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 Come Out & Play
Scootering
Bicycles arent the only two-wheeled sports equipment that you can get around on. Kick scooters are lots of fun!
There are different kinds of scooters, but they all have a footboard mounted on two wheels and a long steering handle. Some are propelled only by the riders foot. Others have a small electric or gas motor and go up to 25 miles per hour. A third type is propelled by foot but also has a chain and kick pedal to help move you down the street at faster speeds without touching your foot to the ground. Pulse Performance Products, the company that makes the Pulse Kick N Go scooter, describes it like this: It is a human-powered two-wheeled vehicle that is propelled in two ways: pushing with one foot on the ground like a traditional scooter, or kicking the unique drive lever, which spins the rear wheel and propels the scooter forward. Think this is a new idea? Its actually a redesign of the original Kick N Go scooter from the 1970s. Ask your parents if they remember it!
What are the benefits of scootering? Well, besides being fun, they are also good for cardiovascular health and for improving balance, coordination and muscle strength in the legs. They are also used as a method of transportation. In big cities, grownups even ride scooters to work. Of course, a kick scooter without a motor is going to provide much more exercise benefit than a motorized scooter. To get moving on a scooter, you put one foot forward on the footbed. Use your other foot to push forward off the ground. Its similar to riding a skateboard, but you have handlebars to steer the scooter. How do you stop? Some scooters come with a hand brake, while other scooters have a friction brake at the back.
Like all things with wheels, there are some safety guidelines you should follow when scootering. Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta and the International In-Line Skating Association offer the following helpful guidelines:
Before skateboarding, skating or riding a scooter, parents should check
equipment thoroughly for hazards such as loose, broken or cracked parts, slippery top surfaces and wheels with nicks and cracks.
Always wear appropriate safety gear, including a helmet, wrist guards, and elbow and knee pads. If wristguards interfere with your childs ability to steer the scooter safely, he may want to leave one or both wristguards off.
Be sure protective gear fits properly and does not interfere with your childs movement, vision or hearing.
Never ride in the street. Ride on smooth, paved surfaces free of traffic. Avoid streets or surfaces with water, sand, gravel or dirt.
Do not skateboard, skate or ride a scooter at night.
Limit skateboard, skate or scooter use to one person at a time.
Never hitch a ride from a car, bus, truck, bicycle, etc.
If a move seems risky, do not try it.
Do complicated moves only in designated areas.
Children ages 8 and younger should not use bikes, skateboards, skates or scooters without close adult supervision.
Use caution when skateboarding, skating or riding a scooter downhill. If the hill is steep, step off and walk to the bottom of the hill.
Use all of the protective equipment and pads appropriate for the activity.
Article and photo: Joy Kirkpatrick. Source: Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, www.choa.org; Pulse Performance Products/Bravo Sports, www.pulsekickngo.com.
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