How To Size A Child’s Bike Helmet

Enjoy this article on how to size a child’s bike helmet by our fellow TravelingMom, Amy Barseghian.  As it’s very timely for us, we asked to repost it for all our readers.  With summer here, bike safety for ALL needs to be a top priority…. THE TRIWIVES

In light of Dana’s husband’s recent bike accident, the topic of bike safety is top of mind. Thankfully Dana’s husband practiced all of the right things, but an often overlooked first step to bike safety is properly sizing a bike helmet.

I admit that prior to this year, I have been making the same mistake that I often see other parents make. We were letting our children wear helmets that were simply too large to provide protection in the event the worst ever happened. Bike safety, and sport safety as a whole starts early so it is important that we teach kids how a properly sized helmet feels on their head. Otherwise, they will become accustomed to the improper loose feel and challenge needing to wear one that actually fits them properly.

I finally learned how to size a bike helmet CORRECTLY using this easy 3-step guide from Bern.

Step 1: Find a string and pinch your fingers around one end of the string. Then, wrap the string around your child’s head just above their eyebrows until your hands meet. This is a key step in the process!

Step 2: Tightly pinch where the string overlapped and remove it from your child’s head. Grab a pen or marker and mark a spot on the string where it overlapped.

Step 3: Lay the string out flat and measure the length to the marked spot.

Use this measurement to order the appropriate sized helmet. A simple way to ensure the helmet fits properly is to look at the straps; they will form a “Y” forward of and below each ear. Be sure the strap is snug under the jawbone and against the throat and check to make sure the ears will not be covered by any part of the strap if the helmet is positioned correctly on the head and the straps are in the right position.

You can refer to this infographic from Bern as well to ensure proper sizing of your bike helmet. A key point I want to mention is to not do what many parents do when buying any other piece of clothing.

Do not size up.

When we were measuring our children, they were both within a centimeter of the top end of their size range. If you size up, the helmet will be too loose to protect them in the event they actually are involved in an accident.

Bio: Amy Barseghian has been a social media influencer and writer since 2008; after spending most of her life in the Midwest and a four-year stay in Arizona, Amy and her family now call Orange County, California home. Amy is the founder of OC Mentor, where she writes about travel, technology, parenting, and family lifestyle and is also a freelance writer at Android Life, Orange County Traveling Mom, SheBuysCars, and Land O’Lakes corporate. Amy is the owner of Social Halo Media where she helps companies manage their digital communities. Amy and her husband have two children that also love to travel; they are happy to call Aulani their Disney Vacation Club home.

Amy Barseghian
CEO Social Halo Media, Inc.
Social & Digital Media Community Manager
Owner and Writer: OC Mentor
Freelance Writer: AndroidLife, She Buys Cars, & Orange County Traveling Mom
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