I learned to ride a bike in the parking lot of a local bank in my small town in West Virginia. Every weekend, my grandfather would jog alongside me, supporting the seat as I pedaled in circles. As my confidence grew, we ventured onto the scenic paths along the Potomac River. Those rides remain some of my most cherished childhood memories.
Now, living in New York City with limited space and parks for biking, I find myself hesitant to navigate the busy streets. My 5-year-old son hasn’t yet learned to ride, and I’m unsure how to address this gap in his skills. Then I stumbled upon an inspiring initiative: D.C. public schools are teaching second-graders how to ride bikes as part of their physical education classes. This struck me as a brilliant idea.
As reported by Sarah Lewis for CityLab, Miriam Thompson, the director of health and physical education for D.C. public schools, has implemented a program that distributes 475 BMX bikes to various schools in groups of 25 for short-term use. This initiative provides second-graders with focused cycling lessons, addressing a gap in biking skills that many children in the city experience.
This program is part of the “Cornerstones” initiative, which aims to provide specialized curricula to D.C. students to help bridge the educational achievement divide between affluent and less affluent populations. The bike program is designed to ensure that all students, regardless of their access to bikes or safe riding conditions, are equipped with essential cycling skills. As Lewis notes, “Urban biking faces a significant equity issue. As bike-sharing expands and the city enhances its biking infrastructure, there’s a risk that low-income residents may be excluded from this cycling revival. Comprehensive bike education could mitigate that risk.”
Childhood obesity is exacerbated by a lack of physical activity, and in my youth, many kids walked or rode bikes to school. However, Lauren Smith, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, indicated that the primary reason parents cite for not allowing their kids to bike or walk to school is distance, with safety concerns following closely. The scarcity of dedicated bike lanes makes it challenging for children to travel safely. Interestingly, the more individuals who walk or bike, the safer these activities become, according to SafeRoutesPartnership.org.
Elected officials often hesitate to allocate more space for bike lanes, believing there aren’t enough cyclists to justify such changes. Encouraging a new generation of children to become comfortable with biking may gradually shift the balance between auto lanes and bike lanes. D.C.’s bike-share program has already demonstrated a modest but noticeable impact on reducing traffic congestion.
I wish my children could learn to ride in the same way I did, but my current circumstances make that difficult. If their physical education classes included cycling, I would be thrilled. It would provide them with a valuable lifelong skill for affordable and eco-friendly transportation. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind hopping on a bike myself for a ride along the river.
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In summary, integrating bicycle education into school curriculums not only equips children with essential skills but also promotes health and equity in urban environments. As we strive to create a healthier generation, such initiatives could play a pivotal role in fostering a culture of active transportation.