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For very small children, it can be difficult to choose a bike that will enable them to learn to ride quickly and safely. There was a time when kids got a small bike from Santa, and then stabilisers or training wheels were added to help them learn. But recently, many experts have said that kids are better off learning to cycle on a balance bike vs a normal bike with stabilisers.

What is a balance bike?

Put simply, a balance bike is a bike with no pedals. Because balance and coordination are critical to learning to ride a bike, balance bikes focus on teaching these skills to children without the added complication of having to pedal. Children learn to balance on the bike while propelling themselves with their own feet.

What is the best balance bike to get for your child?

So what is the best balance bike to buy your child?

The problem with most balance bikes is that once the child has learned to ride, and is ready for pedals, the balance bike is basically obsolete. Having to buy a pedal bike so soon after investing in a balance bike means extra cost.

What’s the alternative?

There is a unique, convertible Balance Bike, that was specially designed and assembled in Ireland. It was the brainchild of round-the-world cyclist Simon Evans, and has been winning rave reviews from many experts and bike reviewers around the world.

The bike is called the LittleBig Balance Bike and comes in various sizes.

There has been huge growth in the availability of Irish Experience Days over the last 5 years. There was a time when the only adventure experiences you could try in Ireland were a driving day in Mondello, or the odd parachute jump or paragliding experience.

Things have changed. Now you can try your hand at almost any adventure experience. From fairly mild activities like Footgolf or Archery to more extreme pursuits like Advanced Rally Driving or extreme Ziplining from a 160 metre high wire!

The best thing about gift vouchers for so-called “experience days” is that they offer someone the chance to fulfil a lifelong dream. We tend not to buy ourselves good presents, but if we know someone desperately wants to have a flying lesson or drive a rally car, buying them a gift voucher will help them satisfy that craving.

A great way to find out what experiences your friends or family would like to try is to post a question up on your Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page. Something like this would work:

I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and try something exhilarating like Skydiving or flying a Microlight. Who else out there feels the same? What extreme activity would you like to try? Who knows, maybe we could try something together?

Kayaking has grown massively popularity in Ireland over the past 5 years. Its growth has seen a big rise in kayak ownership and also the number of operators offering kayaking tours & kayaking lessons throughout Ireland.

One of the most popular spots for kayaking in the West of Ireland is Limerick City. A number of watersport operators now offer recreational kayaking tours and lessons from various bases throughout the City.

A Kayaking Tour of Limerick is a great gift for someone who enjoys a bit of adventure.

Extremesports.ie offer a range of Experience Days across Ireland, and they now offer a Kayaking Tour of Limerick for 2 people, available from March to September.

Google Map showing where to try Kayaking Tours & Lessons in Limerick City:

If you live near Limerick City, or are visiting the area, and you’re keen to try Kayaking, here’s what you need to do:

How to try Kayaking in Limerick City:

• Decide if you want to take a Kayak Tour of Limerick or choose one of the other watersport experiences.
• Purchase a Kayak Tour of Limerick for 2 people from the ExtremeSports.ie website.
• Once you’ve decided when you want to do the tour, just send your preferred times and dates via the Gift Experience booking form.
• Once your place is booked, you will receive a confirmation email from the Tour Host.
• All kayaking safety equipment is provided, so on the day you just need to take along a towel, swimwear and some spare clothes
• Have a great time!

Watch this brief video which shows why Dave Neville of LimerickAdventures.com is so enthusiastic about Limerick City and the watersport & kayaking opportunities it offers:

And if you want to try SUP Boarding in Limerick City LimerickAdevntures.com are now offering 1.5 or 2.5 hour long sessions, starting from their base behind The Hunt Museum in the heart of Limerick. So if you’re looking for things for your family to do in Limerick this Summer, why not check them out?

There are a number of campsites nearby, with great facilities for tents or campervans. One of our favourite camping parks is a little further afield. Killaloe Camping Site for tents and Campervans is a newly opened campsite for families who want a base to tour the Killaloe and Lough Derg area. With pitch per night pricing starting from €15 this is a budget-friendly facility, with an award-winning gastropub on site.