The pandemic years saw a massive surge in at-home fitness, with indoor cycling leading the charge. Peloton’s sales witnessed a skyrocket of 172 percent, and even luxury brands like SoulCycle jumped into the home market. It seemed everyone was embracing indoor cycling, adults at least. Now, mirroring this trend, Little Tikes has introduced the Pelican Explore & Fit Cycle, a miniature version of these popular adult bikes, designed specifically as a children’s exercise bike. But is a kids’ Peloton bike truly a necessary addition to childhood, or are we pushing the boundaries of fitness expectations for young children?
The Little Tikes Pelican Explore & Fit Cycle, priced around $157.99, is marketed as a “cycling or spin class for kids” solution. Complete with its own YouTube channel featuring “Pelican trainers,” it aims to replicate the adult Peloton experience for children aged 3 to 7. This raises the question: do young children genuinely need a structured spin class experience? Has the simple joy of riding a bicycle outdoors become outdated? And are we placing undue emphasis on formal exercise for this age group?
While the idea of encouraging children to be active is inherently positive, the execution through a miniature stationary bike warrants closer examination. Undeniably, there’s a certain appeal for parents who are already immersed in at-home fitness routines. Many parents may see this children’s exercise bike as a way for their kids to participate alongside them. The author even notes their own 3-year-old’s fascination with their Peloton. However, this proximity also highlights a potential concern. As parents, ensuring the safety of children around fitness equipment is paramount. Recalling the tragic accident involving a Peloton treadmill earlier in the year, the importance of keeping children away from potentially dangerous equipment when unsupervised cannot be overstated. Introducing children to their own stationary bikes could inadvertently increase their curiosity and desire to use adult equipment, potentially before they are ready or without proper supervision.
Moreover, in an age of increasing screen time debates, the purpose of screen-based activities for children needs careful consideration. While research suggests that the quality of screen time is more critical than mere quantity, dedicating that screen time to simulated exercise classes for young children might be misdirected. Shouldn’t screen time be prioritized for educational, creative, or interactive experiences rather than mimicking adult workout routines?
Little Tikes defends the Pelican as a supplementary tool, not a replacement for outdoor bikes. They position it as a safe and engaging toy that allows children to be active indoors, alongside their parents, with or without screen-based guidance. Kevin Bloomfield, Vice President of Design at Little Tikes, stated, “[We] created a product that would make kids happy and stay active regardless of the state of the world.” Particularly with ongoing concerns about indoor time due to health situations and weather, Little Tikes envisions the Pelican as an indoor solution to combat sedentary behavior in children.
An Instagram post from Little Tikes promotes the bike with the tagline: “Nothing says adventure like hopping on the Pelican Explore & Fit Cycle to ride into the woods, fly through the sky, and ski across the water!” This marketing approach emphasizes imaginative play, yet it simultaneously underscores the irony. The true adventure for children lies in actually experiencing nature and the outdoors, not simulating it on a stationary children’s exercise bike.
Dr. Daniel O’Neill, a sports psychologist, orthopedic surgeon, and author of Survival of the Fit, offers a critical perspective: “While this is not the worst idea in the world, it might be in the running. Children this age do not need to exercise, they need to play.” He advocates for unstructured outdoor play, suggesting simple tools like balls, bikes, and natural environments. Dr. O’Neill emphasizes the importance of play-based activity for children’s development over structured exercise, suggesting that indoor alternatives should focus on intellectual engagement combined with movement, such as board games or active games, when outdoor play isn’t feasible.
Parental reactions to the Pelican children’s exercise bike are mixed. While some appreciate it as a supervised indoor activity option, particularly during times of limited outdoor access, many express concerns. Comments on social media range from “disturbing” to highlighting deeper societal issues, with one commenter noting, “I’m all for kids being active, but this is too much. Way to introduce diet culture and beauty ideals even sooner.”
Dr. O’Neill echoes concerns about the adultification of exercise for children: “In any given Peloton class the instructors compliment you on having the discipline to get on this bike and sweat. And it does take discipline because it is not fun—it is work. You don’t have to convince an adult to ski or surf or play tennis or go on a bike ride in Central Park because this stuff is all fun. I do not want kids equating exercise (e.g. being on an indoor bike) with drudgery.” For adults, indoor cycling can be a chosen form of intense workout, but for young children, the focus should be on the inherent joy of movement and play.
While the intention behind creating a children’s exercise bike might stem from a desire to promote activity, it risks misplacing the emphasis for young children. Childhood should be about play, exploration, and developing a natural love for movement, ideally in outdoor environments. Introducing structured, indoor exercise through a miniature stationary bike, especially one mirroring adult workout culture, might inadvertently promote a skewed perception of fitness for young children. Perhaps, encouraging outdoor bike rides and active play remains the most beneficial and enjoyable path to children’s fitness.
