Originally Posted by
livedarklions
I've taught a few kids how to ride a bike. I never had to explain to any of them how to turn, and couldn't have if I'd had to. There's got to be some relationship to the skills we need to walk upright that make this instinctive. You definitely don't tell a child how to walk before they start just doing it.
Yup. I've 2 6 year olds on pedal bikes and a nearly-3 year old who scoots around on his balance bike without a care in the world. I've never "told" them how to steer the bikes, but they can all maneuver around crowded parks, along busy pathways, and zig-zag through obstacles in our backyard.
Over-thinking steering can very easily lead to mistakes, so "keep your eyes where you want to go and the bike will follow" remains the best advice (along with "keep your handlebars straight, your brakes maintained, and your tires pumped up").