One of the biggest bonuses of ATV riding is the fact it gets the entire family out of the house. Mom and Dad get away from work, finances and other worries. The kids get a break from their non-stop schedules and away from the television and video games.
ATV parks are fun for riders new to the sport of ATVing. Taking the whole family trail riding or even better for a long weekend of ATVing and camping is even better.
You may know everything there is to know about riding an ATV, but that doesn't mean your kids will listen or you might assume your kids know something about riding an ATV that they don't. It is best to sign your kids up to take lessons from a DOT approved riding course trainer. Many ATV riding clubs offer these courses. They will learn proper handling techniques, maneuvering skills and good safety practices to insure that all their ATV rides are safe ones.
Another important tip to teach your kids is to get in the habit of doing a pre-ride inspection. They don't have to know the technical reason behind each component of their ATV, but they do need to know the basics of checking brakes, spark plugs, chains and so on. Most problems start really small and learning to maintain their ATVs can't start too early.
Make sure your kids understand they need to wear proper ATV safety gear. Don't just guy it and expect them to wear it. Explain the dangers of riding without a helmet, tell them honestly what can happen when safe ATV riding practices are not used. When riding the ATV trails, teach your children to not follow too closely and teach them when fording a stream or when they are crossing any place on an ATV trail, to wait for the person behind them to catch up, everyone on the ATV trail should learn this technique.
Knowing the safety basics will teach your kids to be great ATV riders and not only will they have a good time, they'll have a safe time!
