It’s no secret that kids today don’t play outdoors as much as they used to. The reasons are varied, but the end result is less healthy activity, increased levels of obesity and associated diseases, and even poorer classroom performance.
One activity that can be fun and enjoyed for a lifetime is riding two-wheelers, whether they be bicycles or motorcycles. And the earlier that one is introduced to life on two wheels, the longer they can enjoy it.
That’s where All Kids Bike comes in. This program—started in 2017 via Strider Bikes’ Strider Education Program—aims to introduce kindergartners to two wheels via easy-to-ride Strider bikes to be incorporated into physical education (PE) classes, with the $9000 program provided to schools via donations, fundraisers or outright purchases by individual schools.
Yamaha is one of the donors, as the program dovetails nicely with its Outdoor Access Initiative, and several Yamaha representatives recently visited the Elbert Edwards Elementary School in Las Vegas to present its kindergarten class with 24 Strider bikes. Among the reps was brand ambassador Ryan Villopoto.
Villopoto said, “Getting them on bikes early, learning to balance—and once you learn how to ride a bicycle, you never lose that—but that’s a thing that kids today aren’t getting enough of: being outdoors or getting out on a bicycle, even if they never ride a motorcycle.”
With two local television stations covering the presentation, Villopoto and the other Yamaha representatives, along with All Kids Bike personnel and school staff, gave the kindergartners their first taste of what it’s like to ride. Some had previous bicycle experience, but for most, this was the first time they’d had the opportunity to try it. While tentative, it was clearly evident that the kids were excited to try something new. The school now has 24 Strider bikes (as well as 24 helmets plus rolling storage racks) that it can incorporate into its kindergarten PE program from now on.
All Kids Bike is active in all 50 states, with more than 1000 schools taking part. The program reaches over 100,000 kids annually. Besides Villopoto, All Kids Bike National Ambassadors include many faces familiar to motorcycle racing enthusiasts, like J.D. Beach, Kristen Beat, Josh Hayes, Jared Mees, Andrew Short and Cody Webb. For more information, visit www.allkidsbike.org.
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