My son received his first balance bike when he was only 10 months old. We bought a balance bike from Sportsmans Warehouse specifically for babies 9 months and older. I had to have it the first time I laid eyes on it…. It was so adorable. As he grew older, we bought him bigger balance bikes and i am so grateful that we did. He just turned 3 years old, and is currently riding a mountain bike with pedals. His feet hardly touches the ground and he skipped the training wheels stage completely. It also boosted his confidence tremendously. It took him literally 10- 15 minutes to pedal on his own, and he is currently loving it, wanting to go faster and faster haha. [columns] [span4]   Toddlers who start on a balance bike early, around 12 months – 24 months, are often riding a pedal bike without training wheels by 3 years old. The balance bike familiarizes kids with the concepts of balance and motion and provides a safe foundation for learning to ride a pedal bike.  Getting a Balance bike is not only good for them to learn how to ride a pedal bicycle quickly, but it’s great for their Gross-motor skill development as well. [/span4][span8] [/span8][/columns] [columns] [span8] [/span8][span4]   As a mom, I’m always looking for materials and toys that are developmentally-appropriate for my child. Balance bikes are one of the best tools out there for helping your toddler develop their gross motor skills. According to Kid Sense Child Development, learning balance and coordination is important for injury prevention, self-regulation, and developing a foundation for future development of fine motor skills. Balance bikes also help develop core muscle strength and endurance. Almost all kids love bikes, both girls and boys! It’s a universal kid thing. If you want to make your kid happy and put a smile on their face, a bike will do it. It Makes exercise fun and it gives us reason to spend time outdoors for a healthy active lifestyle. It’s also cost effective and environmentally- friendly. [/span4][/columns] Getting your kids balance bikes in their early childhood stages is a good investment and I would highly recommend it. The sooner the better! Trust me, you won’t regret it. [columns] [span4] [/span4][span4] [/span4][span4]   [/span4][/columns] Champion Balance Bike, helmet and protective pads in the Images above, are from Champion Bike SA