Biking can be for all ages and abilities that can ride a tricycle or bike, so even the youngest kids can get the benefit. It is an exhilarating practice that wheels away stress and gives a new positive outlook on life.

Begin by putting on safety equipment and making sure the bike tires are pumped up properly, and the gears, if there are any, are moving smoothly.

If you will be biking more than an hour clip on a water bottle to keep hydrated. Juicy fruit like a couple of cut up oranges in a ziplock bag are a welcome treat on a long ride.

I recommend biking in pairs for safety's sake. If someone falls, the other can go for help. Kids, always let an adult or someone in charge know where you are going.

Some ideas for biking routes are around your housing block, to your school and back, on the school playground if they have a track laid out for this.

We have an elementary school across the street from us and while not with a large playground, they have recently painted lines on the asphalt around the outer edge, to form a track for kids to bike in circles. The track is 6 feet wide all around so more than one child can ride at a time.

This is a great time for parent and child bonding, also, not just for the kids to enjoy.

To use biking for stress relief, coordinate your breathing with each pedaling stroke. When you breathe in pedal both right and left foot. And the same when you breathe out, pedal both right and left foot.

Or, you may be able to pedal 4 strokes while breathing in, and 4 strokes while breathing out. Use whatever even and regular pattern feels the most comfortable.

The coordinated right and left pedaling combined with the even breathing draws more oxygen into your body than a slower activity, and pushes out more carbon dioxide. It is an aerobic activity and good for health, as such.

To review how to use biking for stress relief: Be sure your bike is in safe condition, take along water for a long ride, wear your safety equipment, ride with a buddy, let an adult know where you are going, and use the coordinated breathing and pedaling described above.

Recommended manual
Rhythms and Dances for School Age Kids
For grades K-12 in 100 pages, how to teach 16 rhythmic dance steps illustrated and described, plus 9 little dances, 18 ABA and other sequencing combinations, and 4 advanced group dances - for learning kinesthetically about math sets, sequencing, and language phrasing and rhythms. Can be adapted for special needs kids.


Article by Susan Kramer