Why learning to ride a bike should not disappear from education

The Knack article raises legitimate questions: why don't parents teach their children to cycle more? At De Fietsschool, we find that parents often struggle with:

1. Lack of time: Busy work schedules leave little room for intensive guidance.
2. Fear of road safety: Despite many positive evolutions in terms of traffic infrastructure, heavy traffic logically deters many parents and children....
3. Bicycle poverty: Not every family has a suitable bicycle or safe exercise location. Moreover, not every parent is bicycle proficient enough to teach their child to ride a bike....

To overcome these challenges, collaboration with local partners is crucial. Here are some examples that show what is possible:

• With community works and schools:
  In Leuven, we worked with primary school De Mozaïek and community centre Sint-Maartensdal to reach children with a cycling disadvantage. The schools provided space and logistical support, while neighbourhood operations actively directed parents and children to our classes.
• With parents:
  Parents are an essential link. Through workshops such as "SOS My Child on a Bike", we give them practical tools to guide their children safely. In some series of lessons, parents even cycled along on the street, making them stronger themselves?
• With local organisations:
  cooperation with local partners, such as a Velo vzw in Leuven, which helps provide suitable bicycles and set up lending systems, is necessary. This makes bikes more accessible to families who cannot buy their own.
• With companies and agencies:
  Thanks to support from organisations such as Greenpeace, we were able to overcome logistical challenges such as transporting bicycles and organising safe practice areas. This proves that financial and material support can make a difference.

To address this growing cycling disadvantage, we developed the Fietsschool XS programme. This project targets children aged 6 to 12 who are not yet able to cycle due to various circumstances. In Leuven in 2023 and 2024, more than 60 children learned to ride a bike thanks to our structured offer, which:

• Technical skills such as keeping balance and slalom are taught.
• Traffic safety for first-time cyclists, with a focus on traffic habituation.
• Parental involvement is encouraged through workshops and active guidance.

Our approach proves that even a short series of four lessons can make a huge difference:

• 75% of children completely caught up with their cycling arrears.
• 97% of participants learned to ride a bike after no more than three lessons.
• Parents and supervisors gained more confidence and skills to support their children.

The challenges are great, but the opportunities even greater. De Fietsschool is calling on schools, community networks, parents and local governments to work together for a future where every child can cycle. Together we can:

• Integrate cycling lessons into school curricula.
• Support parents with workshops and lending systems.
• Reach vulnerable children through community centres and organisations such as the House of the Child.