Friday, December 7, 2012

Peapods Favorite #23: The KaZAM Balance Bike

Peapods Favorites is our continuing series about our all-time favorite toys. Keep and an eye on Facebook and Pinterest for more favorites through the holiday season!


A simple insight made its way to us from Europe almost ten years ago: the way we teach kids to ride a bike in this country is kind of backwards. The way we do it here, we use training wheels to teach peddling and steering first and balance later.

In Europe, kids are taught with "kick bikes", which start with balance and steering. Only after balance is mastered do kids graduate to bikes with peddles. With a kick bike, kids propel themselves with their feet, building confidence and coordination. Balance is learned slowly as kids learn that the faster they go, the easier it is to lift their feet and coast. With a balance bike, the scary part of balancing is learned first and kids won't need to fear the day when the training wheels come off.

Unique among this style of training bike is the KaZAM bike, an all-metal bike that features a step-through design that's easy to climb onto with a footrest that encourages kids to lift their feet up and balance. The KaZAM is adjustable to fit kids ages three to six.

We've sold maybe eight different brands of training bikes over the years, which has included everything from assembling them to fixing them if something goes wrong. By far, the best feedback we've gotten from customers and the fewest problems have been with KaZAM bikes. From the tires to the handlebars, KaZAM bikes are made with quality parts just like a real bicycle. And, although we think wooden training bikes look great, you can't beat the KaZAM for long term durability. Which is why the KaZAM is a Peapods Favorite.

1 comment:

Jeremy said...

Kazam bikes are excellent - I like the frame integrated footrest that trains your child to place their feet in the same general area as pedals.

Although I learned to ride a bike back in the late 70's with training wheels. i had the pleasure of watching my 2 sons learn to ride a bike at age 3 with a balance bike. I actually think learning to ride a 2 wheeler was secondary to the amount of confidence, coordination and self esteem they gained.