Easter is the ideal time to get out for a fun family bike ride. Summer is winding down but the days are just warm enough and the evenings still long enough to mean you don’t have to rush home. Wherever you live in NSW beautiful places are just waiting to be discovered near your doorstep and the whole family will gain so much from being in the fresh air and amongst nature.
There are so many ways to entertain the kids while riding, and we have included some of our favourite family ride activities to get involved with this Easter. If your kids are ready for a new ride then why not find their next bike with our Buying a Bike for Children guide.
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NATURE SPOTTING
Look out for trees and flowers and try to identify them. Better Homes and Gardens have a great Australian native flowers guide that is a brilliant resource to get you started. You could also try and find all the traditional Easter animals; can you find a rabbit, a lamb, a chick? You could also listen out for bird song and then try to identify the bird – the chirp app is another wonderful resource to help with this.
Some of the best finds are off the beaten track where a hybrid bicycle will keep young riders safe and comfortable.
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EASTER SCAVENGER HUNT
This is an all time favourite. Put together a list of things to locate on the bike ride and ask your children to cross off the things they have found when you all gather for your next rest stop and refreshment. You can include nature items such as flowers, animal prints or certain insects.
An alternative is to ask children to find items of as many different colours as possible while riding. Or if you're ready you could create a super Easter Egg Hunt!
We have also created our own scavenger hunt here for you to try. If you give it a try please also tag us on social media with a picture of your completed lists. You can also enter for your chance to win a full year of Global Comprehensive Rider Insurance and Bicycle NSW Membership including retail benefits for you and your family! Its easy to enter just head to our promotion page HERE
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I SPY
This is another great with many possibilities for all ages. If your children are too little to use ‘something begins with (a letter)’, you can use colours e.g. ‘I spy with my little eye something that is the colour green’. Another very easy option to keep children entertained is giving them a job during the bike ride, for instance seeing how many animals/trees with flowers/horses they can see along the journey.
>>Download the Bicycle NSW Bike Safety Checks Guide for more details HERE<<
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SET GOALS
Your kids will love this one, such a great way to burn off extra energy ! Set your children goals during the ride e.g. first one to cycle up the hill or race to the next tree. Sneaking in more activity into their day out will ensure your growing cyclists get a great night’s sleep.
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SNACKS AND REFRESHMENTS
Final tip, include lots of snacks and drinks! A generous supply can help to not only keep the energy going but can entice even the most unmotivated cyclist to continue on. You could add to the enjoyment factor by stopping for a lovely scenic picnic.
EXTRA BONUS
If the weather permits you can always add in an extra fun bike wash activity at the end. All it takes is an old sponge and some warm water. Maybe even a quick water fight to cool down and complete your happy riding day!
Before heading out, maybe see if anybody has had a recent growth spurt since their last ride. There’s nothing worse than planning a great riding day out to then discover that one of the kids is now riding with their knees around their elbows.
The other great thing about joining as a Bicycle NSW Member besides Australia’s best Global Comprehensive Rider Insurance, advocacy, our Bicycle User Groups and member benefits are all the helpful resources Bicycle NSW provides.
