Young children in Tupper Lake are learning to ride bikes as part of their physical education, thanks to a fleet of new Strider bikes donated to L.P. Quinn Elementary School.

A Strider bike — sometimes referred to as a balance bike — is a bicycle without pedals, designed so kids can propel them by pushing their feet off the ground. This allows them to develop their sense of balance and coordination before the introduction of pedals, and has been shown to be more effective than the use of training wheels.

The Strider bikes were donated to L.P. Quinn through a partnership with The Heart Network’s Creating Healthy Schools & Communities (CHSC) program, which is funded by a grant from the New York State Department of Health. The Heart Network helped to obtain the bikes from the national All Kids Bike program, via the Strider Education Foundation.

“Learning to ride a bike is one of the fundamental experiences of early childhood,” said Jennifer Cook, physical education teacher at Tupper Lake Central School District. “It helps kids develop balance, coordination and mobility, and also introduces a lifelong activity that promotes healthy physical and emotional development. And, perhaps most importantly, it introduces them to a fun activity that gets them outside and enjoying their surroundings.”

“The goal is to get kids outside, giving them confidence and a sense of independence, getting them off computer screens, and doing something they can continue throughout their lives,” said Lisa Weyer, executive director of the Strider Education Foundation.

The Heart Network helped to acquire 24 Strider bikes for TLCSD. The fleet comes with 24 pedal conversion kits for students ready to transition from foot propulsion to pedals. The school district also received 24 helmets, an instructor bike, storage racks and access to the All Kids Bike curriculum.

Currently, the Strider bikes are being used by kids pre-K through second grade. The curriculum has eight lessons; the first five focus on learning how to walk, balance and stride with the bikes, and lessons six through eight see teachers convert bikes to pedal mode so students can hone their pedalling skills.

“Strider bikes are a fun and effective way to introduce kids to bike riding,” said Arriana Patraw, community health improvement coordinator at The Heart Network. “One of the primary aims of The Heart Network’s Creating Healthy Schools & Communities program is to increase opportunities for physical activity in our schools, and our ongoing partnership with All Kids Bike is making a big impact on schools across Franklin County.”

Tupper Lake is the most recent school district in Franklin County to adopt All Kids Bike curriculum in partnership with The Heart Network. In 2023 and 2024, Malone Central School District acquired a fleet of bikes for its physical education programming, including a number of adaptive bikes for students with mobility issues and/or physical disabilities. Salmon River and Chateaugay central school districts have also received bicycle fleets. The CHSC program will continue to work with TLCSD this year to expand offerings, and will partner with St. Regis Central School District to begin implementing All Kids Bike there.

To learn more about All Kids Bike, visit allkidsbike.org. For more information about the CHSC program at The Heart Network, visit heartnetwork.org or contact Arriana Patraw at apatraw@heartnetwork.org.