I'm so excited, this is my very first WFMW and I hope it can help someone out there!
Both of my kids have learned to ride bikes this summer without their training wheels. I read this strategy in a Parents magazine several years ago. I don't know why it popped into my head when the kids were trying to learn, but it did. I think it was the first time that I actually remembered something that I had read...amazing! The magazine said that when you take off the training wheels, you should also take off the pedals. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but we tried it. We took off Maggie's training wheels and then the pedals. She had to be able to touch the ground flat footed and then she used both feet to push off the ground (kinda like Fred Flintstone would do) Once she got the balance part down, we would see that she would coast 15 to 20 feet at a time. Andy put the pedals back on and she took off! The girl is currently a stunt bike rider like her dad and he wants to put her in a kiddy bike race this fall. Who knows, she could become a gold medalist in the mountain bike category in the 2016 Olympics.
This new knowledge of bike riding without training wheels also has helped several kids on our street get the confidence to take off on two wheels. Our neighbor Ashlyn who is 4 1/2 learned in one night with the help of Handy Andy. This Lord of the Bike has also taught Maggie's friend Autumn and of course, Mad Max! I'm telling you....it really works.
Here is Max: