Since moving to an urban community a couple of months ago, the kids have been spending more time skateboarding, walking to the park, and generally running about on the sidewalks.

So I was pretty excited to get a Skuut wooden balance bike.

I’ve never visited Scandinavia, but from books the kids and I have read together, biking is a way of life there, and kids start out with these wooden “balance bikes” before learning how to ride a “big bike”. No training wheels, the child learns how to balance using their feet so there’s no scary transition.

I thought my 3 and 5 year old girls would love the Skuut, but so far it’s been my 7 year old, who already rides a regular bike, who loves it. When it’s too cold to ride outside, he Skuuts around on the hardwood floors of the apartment!

I think the Skuut has an awesome, clean looking and attractive design. It took us about 5 minutes to put the bike together (it arrives in a flat pack box).

The design is simple but quite functional. The seat is adjustable as far as height, making it comfortable for a child from ages 2-5 (or a small 7 year old like mine – maximum weight is 70 pounds). It also easily angles back and forth for comfort.

And it’s darn cute! The thing looks good just hanging around which is all the better. Leave it to the Scandinavians to design something for kids that isn’t garish and ugly and plastic.

Another thing I noticed, and I’m not sure exactly what the wheels are made of (the website says they’re pneumatic rubber?), but they don’t stink like other rubber wheels. A plus since we store it in our apartment.

My son said about the bike:  “You pedal with it with your feet, it goes like 3 miles an hour and it lasts going for ten seconds or longer.”

My 5 year old said:  “It always doesn’t have wheels but it’s so easier. Sometimes I can balance on it but not really good of course. But I like the bike very, very much.”

Environmentalists would be impressed that Skuut, has partnered with Trees for the Future, and ensures that a tree is planted for every bike sold. Also notable is the fact that the bike won Dr. Toy’s 10 Best Active Products.

Carrie Lauth is the host of NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com, a weekly internet talk radio show and podcast for natural families. To hear what her kids had to say about the Skuut bike, go here:

http://naturalmomstalkradio.com/blog/skuut-bike-review/

Last 5 posts by Carrie Lauth

• 4 Tips for Gradual Weaning - July 16th, 2009
• Tips for Traveling with the Breastfed Infant - July 11th, 2009
• Nursing Your Baby? Coping With a Separation - July 7th, 2009
• Three Little-Known Realities About Breastfeeding - May 18th, 2009
• Four Ways to Ensure Breastfeeding Success - May 18th, 2009

This is a Free Reprint Article

You are welcome to publish this article on your website, blog, ezine (free of cost) as long as the author's resource information remains intact and all links remain live and clickable. This article may be published offline in print, provided the author's name and full link to the author's website are both included. Copyright is reserved by author. Read our full Terms of Service.