjoying a snack they brought with them and to also have some water in order to stay hydrated. During break times the kids also got to listen to a story as it was read to them. By the end of the break, everyone was re-energized and ready to get back to working on their bike riding skills. It was fun to see the different activities they would do to work on pedaling, breaking, and turning. The kids were often on the go.
OUR THOUGHTS ON PEDALHEADS
Whenever we mentioned that our daughter was signed up for bike camp, immediately people would ask if it was with Pedalheads. Upon finding out she was, they would go on to tell us how their child had done their program too and had learnt so much in it. Just from word of mouth alone, before her time with Pedalheads even started, we knew we had made the right choice.
We would definitely recommend Pedalheads if you have a child who is just getting into riding a bike. We were beyond impressed by what our daughter learned in such a short amount of time. From actually being able to ride a bike without training wheels, to street safety and much more. We would also recommend it strongly if you know your child learns better with instruction from someone else. The staff with Pedalheads have experience teaching children of all abilities how to ride. They know what they are doing and do it very well.
The cost can cause some apprehension, but with what we saw our daughter learn in the week, we know for certain we will be signing our youngest daughter up for Pedalheads when the time comes for her to learn how to ride a bike. We also appreciate that the classes sizes were kept pretty small to allow the instructors the time to be able to help each child learn and do their best.
Our daughter loves going out on her bike and is continuing to master her bike riding abilities at home after developing her initial skills with Pedalheads. Now, we have a toddler who is wanting to be able to keep up with her big sister and we have since had to hunt down a small enough balance bike for her to use. It’s been nice to see the positive impact this program has had on both of our girls.
A BIT MORE INFO ON PEDALHEADS
British Columbia is where Pedalheads started, but it is also available in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. In the USA you can find the program in Colorado, Illinois, and Washington. If you are unsure about what level to register your child for, call in and talk to them. They will be able to determine quickly which level is right for them. Our daughter did the half-day camp which is $189 + tax. The price can very between level and length of the program. To find out more, definitely, go to the Pedalheads site.
DID YOUR CHILD START WITH A BALANCE BIKE OR GO RIGHT TO ONE WITH TRAINING WHEELS?
DID YOUR CHILD GO THROUGH THE PEDALHEADS PROGRAM?
Disclosure: Our time with Pedalheads Bike Camp was provided in exchange for this post, as always, all opinions are our own. We love sharing with you how things have gone for us, and our kiddo had a blast with Pedalheads!
What an incredible idea and experience!! I had never even considered bike lessons!
Thank you for this information, I have little cousins who are learning to ride bikes, so this will come in handy 🙂 x
I had no idea there were bike camps ! That is so great ! My son really needs a larger bike I think he’s ready to get those training wheels off . 🙂
I didn’t even know these type of camps existed but its brilliant- I’m going to have to look into it and see if there is something like this by us.
Thanks for sharing
What?!? This is incredible!!! My kids would all adore this hugely!
What a little cutie! This is so awesome!
This sounds like a wonderful program. My littles a bit too small for bikes, but I will definately look for a PedalsHead near us!
Our son did peddleheads with his strider bike. He loved it and it gave him more confidence. Since he recently turned 4, he’s been asking for a peddle bike so we got one for his birthday. It’s got training wheels as he needs to work on his balance more. We thought about putting him back into Peddleheads for the summer but at a ~$250 price for the week and the sessions being longer, we didnt find that feasible for us. The problem where we live is it’s quite hilly (Think Oxford St in White Rock hill.. you know 23% grade ;)) so there isnt many flat areas he can practice on. We do take him and his bike out from time to time though so he can get more used to it. He loves it!