Twelve skill cards covering the whole 10-week program. Tap a tab to open a card.
Card 01 · Day One Skill
Falling safely
Learning how to come off the bike without getting hurt. Taught Day 1 of Session 1, before any real riding.
Why it matters
Every kid is going to fall this summer. Kids who've practiced falling on purpose handle real falls better — they tuck instead of stiff-arming, they let the bike go instead of holding on. Also: a kid who isn't terrified of falling will try harder things.
The cue
Soft and round. Let the bike go.
The teaching — demonstration, then practice on grass
Find a soft grass area. Helmets ON, bikes OFF to the side.
You demonstrate first. Walk through it slow: "If I'm falling, I let go of the handlebars, tuck my chin, and roll onto my shoulder — not my hands."
Have them practice the motion without bikes. From standing, drop to one knee, then roll onto a shoulder. Make it silly. "Pretend you're a ninja avoiding a laser."
Then with bikes, walking pace only: ride 10 feet, lay the bike down to one side (you tell them which side), step off, roll.
Do it 5–6 times. Both sides.
What success looks like
Hands come off the bars (not white-knuckle gripping)
Body rolls — shoulder/back, not flat
Bike falls away from the rider, not on top of them
Kid laughs
What failure looks like
Stiff arms catching the fall → the most common bad habit. Causes broken wrists. Cue: "Hands off, tuck and roll."
Holding onto the bike all the way down → bike lands on top of kid. Cue: "Let the bike go. The bike is fine."
Refusing to do it → totally normal. Don't push. Demo more yourself. Some kids will only do it after watching three others go first.
If stuck
Make it ridiculous. The kids who resist falling practice are the kids who are scared of falling — and pushing harder makes it worse. Instead, do the silliest version possible. You lay your bike down dramatically and roll like you're in an action movie. They'll laugh and try it.
Card 02 · Foundation Posture
Ready position (ninja stance)
Standing on the pedals, knees and elbows slightly bent, weight centered, ready to react. The base posture everything else builds on.
Why it matters
A kid sitting flat on the saddle with locked elbows can't absorb anything — they get bounced around, they panic, they crash. Standing up changes everything. This is the single most important posture habit to install this summer.
The cue
Stand up, bend your knees, ninja stance.
The drill — Statue Stance
On flat ground, kids ride toward you slowly.
Yell "STATUE!"
They have to stand up on the pedals, bend their knees and elbows, and coast in a frozen ready position.
Hold it for 5 seconds.
Then keep riding.
Do it 6–8 times per session.
What success looks like
Butt up off the saddle
Pedals level (3 o'clock and 9 o'clock — not one foot down)
Knees bent like they're about to jump
Elbows bent out slightly (not locked, not pinned to sides)
Eyes up, not down at the front wheel
What failure looks like
One foot at 6 o'clock, one at 12 → they'll catch the bottom pedal on something. Cue: "Level pedals. Like a clock at 3 and 9."
Locked elbows, stiff arms → defeats the whole point. Cue: "Bend your elbows. Float."
Standing way forward over the bars → too aggressive for this age. Cue: "Stay over the middle of the bike."
Can't hold it for 5 seconds → either bike is too big or seat is too high. Lower the seat first, see if that fixes it.
If stuck
Demonstrate it dramatically yourself, then do it with them. Ride alongside the kid, both of you in ninja stance, and just hold it together. Kids mirror adults more than they follow instructions.
Card 03 · Critical Safety Skill
Stopping
Smooth, controlled stop using both brakes evenly, with the kid in control of how fast they stop.
Why it matters
This is the single most important safety skill at this age. Kids who can't stop confidently will either go too slow (no fun) or panic and crash. They need to trust their brakes.
The cue
One finger, both brakes, squeeze like a lemon.
The game — Red Light, Green Light
Mark a start line and a "stop zone" 30 feet away (use chalk, sticks, or cones).
Kids pedal toward you on "green light."
Yell "RED LIGHT" — they have to stop inside the zone.
Anyone who skids, puts a foot down hard, or overshoots goes back to the start.
Make it harder by yelling red light sooner, or making the stop zone smaller.
What success looks like
One finger on each brake lever (not whole hand)
Both brakes squeezed together (not just rear)
Smooth deceleration — no skid, no lurch
Both feet stay on pedals until fully stopped
Kid is smiling
What failure looks like
Grabbing the whole lever with all fingers → brake reach is too far. Adjust the lever screws to bring it closer to the grip. This is almost always the real problem.
Skidding the back wheel → using only the rear brake, or grabbing too hard. Cue: "Two brakes, gentle squeeze."
Going over the bars (rare but possible) → too much front brake. Cue: "Squeeze both at the same time."
Refusing to use front brake → kid is scared. Don't push it this session. Play more rear-brake games, build trust, try again next week.
Foot comes off pedal early → seat is too high. Lower it until both feet flat on the ground at the stop.
If stuck
99% of stopping problems at this age are brake reach. Before you change anything else, look at how far the kid's fingers have to stretch to reach the lever. If their fingers can't comfortably curl around the lever with the knuckle bent, the lever is too far away. Most parents don't know this is adjustable. There's a small screw on the lever — turn it to move the lever closer to the grip. This fixes more stopping problems than any drill.
Card 04 · Vision
Looking ahead
Eyes up, looking 10–20 feet down the trail instead of at the front wheel.
Why it matters
Every single thing on a bike works better when you're looking where you're going. Kids naturally stare at the front wheel — it feels safer but causes every problem (wobbling, target fixation, hitting the thing they were trying to avoid). Fix this and a lot of other skills improve automatically.
The cue
Look where you want to go, not where you don't.
The game — Spot the Color
Set up cones or markers in different colors along a straight, flat path (or use natural objects: "the red leaf, the white rock").
As kids ride toward you, call out a color: "BLUE!"
They have to find the blue thing with their eyes while riding.
Then immediately call another: "GREEN!"
Their eyes have to keep moving forward and around — they literally can't stare at the front wheel.
What success looks like
Head up, chin off chest
Eyes scanning, not locked
Bike goes straighter (this is the magic — you don't even have to mention the bike)
What failure looks like
Eyes drop the moment things get hard → universal. The harder the terrain, the more they stare at the front wheel. That's the exact backwards instinct. Cue: "When it gets scary, look further ahead, not closer."
Whole body turns instead of just eyes → fine at this age. Don't correct it. The eye-only scanning comes later.
If stuck
Stand 15 feet down the path and have the kid ride toward you while looking at your face. Tell them, "Don't break eye contact." They literally cannot look at the front wheel if they're looking at you. Then move further away each rep.
Card 05 · Balance Foundation
Slow-speed balance
Riding slow without falling over. Different skill than fast riding — it actually requires more balance.
Why it matters
Slow speed is where 5–7 year olds spend most of their riding time. It's also where they crash most. Building slow-speed balance means fewer tip-overs, more confidence, and a foundation for harder skills later (track stands, technical climbing).
The cue
Slow is hard. Slow is the skill.
The game — Slow Bike Race
Mark a start and finish line, 30 feet apart.
Rules: last one to cross the finish line wins. No foot dabs, no stopping.
If a foot touches down, that kid is out.
The winner is the kid who took the longest to cross the line without dabbing.
This game has been used in cycling for 100+ years. It works on every age. Kids LOVE it.
What success looks like
Eyes up (looking at finish line, not front wheel)
Small handlebar wiggles, not big swerves
Smooth pedaling, no lurching
Body relaxed, not death-gripping the bars
What failure looks like
Staring at front wheel → see Card 04. Fix vision first.
Death grip on bars → tense kid. Cue: "Tea party fingers. Loose hands."
Trying to go slow by squeezing the brakes hard → they'll lurch and dab. Cue: "Slow pedaling, not hard brakes."
If stuck
Take pedaling off the table — do a balance bike version. Have them coast down a very gentle slope without pedaling, feet on the pedals, trying to balance as long as possible. Then add pedaling back in once they trust their balance.
Card 06 · Out of the Saddle
Standing up for bumps
Getting out of the saddle before riding over a small bump, root, or rock. Letting the legs absorb instead of the butt.
Why it matters
A kid who stays seated over every bump gets jolted, scared, and eventually crashes. A kid who stands up rides smoothly over the same stuff and has way more fun. This is also the bridge to every later skill — drops, jumps, technical descents all start here.
The cue
See a bump, stand up.
The drill — Bump Hunting
Find or create small bumps: a curb, a 2x4 laid flat, a small root, a chalk line on the ground (yes, this works — they'll stand up for an imaginary bump if you make a big deal of it).
Ride a circuit that has 3–4 bumps in it.
Rule: butt off the saddle before every bump, back on after.
You stand at one of the bumps and call out "STAND!" as they approach until they internalize the timing.
What success looks like
Butt clearly off the saddle before the bump, not during
Knees absorbing — bike goes up, body stays level-ish
Smooth re-seat after
Smiling because it suddenly feels easy
What failure looks like
Stands up too late → got bounced. Cue: "Stand up sooner. Before you get there."
Stands up but stays stiff → no absorption, still gets bounced. Cue: "Bend your knees. Be a frog."
Forgets and sits the whole time → totally normal at this age. Just keep calling "STAND!" Eventually it becomes automatic.
If stuck
Have them ride toward a bump and you stand right next to it and physically jump up as they pass. Kids copy what they see. They'll start jumping (which is too much) but it overcorrects from sitting (which is the actual problem).
Card 07 · First Obstacles
Rolling over stuff
Riding over small obstacles — a stick, a small log (under 4"), a root — without trying to avoid it or jump it. Just rolling over.
Why it matters
Trail riding is rolling over stuff. Kids who learn to roll calmly over small obstacles aren't scared of trails. Kids who don't will avoid every root and spend the whole summer on smooth dirt.
The cue
Eyes up, ready position, just roll.
The drill — The Log Crossing
Place a small log or 2x4 across the path (start with something less than 2" tall).
Ride at it at a comfortable pace — not too slow (will stall), not too fast (will get bounced).
Stand up in ready position 5 feet before the log.
Keep pedaling lightly through it, don't coast.
Eyes stay on what comes after the log, not on the log itself.
Progress over weeks
Week 1–2: chalk line on pavement (yes — same body position, no consequence)
Week 3–4: 2x4 flat on the ground
Week 5+: small actual log or root
End of summer: log up to ~4" tall
What success looks like
Stood up before the obstacle
Eyes past the obstacle, not on it
Light pedaling continues through
Bike just rolls over — no drama
What failure looks like
Stops or stalls right before → going too slow. Cue: "Keep your speed. Don't slow down for it."
Locks up and slams into it → frozen with fear. Make the obstacle smaller. Way smaller. Chalk line if needed.
Tries to lift the front wheel → too advanced for this age. Don't teach front-wheel lifts yet. Just rolling. Cue: "No lifting. Just roll."
Front wheel hits and bounces them → going too slow OR not in ready position. Both fixes are the same: speed up a little, stand up.
If stuck
Make the obstacle nothing. A single chalk line on smooth pavement. Have them practice the body position (stand up, eyes up, light pedaling) across the line 10 times. Then change the chalk to a piece of tape (tiny height). Then a popsicle stick. The body position is the skill — the obstacle is just the excuse.
Card 08 · Going Up
Climbing a short hill
Pedaling up a short, gentle hill without getting off and walking.
Why it matters
Trails go up. A kid who can't climb a short hill will hate trail riding. The good news: kids this age are naturally great at climbing — they're pound-for-pound stronger than adults. The barriers are almost always mental (they think they can't) or gearing (the bike is in the wrong gear).
The cue
Easy gear, steady pedal, eyes at the top.
