Thursday, January 6, 2011

Tips on Choosing Kids Bike Helmets

Good habits start in the home. And one of the habits that we should train our children in is safety consciousness. If you child bikes or skates, make sure he wears a kids bike helmet. This is one of the best things you can do to make sure he is protected from head injuries in case of falls or accidents.

When choosing kids bike helmets, there are several things you need to keep in mind.

1. It should fit perfectly.

Parents are fond of buying big when it comes to their kids clothes or shoes. But when buying helmets, it is never advisable to buy big. A helmet will only do its job when it hugs the head of your child properly. An ill fitting helmet can fall off of your child's head or slip out of place. An ill fitting helmet will also be annoying to wear.

The good news for parents is that kids bike helmets often come with several sets of padding that you can add or remove to ensure a snug fit. This also means that your child will not quickly outgrow his helmet. As he grows up, simply use the thinner padding. Remember that the protection that helmets give is in the shell, not in the padding, so a helmet with and without padding are both just as safe.

When buying your child's bike helmet, bring him along with you and have them try it on. Adjust the padding, buckle the straps. This is the best way to ensure that the helmet you buy will fit perfectly and comfortably on your child's head.

2. Let you child choose a design that he likes.

As parents, it is our responsibility to make sure we create the best possible situation to make our child want to wear the helmet. After all, the best helmet will do no good if he doesn't want to wear it. One way to ensure his cooperation is to let him choose the design that he wants. Fortunately, these days there are many designs and prints your child an choose from.

Guide your kid in choosing a colorful and brightly colored helmet. It's much easier to spot from a distance and when it's dark.

3. Make sure it follows safety standards in your country.

Helmets go through testing to make sure they pass safety standards. In the US, look for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission sticker on the helmet. This tells you that the helmet has passed safety standards and will offer real protection to your child when he needs it.

4. Replace the helmet when it crashes.

Helmets are designed to absorb the impact of a crash. In many cases, the damage to the helmet after impact is not noticeable or visible to the naked eye, but every crash will weaken the helmet. It is wise to replace the helmet after a crash to make sure your child continues to use a helmet that will give him the best protection the next time he crashes.

Aside from this, helmets should be replaced when they no longer fit.

After you and your child have chosen the bike helmet, put rules in place about when the helmet should be worn. Explain to your child the importance of wearing a helmet when biking or skating. Be a role model and wear one when you bike or skate. The more commonplace it seems like to your child to wear a helmet, the greater the likelihood that he will always wear it, too and benefit from the protection that it can give.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liberty_Simpson

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