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Planning a ride
Free range cycling doesn't involve much planning. Young children on trikes or scoot-along bikes will enjoy cycling up and down the pavements outside their house. See our section on street play for ideas and advice.
Cycling with children to the park, swimming pool or library will add a new dimension and sense of adventure to journeys usually done on foot or by car. Going for a picnic or to a café in wet weather will create an incentive for children and adults alike.
For both local trips and slightly longer family bike rides, it's possible to choose quieter roads and cycle paths for most of your journey. See Where to cycle for ideas.
Here are a few tips for planning a family bike ride:
- Don't go too far: it's better that everyone enjoys themselves on a short ride and comes home eager to plan the next trip.
- Check the route beforehand so you don't get lost and plan some options for short cuts. Avoid very hilly routes, busy roads and difficult junctions.
- Let the slowest cyclist set the pace: this may be a child or an adult who hasn't cycled for a while.
- Make it interesting: children can get bored so plan plenty of refreshment breaks - little and often is better than one long break half-way. Have a few games, like I-spy, up your sleeve to play along the way and stop at a playground or park, especially one with a café or ice-cream van, so that children can stretch their legs and saddle sore parents can have a cup of coffee.
- Take a friend: it's more of an adventure if your child has a friend to cycle with - though make sure that they're at roughly the same level.
- Check your bikes the day before: see our Basic bike maintenance (pdf) activity sheet.
- Keep children warm and take snacks and drinks: see our Cycle ride checklist (pdf) for more information.
For a safety tips on cycling as a group visit the Safe cycling page.