No drill needed — just guided practice
Find a hill that's gentle, short (under 30 seconds of climbing), and ends in something fun (a flat section, a downhill, a view).
Before the hill: have them shift to an easy gear (if they have gears). Show them how.
Tell them to look at the top of the hill, not at their front wheel.
Stay in the saddle. Steady pedaling, not mashing.
Make it a story: "We're climbing up to the lookout."
What success looks like
Stayed in the saddle the whole way
Pedaled steadily, didn't stop
Made it to the top
Wants to do it again
What failure looks like
Wrong gear (too hard) → grinding, slowing, stopping. Fix the gear before fixing anything else. Walk over and shift it for them if needed.
Stands up and bobs side to side → wastes energy, exhausts them. Cue: "Sit down, easy gear, steady pedals."
Looks at front wheel → bike goes off the line, hits a rock, stops. Cue: "Eyes at the top."
Gives up halfway → almost always means the gear is wrong or the hill is too long. Don't shame. Walk the rest with them, talk about what we'll try next week.
If stuck
If a kid genuinely can't climb a hill that other kids in the group are doing fine, check the bike before anything else. Tire pressure too low? Brakes rubbing? Wrong gear they don't know how to change? A surprising amount of "this kid can't climb" is actually "this kid's bike doesn't work right." Fix the bike, the climbing problem disappears.
Card 09 · Going Down
Descending a short hill
Riding down a gentle hill in control, not death-gripping the brakes.
Why it matters
This is where 5–7 year olds get scared. They go too fast, panic, grab the brakes, skid, sometimes crash. A kid who learns to descend in control finds out that going downhill is the most fun thing in the world. A kid who doesn't will brake the whole way down and miss the whole point.
The cue
Ninja stance, eyes down the hill, fingers on the brakes — don't squeeze yet.
The drill — Coaster Coast
Find a very gentle slope. Like, barely a slope. Way less than feels exciting to you.
Have them stand in ready position before the slope.
Roll into it without pedaling — just coast.
One finger resting on each brake (not squeezing).
Eyes down the hill, not at the front wheel.
At the bottom, gentle squeeze of both brakes to slow down.
Repeat 5–6 times, then find a slightly steeper slope next week.
What success looks like
Standing in ready position the whole way down
Eyes ahead, scanning
No death grip — fingers are on the brakes but not squeezing constantly
Smooth speed control at the bottom
Wants to do it again, faster
What failure looks like
Death grip on both brakes the whole way down → going too slow to even balance, scared. Cue: "Let off the brakes. Coast." (But: don't push it. Some kids need three sessions before they'll let off.)
Sitting down on the saddle → no shock absorption, every bump is scary. Cue: "Stand up. Knees soft."
Goes too fast and panics → slope is too steep for this kid right now. Find a gentler one.
If stuck
The fear of going downhill at this age is real and physical, not just psychological — their balance system is still developing and the sensation of acceleration genuinely overwhelms them. Don't shame, don't push. Make the slope smaller. Way smaller. Like, a driveway slope. Build it up over weeks. The kids who get pushed down hills too fast at age 6 are the kids who hate downhilling at age 12.
Card 10 · Turning
Cornering, flat
Riding around a corner on flat ground (no berm) with body weight on the outside foot.
Why it matters
Cornering is one of the most important skills in mountain biking. Get it right young, and every later corner is easier. Get it wrong young, and bad habits stick for years.
The cue
Outside foot down. Look where you want to go.
The drill — Cone Carve
Set up two cones (or sticks, or backpacks) 15–20 feet apart on flat ground.
Have them ride a figure-8 around the cones.
At each cone, the outside foot should be at 6 o'clock (down) and pressing into the pedal.
The inside foot is at 12 o'clock (up).
Eyes look through the turn to where they're going next.
Bike leans, body stays more upright over the bike.
What success looks like
Outside pedal is down and pressed into — not just along for the ride
Eyes are looking at the exit of the turn, not the cone
Bike leans into the turn
Smooth arc, not a series of jerky corrections
What failure looks like
Inside foot down → most common error. Will catch the inside pedal on the ground. Cue: "Outside foot. The foot that's farther from the cone."
