Tikes Bikes — bicycle

Nothing beats the smile on a child's face when they unwrap the perfect Christmas present.  The moment of silence followed by squeals of delight are enough to melt the heart of even the biggest Scrooge.  For so many kids, that sought after gift is a brand new bike to call their own.  

Whether it is a balance bike for a toddler or a pedal bike for an older child, the feeling of joy and freedom it gives a child is priceless.  The real question is how to surprise your child with the bike on Christmas morning.  

Of course you can always have the bike waiting under the tree with a large bow when he or she wakes up in the morning, but here are a few more creative ways to surprise the child in your life on Christmas morning.

Leave a Hint Under the Christmas Tree

Create a 'treasure map' and place it inside a new helmet wrapped under the tree.  When the helmet is opened, send the child on a hunt to find the hidden bicycle.

Wrap Individual Pieces of the Bike

If you have an older child who might be expecting a bicycle for Christmas, you can always be sneaky and wrap the pieces of the bike individually.  This gives the perception that he or she has more presents under the tree instead of one large gift.  In addition, assembling the bicycle later in the day can provide a good activity for a teenager or as a task for the parent and child to do together.  

Use A Bicycle Gift Bag

When you are running short on time or if you are looking for a simple way to wrap a bicycle, they do make gift bags designed for bicycles.  Although this might give away the surprise for a child who has been asking for a bicycle, finding such a large gift bag next to the tree might create some great anticipation for the child who is not expecting a bicycle.

Wrap A Christmas Bicycle Ornament

Another fun idea is to purchase and wrap up a bicycle Christmas ornament.  This gift not only is a fun representation of the gift the child is receiving, but also serves as a memento of this Christmas that can be used to decorate the Christmas tree year after year.  

Santa Forgot the Bike on the Roof

While the kids are unwrapping presents, act as if you hear something coming from the roof outside.  When the family goes out to investigate, they discover the bicycle that was left by Santa on the roof ("it must not have fit down the chimney").  This is definitely not an idea for the faint of heart, but will sure make for a magical Christmas memory.

Roll Out the Bike After All The Presents Have Been Opened

Once all of the Christmas morning unwrapping chaos has finally finished, mention that you think a present might have been forgotten.  You can then head out to the garage or another room to retrieve the assembled bicycle for your child.  

This approach of waiting until the end to surprise the child can work especially well for younger children who may be so entranced by a new bike that otherwise they would lose interest in opening any more gifts once they receive such an exciting gift as a new bike. 

No matter how you choose to surprise someone with a bicycle this Christmas, the joy it will bring will last for many years to come. A bicycle is not just a toy or a mode of transportation, but a door to fun and freedom.  

Hopefully this list has inspired you on ways to share the joy of a bicycle this holiday season.  If you have any other fun ideas please share it with us in the comments!

We feel strongly that bicycle safety should always be a top priority.  One the of best things you can do for your child to require them to wear a properly fitting helmet when they are participating in any sport on wheels: tricycle or bike riding, riding a scooter or go-kart, roller skating or skateboarding. 

Unfortunately 80-90% of bicycle fatalities were cyclists who were not wearing their helmets.

In 2011, roughly 8,000 children ages 14 and under were injured while riding a bicycle. Most parents ensure their children wear helmets and are careful on primary roadways, but are much more likely to become less stringent about it when their children are riding around the neighborhood. The reality is, that for children (ages 0-19), more than half of all deaths occur on minor roadways. 

Thankfully many states, counties, and cities agree that wearing a helmet can help save lives and have passed laws requiring children to wear bicycle helmets when out on a bicycle.  As of 2013, there are 21 states plus the District of Columbia with statewide helmet laws and at least 16 states with known city or county wide laws requiring children to wear helmets.

 

 

Although most helmet laws require riders age 16 and younger to wear a helmet, the age requirement varies by city or state.  The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has a great list of city and county helmet laws and we've presented the state-wide helmet laws below.

 

State	Age
Alabama	<16
Connecticut	<16
Delaware	<18
D.C.	<16
Florida	<16
Georgia	<16
Hawaii	<16
Louisiana	<12
Maine	<16
Maryland	<16
Massachusetts	>1 and <17
New Hampshire	<16
New Jersey	<17
New Mexico	<18
New York	>1 and<14
North Carolina	<16
Oregon	<16
Pennsylvania	<12
Rhode Island	<16
Tennessee	<16
West Virginia	<15

 

Please remember that just because your state or city does not have a law regarding the use of helmets, it is still of the utmost important that your child always wears a helmet.  Putting on a bicycle helmet should only take a few second, but could save your child's life. If your child does not have a helmet or has outgrown theirs, please visit our helmet department to see the many styles and sizes we have available. 

Visit Tikes Bikes today and if you order both a bike AND a helmet, Tikes Bikes will take $5 off your purchase when you use discount code: RIDESMART.

 

Statistics were taken from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.