Bicycle helmets are an essential piece of bike riding wardrobe
for adults and toddlers alike. The young brain is quilt fragile
and you only have one, so train your childrn to wear appropriately
sized toddle bicycle helmets from the beginning and then they
rarely see it as anything but normal, as long as you follow a
few suggestions.
Brainwashing or training.. no helmet, no riding! When dealing
with toddlers it is best to start them early. First and foremost
buy them a helmet that fits properly with the strap fastened under
their chin. It should sit flat, ie. horizontal with the ground,
not resting on the back of their head or it will serve little
purpose when and if they ever need it in a crash.
The straps must adjust around the ears without driving
them crazy.
The newer designs have a flip lever that allows for quick and
easy one handed adjustment of the length of the ear straps, encouraging
the young ones to play with it until it is comfortable. It must
be fastened securely so it doesn't shift in transit. Only with
proper fitting will it protect your toddler. Bicycle helmets are
of little value if they fall off when needed.
The buckle on a kids helmet should be easily done up and
released by the child or they'll be frustrated by their lack of
independence. Most of the newer helmets include a pinch proof
buckle that prevents them from pinching their neck when doing
it up. Again a small feature but gives them less reason to not
wear their bicycle helmet.
First find a brand of bicycle helmet that has these features
and then one that appeals to their sense of fashion, within that
brand or style. For instance the Bell
toddler bike helmet line has a selection of 3 different
colour and pattern combinations each within the series of lil'
Bell Shell, Amigo or Boomerang Bell helmet, … blue aliens, Pink
Animals or Red Poodles. And the Bell Boomerang for toddlers just
won the Consumer Reports Best Buy
A Kid's bicycle helmet must grow with the child! That doesn't
mean that you have to purchase a new helmet every year. When a
child is born its head is dis-proportionally large, then grows
slower then the rest of their body, suggesting smaller yearly
changes.
As well as that most kids' helmets are purchased a little larger
and then have a number of foam pads of various thicknesses that
are included with your purchase to fine tune the fit. You add
the correct pads to the inside circumference of the helmet to
make a firm fit around your child's head, shifting to the thinner
foam as your child's head grows. The foam pads do not affect the
protective capabilities of the bike helmet.
Manufacturers like Giro have a trade-in program called "grow
with Giro" offered at many of their dealers. If your child outgrows
his or her Giro Me2 helmet, you just have to take in the old helmet
to the retailer and they are authorized to offer you a $10.00
discount on the purchase of a larger Giro bike helmet…. So be
sure to ask.
Caution: A Kids Bicycle Helmet Can Be Dangerous! I know
this sounds kind of stupid, but there have been a number of deaths
both in North American and European countries where a toddler
has died or been seriously injured when their helmet strap got
hooked on playground equipment or climbing a tree. A toddler bike
helmet must have a strong strap in order to keep the helmet on
the child's head during a crash, but this creates a "hanging
hazard" if it is used in occupations it was not intended
for.
This is not a stretch if you remember the stories in Toronto
a few years ago where two young boys were asphyxiated when the
cords from their hoody sweaters got caught on the sharp corners
of a playground slide. Since then the City of Toronto has removed
all offending playground equipment until new designs can be created
without the risk of injury.
More Information:
Cycling Helmet
Basics
Bell
Helmets
Giro
Helmets
Consumer Reports Best Buy Review 2007
Regulations for a Kids Bicycle Helmet (under 5)
