Balance bike, glider bike, or run bike, call them what you like, these little bikes which are generally made for small children are great. I like to call them balance bikes, because they are made to teach small children how to balance on a bike without pedals. And they really work!
We were given a metal glider bike for our son when he was about 2 1/2 yrs old. First he would stand and walk it really slowly, just trying to get the feel of holding a bike up and rolling it along. As he grew and got the feel for it, he started to sit in the seat and walk it faster and faster. Once he had really gotten the hang of it, he would basically run with it and push himself on it. He would lift his feet up and “glide” or “cruise” along steering it and balancing it. It’s so exciting to watch and it is amazing how quickly little children learn. Our son got a “big boy” bike for Christmas last year when he turned 4 and he never needed training wheels, just a little push and some encouragement.
Our daughter is just now starting to ride the glider bike and she is almost 3. She is doing great and I’m sure that she will speeding along in no time.
We offer two brands of balance bikes here on Moderntots.com. Both of them are wooden. I just love the look of the wooden bikes! The first brand is called Early Rider, which is a British company. They make their bikes using FSC Marine Grade Birch Plywood. The second brand is called Smart Gear, which specializes in producing educational products and makes them eco-friendly as well . Both brands of bikes have pneumatic rubber tires, adjustable seat heights, and faux leather seats. Check them out for yourselves!