I Like My Bike

by David & Anne Ellsworth

One of the exciting events in a child's life is learning to ride a bicycle – having those training wheels come off and then flying on two wheels! The realization of accomplishment makes riding so fun. The song "I Like My Bike" celebrates that joy in a folk-style setting for your youngest singers.

The start of the tune is introduced with drums playing with brushes, giving the effect of turning bike wheels. A harp glissando introduces the pitch for the start of singing.

The melody is simple enough that, especially if you let your kids sing along with the recording, it should be a breeze to learn. We repeated verse one the third time around for ease of memorization and performance, but feel free to write your own new third verse to sing. The lyrics explain to the listener that "I like my bike," and then they explain why. The second verse talks about the elements of safe bike riding and how, when care is taken, we get "home safely." This is a happy song that can be paired with a lesson on bike safety and the rules of the road.

You could also let your singers play a listening game with it. For example: How many times do you hear the bike bell? How many times do you hear the bike horn? (Do you know what that even sounds like?) Raise your hand when you hear the slide whistle. If you have access to a bike bell or horn, bringing them to show your kids as the song is listened to and learned would help them remember and look forward to singing along.

Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.