Nova Scotia hopping on to youth biking program
Never underestimate the power of the pedal. Cycling Nova Scotia has started its signature development program, HopOn, for another year of fun and learning. This games-based approach for ages 6-12 ensures that they not only develop their bike handling skills but also build confidence and forge connections with fellow riders.
“I was shocked that there wasn’t a youth program for biking before,” said Mike Todd, executive director of Cycling Nova Scotia. “It’s so much fun and so many kids go out to bike, so this is just filling a niche that should’ve been filled a long time ago.”
The program was developed by Cycling Canada based on Cycling BC’s iRide model, which thousands of kids have participated in, and adopted in Nova Scotia a couple of years ago but really took off in 2023. Three clubs in the province adopted the program, three instructor courses were held which yielded a dozen new instructors, and a coordinator, Jess Spooner, was hired last September to promote HopOn across Nova Scotia. Thanks to a grant from Cycling Canada, last year programs were run from Bear River in the Annapolis Valley to Mabou in Cape Breton.
“We had over 100 kids in HopOn programs last year and this year we’re hoping for well over double that,” said Todd.
It wasn’t a hard sell to get that level of buyin. Promoting the program through Cycling Nova Scotia’s social channels, and local recreation departments and general word of mouth was all they needed to fill available registration.
And it wasn’t hard to find a place to hold sessions.
“All you need is a field,” said Todd. “It’s really well contained. You’re not on mountain bike trails, you’re not on roads. Gravel can be fun, but it’s stop and start interactive, so it’s not that much fun when you fall.”
HopOn is a six-hour program which can be broken up into several sessions as needed. The games-based approach teaches kids about basic techniques like braking, cadence and rounding corners. Kids learn without knowing that they are learning.
“Explorential learning, just having fun while doing it,” said Todd. “You get good without realizing it.” The program is also tailored to meet the needs of children with varying skill sets, whether they are learning to ride for the first time or have differing degrees of experience. A colourcoded levels system helps identify the skill levels of each rider and aid parents in deciding what types of programs their children should be looking at.
“We’re also looking over the next couple years to create more youth clubs that offer the next step from HopOn,” said Todd. “So the kids that enjoyed HopOn, learned skills and had fun and want to do more biking can move on to a youth club where they can go a race route or a free ride route and get to be better cyclists and really fall in love with the sport.”
Some rec departments will offer bikes and helmets for use, while others ask for participants to provide their own. Costs vary, but usually top out at around $95 per child, according to Todd, which covers instructors, equipment and insurance.
“It all depends on the program that’s run,” said Todd. Those who have been introduced to HopOn are on board for more.
“The feedback has been all positive,” said Todd. “Everybody’s really enjoyed it. The programs that we’ve had, people want to sign back up and take more HopOn or maybe move on to something a little more challenging.”
But the basic principle remains the same. “Especially in a post-pandemic world, people want to get outside and have fun,” said Todd. “Getting on a bike is a great way to do that.”
Sessions kicked off in February in Queens Region, with more planned. To inquire about participating or hosting sessions in your community, email jess.spooner@cyclingns.ca.