Birds, as well as human must coordinate left and right to pedal. This is not easy and that is why toddlers typically first learn to sit on a ride-on toy with feet on each side pushing against the ground to travel. I photographed these birds who are very old, many years ago at a park in Sarasota, Florida.
A typically developing three-year-old child has developed the strength and motor planning skills to coordinate left and right sides of the body to crawl. Between 3 and 5 years of age children typically develop the motor coordination to
- use a scooter board
- perform a somersault
- swing without assistance and
- pedal a tricycle
A Funny Pedal Story
When I first received a copy of my book From Rattles to Writing: A Parent’s Guide to Hand Skills (back in 2011), I proudly showed it to people in my Toast Master’s Group. One man who presented with many autism traits picked it up and flipped the pages. Then he reported that on page 139 the word “pedal” was spelled as “peddle” and that I shouldn’t be selling a book with a typo!!!!
The publisher has since corrected the error…..
Looking for more tips on how to promote bilateral hand (or maybe foot) skills? Check out this post….