IEP goals for riding a tricycle or bike

By the IEP Atlas editorial teamLast updated November 1, 2026

Short answer

A tricycle IEP goal names the bike, the distance or course, the help level and a criterion. Example: on the recess blacktop, Jayden will pedal a tricycle 50 feet with continuous forward pedaling and feet staying on the pedals in 4 of 5 trials. Break riding into getting on, pedaling, steering and stopping, and target the part that is missing.

Riding a tricycle or bike is a recess and PE skill, a way to join peers on the trike track, and for older students a path to community recreation. IDEA expects students with disabilities to take part in recess and other nonacademic settings with peers to the extent appropriate, and PE is part of special education.^[2]^[3] Riding has parts: getting on, pedaling, steering, stopping and keeping safe. Most students are missing one or two of them. Write the goal around the missing part.

This page gives 24 goals in six groups, each with a baseline and a template link. The numbers are illustrations, not norms. For PT goals across other areas, see the physical therapy IEP goals pillar.

How to choose the right riding goal

What you see now	Sub-skill to target	Measurement method
Needs to be lifted on; climbs off unsafely	Getting on and off, safety routine	Task steps completed, out of 5 or 6
Pushes with feet on the ground; feet slip off pedals	Pedaling	Feet of continuous pedaling, best of 3
Pedals straight but cannot turn or follow a path	Steering	Cones passed without contact, out of 6
Cannot stop on a signal or before a wall	Stopping	Stops within a marked zone, out of 5
Needs foot straps, a back support or a hand-pedal trike	Adaptive trike riding	Minutes or laps of continuous riding
Rides a trike well and wants a two-wheel bike	Balance bike and two-wheel bike	Seconds of gliding or feet ridden without a foot down

An adaptive trike is equipment. If a student needs one to take part in PE, write it in the IEP as a support, along with who sets it up. Settings such as straps, seat height and trunk supports come from the PT.

Getting on, getting off and safety goals

At the recess trike shed, Jayden will get on a tricycle by holding the handlebars, stepping through and sitting, completing 4 of 4 steps with standby help in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: lifted on by an adult. Template.
At the end of trike time, Mia will stop, put both feet down and climb off to the side, completing 3 of 3 steps with no adult help, in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: falls off or waits to be lifted. Template.
Before riding, Kai will put on and buckle his helmet, with a check from an adult, on 4 of 5 riding days. Baseline: an adult puts it on. Template.
During PE, Omar will complete the 5-step bike-ready routine (helmet, buckle, check tires, walk the bike to the start, get on) with a picture card on 4 of 5 PE days. Baseline: 1 of 5 steps. Template.

Weak: "Jayden will get on and off the tricycle safely." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the steps and the help level.

Pedaling goals

Measure the distance the student pedals before stopping, pushing with the feet or losing a pedal. Use a tape measure and chalk marks on the blacktop.

On the recess blacktop, Jayden will pedal a tricycle 50 feet with continuous forward pedaling and feet staying on the pedals in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: 15 feet before his feet slip off. Template.
With foot straps on the pedals, Leo will pedal an adaptive tricycle 30 feet without adult push in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: 5 feet with an adult pushing. Template.
Starting from a stop, Ruby will push the pedals to start moving without an adult push or a foot push on the ground in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: needs a push in 5 of 5. Template.
On a slight slope on the playground path, Theo will pedal up 20 feet without stopping in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: stops after 5 feet. Template.

Weak: "Jayden will pedal a tricycle." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It sets the distance and what counts as continuous pedaling.

Steering goals

Riding a tricycle through a line of 6 cones spaced 6 feet apart, Kai will weave past all cones without touching one in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: touches 4 of 6. Template.
On the painted recess track, Mia will stay inside the lane lines for one full lap in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: rides off the lane 5 times per lap. Template.
At the end of the trike path, Ruby will make a U-turn within an 8-foot circle without putting a foot down in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: stops and an adult turns the trike. Template.
Riding with 4 classmates on the track, Theo will steer around other riders without a collision for a 5-minute trike time on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 3 collisions per session. Template.

Weak: "Kai will improve steering." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It sets the course, the spacing and what counts as an error.

Stopping goals

Stopping safely matters as much as moving. Mark a 3-foot stop zone in chalk and count stops inside it.

