Pupils at the Sunflower Nursery, in Lochgelly, are celebrating completing a six week unique pilot scheme that has taught them the basics of how to ride a bike.

Pupils at the Sunflower Nursery, in Lochgelly, are celebrating completing a six week unique pilot scheme that has taught them the basics of how to ride a bike.

They have been using balance bikes (small bike frames with no pedals) to develop good balance, confidence and the transferable skills needed to go on to use a pedal bike.

During the six weeks, 18 children attended sessions delivered by the Council’s Cycling Development Officer, who also trained pre-school staff on a partnership resource produced by various agencies called ‘Play on Pedals’.

Using this resource, the pupils participated in a range of fun and easy to manage cycling activities in the grounds of the Nursery using balance bikes, purchased especially for the project.

Cycling Development Officer, Kirsteen Torrance, explained, “At the first session the majority of the pupils were new to cycling and were not able to ride a bike.

“During the sessions, all pupils developed their skills and by the end of the six weeks 90% of the pupils had fully developed the ability to effectively use the balance bikes.

“Pupils can now name all of the parts of the bikes, understand how to brake and move the bike, manoeuvre round objects or each other, and easily propel themselves on the bikes.

“The bikes will remain in the nursery for the rest of the term to allow other pupils to gain this experience and for the children to use them during play.” Lochgelly and Cardenden councillor, Mark Hood, Executive Committee, member, who watched the ‘new cyclists’ in action, thinks that cycling is a great life skill and that this is a good opportunity for children to experience cycling activities at the perfect stage.

He said, “Riding a bike is a healthy, fun and physical activity. It provides children and young people with access to very cheap transportation.

"Balance bikes are great at developing fundamental movement skills, confidence and a sense of achievement as children experience success very quickly.

“It’s great news that Fife Council will now be working in partnership with CyclingScotland to work on the roll out of ‘Scoot Toots’ to more nurseries!

“This will happen firstly in the Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly areas, and then out to all preschool establishments across Fife in a phased approach over the next two years.”