trekker Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I've been observing our bike play for a while now. The children continually ask to have the bikes out and when they do all they do is race around (using feet rather than pedals because they can go faster!) trying to crash into each other and although we designate an area where they can do this they constantly 'invade' the quieter space - driving through the chairs, ropes, crates or whatever we put up to show them its a 'no bike' zone. When the bikes are out some children will just spend all their time on them or trying to get back on them... Helen Bilton (in 'playing outside' and ' like bees not butterflies') suggests having two wheelers or no bikes to encourage more quality & collaborative play outdoors ... I think most children have trikes at home so they don't actually gain much from having them at pre-school. What they need is something they wouldnt necessarily expereince at home.. I'm seriously considering selling our trikes and getting those low level hand controlled 'bikes' (forget what they're called and something like the two wheeled 'like-a-bikes' which have no pedals and challenge children to develop their balance more effectively. Has anyone got these or has anyone else banned trikes? Alternatively does anyone have any ideas for making bike play better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 I think Helen Bilton also suggested multi person vehicles rather than one trike one person we bought the taxi bike which is a bit like a rickshaw one person pedals and two can sit in the car part we also bought chariots and three person trikes which are popular Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marion Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 We have the hand controlled vehicles and my reception class find them quite difficult to move. They are heavy and will go around in circles if arms aren't quite in time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Alternatively does anyone have any ideas for making bike play better? No. I just got rid of them! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2009 Share Posted February 14, 2009 Our outdoor space is a basement which has many support pillars and is not suitable for bikes, the parents and chidlren dont see to think this is an issue and want us to put them out. We have just got our handyman friend to put up temporary structures between the pillars to create small areas to help the children become involved more in activities and stop running around. Yes, I know they need physical activity and they get it at the school playground for half an hour everyday, but then we have to lug up any equipment from the basement to the school as they dont let us use theirs!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 i think they have a place, some thing familiar for all those children who may otherwise not even look at getting on some thing or venturing out side. its not an issue for us as we have a large garden although most of this is grassed and trikes dont go well on grass ! but we do have a long path and they wizz along this , i feel you have to keep on at childrenand training them get then to compose a list of rules for ridinfg bikes get the list sent home and ask parents to help go through these with their children. hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We have 'no bike Fridays' and the children accept that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubblejack Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We have them out for part of the session. To ensure all children have a turn they have to put their name card in a box. We let 2 children wait for a turn. They have to write their name and "pay" for a turn. They use the egg timer to mark time. We also change the course with cones and roundabouts. I cordon off part of the room for this in the winter. In the summer they aren't a problem on the large grassed area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Helen Bilton said get rid - i got rid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 my children love the bikes. yes most children have a bike or trike at home but they are usually only allowed to ride them along the busy road with either mum or dad jogging next to the kerb to prevent their child cycling into the traffic! at pre school children don't have to worry about the traffic and mine go on a bear hunt on their bikes, its great fun to watch when they disappear round the corner, find the bear and come racing back to the main part of the outdoor area on their bikes. i don't think bikes should be the only part of outdoor play but i do feel they have a part to play. we have a few bikes which can pull large trolleys (fit up to 3 children in the trolley) and these encourage cooperative play. on another note at my last setting we used to have sit on bikes (not sure what they were called) without pedals which the children were supposed to move using the steering wheel only. we had to get rid of them because the children could build up great speeds on them using the toes of their lovely school shoes as brakes. too many complaints from parents!! they were lots of fun though and the staff used to enjoy the odd race on them before the children arrived!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We have trikes and yes sometimes the children get a bit over excited on them!!! staff outside step in and suggest a different game i.e. make a roadway on the ground with chalk with arrows showing which way they can go.....or we will just have races with a start and an end. The ones that dont want to ride usually take on the role of race starter or flag waver at the end. We dont always have them out to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I used to have my bikes/trikes/scooters available all the time (indoors), some of the children even rode their own to preschool, leaving the car at home. We found that because they were always available the children used them appropriately, sometimes they would ride into the quiet area but they soon learnt that if they did they lost the privilage for 5 mins . The children were very imaginative with the use of the bikes etc, using them to transport shopping, equipment for building/construction play, adding boxes and string to 'tow' the dolls etc etc, we even did tyre paint prints on large rolls of wallpaper. Our outdoors was mainly grass so they preferred the bikes indoors. They would park them up at story/lunch times etc. Basically used them like any other resource in the setting. