What is the state of cycling skills among schoolchildren?
An estimated 8% of children between the ages of 6 and 12 in Leuven cannot ride a bike. Cycling School Leuven has been getting signals for a while now that not all children in Leuven can cycle by the age of 12. Via a survey at all primary schools in 2021, Mobiel 21 investigated the causes of and possible solutions for this problem.
Being able to ride a bike is no longer obvious
In primary school, the focus is soon on traffic education and it is assumed that all children have already mastered basic cycling skills. But this is not the case. In the first grade (6 to 8 years), 16% (1 in 6 children in the class) cannot cycle. Children who cannot yet cycle well are at risk of dropping out. It then becomes very difficult for them to catch up and pass their cycling exams in the 6th grade.
kan niet fietsen
heeft geen fiets
onderneemt actie om het probleem aan te pakken
The most frequently cited reasons why children cannot cycle are: difficult family situation, migration background, poverty, parents who cannot cycle, children who do not have a bicycle, no interest in cycling ... Mobiel 21 wants to do away with this and in 2023 started Cycling School XS, which offers cycling lessons for children in vulnerable families.
Working with schools, parents and The Cycling School
About half of primary schools are taking initiatives to tackle the problem. For schools, it is not obvious to give classroom attention to that smaller group of pupils who cannot yet cycle sufficiently, or at all. The parents of these children often do not have enough cycling experience themselves to teach their children to cycle. For instance, they do not have room at home to practice or do not have their own bicycle. On top of that, some parents are not yet convinced of the importance of their children being able to cycle.
For Mobiel 21 and De Fietsschool, it is clear that there is a real need for cycling skills lessons for young children from underprivileged families. With De Fietschool XS, they adopt an approach that involves both the children and their parents. This offers the best chance of children actually continuing cycling.
Cycling lessons for children and adults
Cycling school XS
The Cycling School
Questions about cycling lessons for children?
Our colleague and cycling expert, Ine Bosmans, is happy to provide you with more information. Contact her using the form below.
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