Your Guide to a Screen Free Summer

If you're a parent looking to minimize screen time this summer, we have the perfect alternative to digital entertainment! Replace screens with Strider bikes and watch your child's strength and confidence bloom.

Indoor Play

Screen time isn’t often the planned activity of the day. But we know that making dinner with a toddler isn’t exactly an easy task, and sometimes the problem is solved by occupying their wandering minds and legs with a video, movie, or digital game. What if we told you there’s another way to keep them busy indoors that doesn’t involve a screen? Strider bikes aren’t just outdoor toys — they function as a developmental tool in the living room too.

2-in-1 Rocking Bike

The Strider 2-in-1 Rocking Bike is an amazing way to get young toddlers and even babies familiar with their bikes while developing fundamentals like strength, gross motor skills, and balance. If you need a few minutes to answer emails from your couch, don’t turn on a YouTube video for your kiddo! Instead, bring their Rocking Bike into the room with you and let them explore it. You’ll be able to keep an eye on them while you get your own work done, and you’ll both walk away feeling accomplished. They’ll be able to explore, play, learn, and rock some energy out while you knock tasks off the list, with no need to sift through video playlists, trying to find something that’s age appropriate and helpful for their development.

Your kiddo can start rocking on and interacting with their Rocking Bike as young as six months old. With their 12” Strider secured to the Rocking Base, babies can use the handlebars or other parts of the bike to pull themselves up to stand. They’ll develop strength in their arms, legs, and core as they interact with the bike and base. They’ll also develop some of their first gross motor skills during this familiarization process as they grab the handlebars, stand on one foot to swing a leg over the seat and frame, and begin to rock while seated or standing. This is the kind of development that they’ll never get from screen time, no matter how educational the content may be!

Indoor Rides and Activities

Once toddlers can walk, they can stride. You can pop the 12-inch balance bike off the Rocking Base in seconds, and your toddler will have a fun mobility tool. The Strider 12 Comp is perfect for indoor play, with a composite frame that offers strength and stability without using metal, so the bike performs just as well outdoors while being more living-room friendly. The Strider 12 Sport and 12 Pro are awesome options for indoor entertainment too, as they can also be ridden down the hall and through the living room before bedtime. A quick ride inside is a great way for toddlers to burn off energy at any time of day — no need to turn on a screen for 20 minutes to help them wind down for a nap. 20 minutes of striding will tire them out plenty! And speaking of tires, our Strider Ultralight Wheels (which come with all of our 12” balance bikes) are scuff-free and scratch-free, so indoor use is seriously no big deal.

If you’re not feeling the inside rides, there are other things you can do with your toddler and their balance bike indoors! You can set a timer and challenge them to put their shoes and helmet on as quickly as possible, turning otherwise mundane tasks into a challenging race against time. Crafty kids can spend time personalizing their bike with stickers or helping install accessories like new handlebar grips or wheels. A little bit of personalization can go a long way to help kids feel proud of their bikes and their progress! Setting up a “bike shop” indoors provides a screen-free activity and a chance to learn about how bikes work. Instead of watching a video about bikes, lead your kiddo through a “disassembly” and cleaning of their bike by removing items like wheels to carefully clean each piece. Once everything is cleaned up, you can guide your little riders through putting the pieces back on the frame, allowing them to see how their bike functions and moves. There’s no end to the Strider activities that can be done inside instead of offering some screen time at times that outdoor play simply isn’t an option.

Outdoor Exploration

With summer around the corner, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to head outside with your kids! Sure, turning a movie or setting them up on a device to play games is an easy way to kill an afternoon, but it doesn’t have to be the only option for the season. By grabbing bikes and heading outside with your toddler, you’ll be a part of memories that will carry them through their childhood and turn into stories they’ll share with their grandkids someday.

Driveways to Pump Tracks

If you’re not up for a walk, bring their Strider bike into the yard or driveway! You can quickly set up obstacle courses right at home, and you’ll see your child learn to navigate and overcome new challenges. When warm days allow you to wash your car in the driveway, invite your toddler to wash their bike too! They’ll learn discipline in taking care of their belongings and feel the pride of looking at one of their most prized possessions glimmering in the sun. As you encourage them to make their bike part of daily life, they’ll value the fun memories their bike brings, from rides at the park to driveway bubble baths.

When you have a little time for a bigger adventure, head to the local park, pump track, and trails. Your toddler will get the opportunity to see new scenery and build strength on new trails and obstacles. They’ll learn about the world around them as they explore new smells, sounds, and textures, building independence as they ride and knowledge as they experience environments that are new to them. When they ask questions about nature, you’ll be able to see the world through their eyes and be able to guide them through discovery and appreciation of the outdoors. No nature documentary beats breaking open a pinecone or seeing birds find their breakfast in real life!

Outdoor Activities

To make outdoor adventures even more exciting, add some games and engaging activities to their rides! You can set up scavenger hunts for your kiddo, encouraging them to find insects, rocks, and plants, even inviting other kids to join in and help! Your toddler will learn about the world around them while developing friendships, which helps them build communication skills that help them navigate their future relationships. They can even take some discoveries like small flowers or pebbles to work on a craft/project, and their learning will continue beyond the bike ride.

Games with Strider bikes are always super fun too! One favorite is a “red light/green light” style game that encourages active, applied listening. By calling the end of the sidewalk “red light!”, your toddler learns that following your direction keeps them safe and forces them to pause and look for any traffic before entering a street. “Green light” gives them the go-ahead to keep riding, helping them to understand the value of following rules and paying attention to their surroundings. Some families also like to draw bike challenges out in chalk on their driveways and sidewalks! Think of it like hopscotch — but with stations like wheelies, turning the bike around, striding, and gliding! Toddlers can build their skills as part of a fun game that doesn’t even feel like practice and see the direct reward that comes from putting effort into their achievements! They’ll learn in real time that hard work pays off and see tangible development as they start to improve. After a few weeks of time outside, you’ll have a different toddler — one who is eager to explore, more observant of the world around them, and excited to be active, which are all awesome traits that will stick with them for years to come.