What is Wielerschool Japan?

Wielerschool Japan is a full-fledged course of bicycling started in 2003 as a sports bike education for children, based on the teaching text of the Bicycle Federation in Belgian Flanders Region, and is a volunteer group run by non-profit bicycle lovers.
Since 2007, we have changed to an educational program to raise the humanity of children using bicycles, Currently, more than 100 supporters across the country provide guidance to children in various places.

Philosophy / slogan

Have fun to ride a bicycle for as many children as possible

Getting a child’s smile is very easy. To do that, we also need to become children.

Based on the idea of utilizing the bicycle as a means to live a happy and productive life, we transmit that sociality and necessary human development will grow by riding a bicycle. We spread our activities nationwide so that the children learn to use the bicycle safely and comfortably.
We cultivate the ability that children can think and judge by themselves, and nurture their desire to ride a bicycle. We utilize bicycles as an effective means of comprehensive education. This is the social role (mission) of the bicycle course.

Wielerschool Japan

Chairman : Takaaki Nakajima
16-1 kobashinomoto izumi miyama nantan
Kyoto Japan
wsj-info@cyclingschool.jp
+81-90-5248-0055

What children learn through cycling

As an optimum means for children to use bicycles safely and enjoyable in society, it is important that children learn the techniques of bicycles, to use the body well and to have a mindset corresponding to various situations, and also to nurture sociality more than anything. In order to improve their communication skills, we actively practice various programs incorporating the following items.

Fun & Fan of Cycling
Understanding the bicycle
Improvement of technique
Self-responsibility
Spontaneous action
Sociality

State of the specific program

The biggest secret to master the bicycle is riding it as much as possible. To do so, bicycle schools should be enjoyable for the children. We actively investigate and adopt while learning the methods such as bicycle education that has been carried out in countries like Belgium and Denmark, and provide the children with optimum teaching methods that fit the Japanese environment.
Since 2007, mainly volunteer groups has held Wielerschools actively at schools, events and communities throughout Japan, and many children have participated.
Wielerschools offer various situations in which children can participate positively in traffic society. And also we emphasize exchange of different ages and for children of all ages to learn independence and consideration naturally while helping each other in this school.

The schools in suburb, making it possible to experience many programs that let you feel the fun of cycling together

Group cycling with several ages, nurturing the feelings of caring for others

The whole view of the school area. It is designed to be easily held in a space like a parking lot

We also give them some lectures to provide various information on bicycles as well as techniques

Programs for improving techniques also have a wide range

In order to keep motivating with fun games etc., we devised and created various games

Practice to handle your bicycle well in a narrow circle

Children compete against each other, and they are getting better while enjoying

A game competing in cycling as slow as possible

Children become addicted to the program to cultivate sense of balance

Lecture about the history of bicycles and examples of bicycle utilization in other countries

There are some opportunities to receive guidance from professional cyclists and riders of the national team

Learning about bicycles from a professional cyclist

Autonomy will be nurtured by building up the courses by themselves.

Various play is created by children themselves

Children can participate freely for both cycling or making courses. There is no detailed rule and freedom is guaranteed.

It is interesting that the program evolves more and more with the ideas from children

To prompt voluntary motivation by preparing bicycle courses by children themselves

Sometimes unique play that adults never think of at all is also created

It is full of fun during the school, and their smiling is continuous

There are also some ideas that everyone can enjoy, both those riding a bicycle and those not riding a bicycle

School in nature helps to improve their technique

Cycling together is very important for experiencing actual traffic society

It is very important to learn the value of collaborating and cooperating with each other without classification of age

After the goal of cycling, playing everyone together in nature is also an important point of our bicycle class

Bicycle school is a road map from “Child to enjoy bicycling” to becoming “adult to enriching society”

In order to promote the idea that “children with sociality should become adults with sociality”, we think it is important that all those people engaged in bicycle education enhance the program, share their information with each other and actively maintain the environment for continuous activities