Explore the outdoors with your family with a fun bike ride everyone can enjoy. Find a bike path in your city or go off-road and explore the trails. Your kids will love getting active and riding their kid's bikes.

A family bike ride can be a great way to bond with the kids and have some weekend fun. Long family bike trips can be an awesome way to introduce your kids to longer bike rides, and build their confidence to ride by themselves. 

To make sure everyone in your family enjoys the outdoor adventure, we've put together cycling trip essentials you should definitely consider!

Here's What To Pack for a Long Family Bike Trip:

• Bike Helmet: A bike helmet should be on the top of your bike trip packing list, especially if you’re going on a family biking trip. Make sure all your bike helmets comply with Australian safety standards.
  
  
• Backpack: A backpack helps you store all your biking essentials. A good backpack for family bike rides is one with reflective panels. This will help you stay visible to vehicles. You should also look for ones that don’t have any long cords or straps that can get caught in the drivetrain. 
  
  
• Water bottle: Pack a full water bottle to keep you hydrated wherever you go.
  
  
• Sun Protection: To protect you and your family from the Australian sun, it’s important to be sun safe. To protect your family from harmful UV rays, sunscreen with high SPF should be used.
  
  
• First aid kit: You never know what could happen on a family bike ride so it’s better to be safe than sorry. Pack a first aid kit in your backpack so you’re always prepared for any injury small or big.
  
  
• Snacks: Snacks will help you and your family power on, especially on longer bike trips. Pack some nutritious snacks like fruit or sandwiches which are ready to eat whenever your family wants to take a quick rest stop.
  
  
• Electrolytes: Packing some electrolytes like Gatorade is another way to restore some energy. 
  
  
• Pump or inflator: This is essential in case you’re faced with a flat tyre during your bike ride. A small pump will save you time and stress if you do run into some slight hiccups on your trip. This will be particularly useful for longer family bike rides.
  
  
• Mobile phone: Some of us can't leave the house with our phones so make this the case when going cycling. A mobile phone will be particularly helpful for any emergency calls or using the GPS function to navigate yourself around.
  
  
• Patch kit: A patch kit is an easy and simple way to patch up any surprise punctures you or your family might get. 
  
  
• Front and Rear Bike Lights: Bike lights are a must especially if you have kids. Front and rear bike lights will help you stay visible in front of vehicles and. Make sure your whole family has their own bike lights.
  
  
• Bike Lock: If you're thinking of leaving your bike alone for a short while, consider packing a bike lock so it doesn’t end up mysteriously missing. 
  
  
• Insect repellent: This one is just a bonus if you’re going on long family bike trips or heading off-road. Ward off annoying bugs and insects as you enjoy your family bike trip.

5 Benefits of Family Biking

Cycling is an all-around great sport and hobby that everyone can enjoy. Whether you live in the city, suburbs, or out in the outback, there will be no shortage of bike trails and paths. It's a low-impact activity and riding a bike boasts some great health benefits, both physical and mental health. What's even better is you're able to share the activity with your family. Riding a bike is truly an activity for everyone, so buy your kids a bike and make it a regular part of your family's routine. 

We've put together a list of the benefits of family biking, which include:

Family biking enables quality bonding

Forming long-lasting connections is an important part of growing up for yourself and your children. When you create a strong bond with your children, it is more likely that an open and honest relationship is created. Your children will be comfortable sharing their joys and problems as they grow up. By taking part in activities together like bike riding, you create an environment that enables family bonding.

Family biking promotes a healthy lifestyle

Having an active and healthy lifestyle is essential for growing kids with the Australian Government suggesting kids between 5-17 years should have at least 1 hour of physical activity each day. With backyards getting smaller, and on-screen time increasing it can sometimes be hard to get the kids out of the house enjoying some physical activity. Family biking provides a simple solution to that. By taking a short bike ride each day or on the weekends, your whole family can benefit from a healthy lifestyle

They get the kids off their screens

As previously mentioned in the last point, kids are stuck on their digital devices more than ever! Young children between the ages of 2-5 should have no more than 1 hour of screen time, whilst kids aged between 5-17 should be limited to no more than 2 hours per day. In today's digital age, some might think it's impossible to limit screen time but encouraging kids to get out of the house and do physical activities like bike riding can help with this.

Soak in some Vitamin D

Getting out in the sun is a great way to soak in some of that vitamin D. When your family goes on bike rides you'll inherit the benefits of absorbing a healthy amount of vitamin D, including:

• The growth of healthy bones
• The growth of muscles
• Increasing your immune systems
• Help prevent diabetes

Just remember only 10-20min a few times a week is needed to get all the benefits needed. This means taking a break from your family bike ride to apply some sunscreen.

Family biking can save money

Family biking isn't just a fun physical activity but it can be a mode of transportation for your family. If you live near local shops or want to go to a nearby park, why not take the kids and go for a bike ride. This way you can save on fuel and money for short-distance traveling.

There you have it, 5 benefits of why you should make cycling a regular part of your family's lifestyle. If you're still not convinced, you can choose the way you ride. If your family enjoys the trails, why not grab some mountain bikes and go on an off-road adventure.

At Vuly Play, we encourage safe and active play. We have a range of kids bikes suitable for all ages. From getting your toddler their first bike to the more experienced teens who would prefer a mountain bike or BMX bike. We have children's bikes perfect for any family outing.