WRWC Expands Bike Education with All Kids Bike in Rhode Island
We are excited to share a major step forward for bike education at the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council. This winter, we are launching a new partnership with All Kids Bike, a national nonprofit initiative led by the Strider Education Foundation, to bring early bike education directly into Rhode Island elementary schools.
Through this partnership, we will pilot the All Kids Bike program at Henry J. Winters Elementary School in Pawtucket beginning this winter. The program is designed to introduce kindergarten students to biking during PE class, providing a structured and supportive way for young children to build balance, coordination, and confidence on two wheels.
Access to early bike education can make a profound difference. Many children in neighborhoods near the Woonasquatucket River Greenway do not have regular opportunities to learn how to ride a bike at an early age. By working directly with schools, we can remove common barriers such as equipment, training, and space, while creating a fun and engaging learning experience for students.
“Many children in neighborhoods near the Woonasquatucket River Greenway lack access to safe, early opportunities to learn how to ride a bike,” said Luke Davies, WRWC TerraCorps Service Member. “By establishing an All Kids Bike program at a partner school, we remove logistical barriers and give kids a structured, fun way to start riding confidently at a young age.”
Our team has seen firsthand why this matters. Through our long-running Rhode to Bicycle Safety program for 5th graders, we have found that many students are still learning to ride at later ages. While we remain deeply committed to those learn-to-ride efforts, we believe introducing biking earlier can help students feel more confident, capable, and excited about riding as they grow.
The All Kids Bike pilot includes everything needed for schools to run the program successfully. This includes a fleet of 24 student Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, an instructor bike, 25 helmets, rolling storage racks, and an eight-session curriculum that guides students from balance skills to pedaling. The turnkey design allows schools to explore early bike education without the financial burden of purchasing equipment or developing curriculum themselves.
Looking ahead, we hope to expand All Kids Bike to additional Rhode Island schools, prioritizing communities where students have had limited prior riding experience. Early bike education not only supports physical development and confidence, but also encourages outdoor exploration, independence, and a lifelong connection to active transportation.
At WRWC, biking is more than a skill — it is a pathway to freedom, mobility, and discovery. Whether through school programs, community partnerships, or our Red Shed at Riverside Park in Olneyville, we remain committed to making biking accessible, welcoming, and fun for kids and families across the Woonasquatucket watershed and beyond.