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trekker Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Interesting to read all your replies...perhaps it is the size and 'sameness' of our space that makes bike play seem so pointless (because most of the time, apart from physical development / balance and turn taking, I can't see alot of quality learning going on!). Ours is only a small tarmac playground and theres not alot they can do except go round and round and round. Its flat and smooth so ideal for speed chases Like some of you I have seen some lovely role play with bikes - setting up a garage using milk crates and tubing and children fill up their bikes with petrol, break down, towed each other with ropes, use tools to fix them and so on. Much of the time the children were on their own two feet and the bikes were just props. Now that was over an hours quality play ...but sadly it doesnt happen alot. ...we've tried cones and encouraging them to zig zag in and out (they knock them down), we've chalked roads to follow...works for a while but the thrill of speed soon sends them off again, we use a sand timer for turn taking but when they have to come off they're just standing around waiting for their next go despite sand, water, small world toys and the rest being available...and if they do play with any of that they have one eye on the bikes for an opening so not really involved. Some of them even play with the sand while sitting on the bike so they don't lose their turn Its interesting too to see that some of you have got rid of them .... I wonder what, if anything, do you now use to fill the gap? We also have a climbing frame that is a fold away one and really a nightmare to set up so it's not often out especially in winter ...without the bikes I just worry children will lose out on a lot of spontaneous 'using equipment' activity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I also question what learning the children get out of using bikes, especially trikes. I like Scooters, 2 wheelers and bikes for 2 or 3 children. But the trikes drive me mad. They all know which ones go the fastest and always want those ones. Children very rarely choose scooters and 2 wheelers over the trikes because they are a challenge. I have encourporated the bikes into the role play and the children play very sensibly with them. I have the bikes etc out for role play purposes and at breaktimes, that is it. I don't allow them free access as i find they just race round like you said. I have even stopped putting them out every day. I now have 3 days of bikes, 1 day of skipping and 1 day of bats and balls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We have no problems with scooters and bikes/trikes in our outside area. The older children are good role models for the younger ones, reminding them to use the bikes on the track area only. We sometimes use sandtimers and children sign up for their turn. Our bikes are numbered and the children enjoy parking them in the same numbered bay at tidy up time. We sometimes have a garage workshop and car wash role play. Sometimes we have a chalked zebra crossing. Lollipop person, police petrols or whatever role play the children develop. Our outside area is on a hill so pedalling can at first be difficult for some of the children, especially with the double bike. We do not have our bikes out every week. I think they are a valuable resource because not all our children have access to a bike outside of nursery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calicojo Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We have trikes and tractors out most days but I agree they do cause problems sometimes. Our trikes have been put away for the last couple of weeks as one child cries for ages if he can't get his favourite trike (which is the same as another one only the wheels are slightly different). We are lucky to have a large garden area with a brick path that is used as a race track and plenty of other activities to do eg sandpit, role play house, musical instruments as well as balls, hoops etc but some children just want to monopolise the trikes and our "Big John" tractor. We do use a sand timer to ensure the trikes are shared but I guess some of the shyer children never come to ask if they can have a turn. Our Reception teacher at the local school has suggested that we have a scheme for the children earning the right to play on the tractor (as we have some behaviour issues with guess who - the boys who like the tractor) which we are going to try after half term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 We to have bikes and trikes and have the same problem as they all argue over them. We have a painted road on out tramac and make the children line up on one of the lines and choose the ones who are standing nicely to gt on them first . then operate a wait at the lollipop sign and after two of three goes round swap children. We hae also just purchased some of those creepy scooters £99 FOR 4 IN GALT and the children have to use their arms to steer them these are brilliant and are strong enough for adults to uses as well. we have had many a good laugh at us racing against the children on them. We also have the bikes that are vey close to the floor with pedals for hands only ! tis helps with co-ordination. And a push /pull bike wherby the children have to put their feet on two still pedals and use their hands/arms to push and pull the handle to move the bike. the foot bar steers the bike. Another one is the twin steppers whihc two children cna stand one behind each other and move ther feet together to operate the stepper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 what learning?? only small amount of role play If this is the only learning which i very much doubt then it is still valauble play net term those children may move onto other types of play and it will the turn of another child to just have role play learningor turn taking or going on a bear hunt can i peddle this bike?? and so on gosh its got 2 wheels like daddies motor bike etc just as peggy says its a resourcce just like all the others we have . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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