This summer, we have been utilizing the Boulder Bike Paths to stride to new parks. Thanks to our Strider Bike donation from the Strider Foundation, we have been able to access new parks that are farther away from our school.
Striding to Eben G. Fine Park
Building our Biking Skills
The returning children have been practicing their Strider Bike skills in order to build the stamina to make it to parks up to a mile away. Teacher’s ride along side the bikers pulling Burley wagons full of supplies and the less experienced bikers (if there are any in the group). For the first time, we have taken the training wheels off of all of our pedal bikes and are amazed by the number of children who choose to ride a peddle bike to the parks. We credit this to the experience and balance they have developed on the Striders. We have children as young as three riding a pedal bike!
Bike Safety
On the way to the different parks, we let older children practice their leadership skills by following the teachers directions of where to stop and leading the bikers down the path. Children have the opportunity to practice learning right from left, as we instruct them to always ride on the right side of the bike paths/sidewalks. We practice the vocabulary of “safe to cross the street” “go” “stop” and “to the side” to indicate that a bike is going to pass us.
At the Park
Once at the parks, children are excited to try out the different equipment and of course, test out the slides! We are enjoying discovering new parks all over Boulder and getting to build our gross motor skills out in the community. A list of parks that we have biked to in the month of July include: Eben G. Fine Park, Columbine Park and Columbine Elementary School Park, Salberg Park, Parkside Park, and Elmer’s Two Mile Park.