Eyes locked on the cone → bike rides straight into the cone. Cue: "Don't look at the cone. Look past it."
Body leans more than the bike → fine at this age, will refine later. Don't correct yet.
Slows way down before the corner → fine. Speed will come. Smooth first, fast later.
If stuck
Take the bike out of it. Have the kid stand on the ground and step through the figure-8 pattern, exaggerating leaning to one side then the other, looking ahead. Then put them on the bike and walk them through it at walking pace, you holding the saddle. Then let them ride it. The motor pattern of "weight the outside, look ahead" has to feel right in the body before it works on the bike.
Card 11 · The Berm Gift
Cornering, bermed
Riding around a banked corner (a "berm") — the bank does most of the work.
Why it matters
Berms are a GIFT to teaching kids cornering. The bank does the work for them. If you have access to a pump track or any banked corners, use them constantly — they teach proper cornering automatically.
The cue
Stay in ninja stance. Let the berm do the work.
The drill — Pump Track Laps (if available)
If you have a pump track nearby, this is the single best place to teach cornering.
Have them ride laps in ready position.
Eyes scanning ahead to the next berm.
Don't tell them what to do with their body in the berm — the berm itself teaches.
If no pump track: find a natural banked corner on a trail, or build a tiny berm at the edge of a turn with a shovel of dirt.
What success looks like
Stays in ready position through the berm
Eyes scanning ahead, not at front wheel
Comes out of the berm with the same or more speed than they entered
Big smile
What failure looks like
Sits down going into the berm → loses all the benefit. Cue: "Stand up. Ninja stance the whole time."
Brakes in the middle of the berm → loses momentum and the berm stops working. Cue: "Brake before, not during."
Rides high on the berm and falls off the top → going too fast for that berm. Speed up gradually over multiple sessions.
If stuck
If the kid is scared of berms, don't push. Have them walk the berm with the bike first — feel how the surface tilts, see that they won't fall. Then ride it slowly. Then build up speed over weeks. A kid who's scared of berms isn't going to magically not be scared because you yelled "GO FASTER."
Card 12 · Pack Skills
Riding in a group
Riding behind, beside, or in front of other kids without crashing into them. Spacing, predictability, basic group etiquette.
Why it matters
WMR is a group activity. Half the crashes in youth programs are kids running into each other, not riding-into-stuff crashes. Teaching group riding as a skill prevents this.
The cue
One bike length between you and the rider in front.
The drill — Caterpillar Ride
Line up the kids in single file behind you.
Tell them: "We are a caterpillar. Each part of the caterpillar needs to stay one bike length from the next part."
Ride a slow, easy loop.
Stop occasionally to look back and check spacing. Praise spacing that's right.
Make it a game: "Show me the caterpillar."
Rules to teach (one per session, don't dump them all at once)
One bike length behind the rider in front. Closer = crashes.
No surprise stops. If you need to stop, call out "STOPPING!"
No overtaking unless the coach says so.
Trail name calls: front rider yells "ROCK!" or "ROOT!" when they see something; everyone else passes it back.
What success looks like
Kids maintain rough spacing without being reminded
No tailgating
No surprise stops or swerves
They call out hazards on their own by mid-summer
What failure looks like
Tailgating → the kid behind crashes into the kid in front. Cue: "One bike length. Show me the gap."
Random stopping → causes pileups. Cue: "If you need to stop, say STOPPING first."
Racing each other → totally natural at this age, totally dangerous in a group. Reframe it: "We're not racing today. We're caterpillaring. Racing day is different."
Showing off when parents are watching → real and predictable. Talk to them before pickup time: "We ride the same when parents watch as when they don't."
If stuck
If a kid keeps tailgating or surprise-stopping despite reminders, pair them with you for that session. Ride directly behind them. They'll either start riding predictably or get tired of you being right there. Either way, the group stays safe.