When an adult says "stop" or holds up a stop sign, Jayden will stop his tricycle within 3 feet in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: 1 of 5. Template.
Riding toward a chalk line, Omar will stop with the front wheel inside the 3-foot zone before the line in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: rides past the line on 4 of 5. Template.
Riding a two-wheel bike with hand brakes, Eli will squeeze both brakes and stop within the zone in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: drags his feet to stop. Template.
At a painted crosswalk on the bike course, Grace will stop, look both ways and wait for the adult's go before crossing in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: rides through without stopping. Template.

Weak: "Jayden will stop when told." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It names the signal, the distance and the trials.

Adaptive trike goals

Adaptive trikes can have foot straps, a high back, a trunk support, a push handle for an adult or hand pedals. They let a student who cannot balance a standard trike ride with the class. Track minutes or laps of riding with the class.

During PE laps, Leo will ride an adaptive trike continuously for 5 minutes with standby help on 3 of 4 PE days. Baseline: 1 minute before stopping. Template.
During the PE laps warm-up, Ava will ride a hand-pedal trike 2 laps of the gym in 5 minutes on 3 of 4 PE days. Baseline: half a lap. Template.
With the adult push handle used for steering only, Mia will pedal her adaptive trike the length of the hallway (150 feet) on 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: an adult pushes for the whole distance. Template.
At the start of trike time, Leo will tell or show the adult which straps and supports he needs, naming 3 of 3 items, on 4 of 5 days. Baseline: 0 of 3. Template.

Weak: "Leo will ride an adapted bike in PE." Measurable: Goal 1 above. It sets the time and the help level.

Balance bike and two-wheel bike goals

These goals often fit upper elementary and older students for PE bike units and community riding. Riding on the road is a family decision; school goals stay on school grounds.

On a balance bike on the blacktop, Theo will push off and glide with both feet up for 3 seconds in 4 of 5 trials. Baseline: walks the bike with feet on the ground. Template.
On a two-wheel bike with an adult holding the seat for the start only, Ruby will ride 30 feet without putting a foot down in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: 5 feet. Template.
During the PE bike unit, Eli will ride a set course of 4 cones, a turn and a stop zone without a foot down, in 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: puts a foot down 3 times per course. Template.
On the school track, Jay will ride a two-wheel bike 2 laps continuously on 3 of 4 trials. Baseline: half a lap. Template.

Weak: "Ruby will learn to ride a bike." Measurable: Goal 2 above. It names the help, the distance and the rule for a correct trial.

How to measure riding goals

Distance with chalk marks every 5 feet on the blacktop. Record the best of 3 or the median, and say which.
Errors per course for steering: cones touched, foot down, rides off the lane.
Stops in the zone out of 5 trials.
Task steps for getting on, getting off and the bike-ready routine. See task analysis and the task analysis data sheet.
Minutes or laps for adaptive trike endurance. See the duration data sheet.

Record which trike or bike was used and its settings. A new trike changes the task. The guide to gross motor data collection covers how often to probe.

Short-term objectives and grade adaptations

Objectives usually move through distance, then steering, then riding with peers: pedal 20 feet, then 50 feet, then a cone course, then trike time with classmates.

Grade band	Typical focus	Example condition
Preschool	Getting on, pedaling, stopping on a signal	Trike time on the playground
K to 2	Steering, track laps, riding with peers	Recess trike track
Grades 3 to 5	Balance bike, two-wheel bike, adaptive trike in PE	PE bike unit
Middle and high school	Bike course, helmet routine, community recreation	PE lifetime-fitness unit

Preschool riding goals sit alongside the examples in gross motor goals for preschoolers. Balance supports riding, so see balance IEP goals; the playground IEP goals page covers climbing and swings. Full template wording is on the gross motor goals page. Run the draft through the goal checker.

Frequently asked questions

Is riding a tricycle an educational goal?

It can be when riding is how the student takes part in recess or PE with peers. Write the goal around that access, such as joining trike time or PE laps, and measure it during those times.

Who decides if a student needs an adaptive trike?

The PT usually assesses and recommends it, and the IEP team writes it in as a support. The PT also sets straps and supports and trains staff to set them up the same way each time.

How do you measure pedaling?

Mark distance on the blacktop and record how far the student pedals before stopping, pushing with the feet or losing a pedal. Use the same trike and surface each time, and report the best of 3 trials or the median.

Use it in IEP Atlas

Sources

34 CFR §300.320: Definition of individualized education program, Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School
34 CFR §300.117: Nonacademic settings, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)
34 CFR §300.108: Physical education, U.S. Department of Education (IDEA website)

Written and checked by the IEP Atlas editorial team under our editorial policy. This guide describes general practice and federal rules. It is not legal advice; your state may add requirements, and the IEP team makes the decisions for each student.