Purchasing a bike for your children or grandchildren costs more than the price of the bike and the sales tax. I found out when I discovered that kids want all the latest, greatest and coolest accessories for their bikes. There are so many bike accessories for kid’s bikes today that I was initially shocked to see so many items.
How do you choose the accessories? The ideal way to choose from all the options available today is to learn from this ultimate list of kid’s bike accessories.
Think about the age and size of the child. Consider the style and size of the bike. Think about the specific accessories the child wants or needs for their bicycle. Make sure that you consider the budget before you start shopping. All these accessories are easy to locate, no matter where you, or the child, lives in the U.S.
1. Bike Helmet
Do not let your child ride a bike without a properly-fitting bike helmet. I know the importance of this after raising kids who loved bikes and from falling from a bike myself when I was a kid.
Actually, I rode too close to the cars on my street and bashed my hand in the rear-view mirror of a neighbor’s car. I looked at the cut and fell into the street. I did not have a helmet on and felt that fall. I had a cut hand and scrapes on the side of my face from the fall.
Nemours Children’s Health issued a list of bike helmet safety tips for kids and parents. Go over it with your children to encourage bike safety. I did not have this list when I had my bicycle injury.
Wear a helmet at all times when riding a bike. Wear the helmet the right way for optimal protection. Get a new helmet if you fall while riding your bike and hit your head.
Consider spending a little extra money on a safe helmet. It is not okay to go anywhere and purchase any type of helmet. Trek offers a variety of high-quality bike helmets for kids on their site, including cool designs for girls and boys.
Source: Trek Bikes
The Bontrager Little Dipper MIPS Kids Bike helmet is an ideal first bike helmet for the child wearing their first bike helmet.
It is perfect for a two-year-old to a four-year-old child.
So, what is MIPS? It stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. The technology was developed by brain surgeons and by scientists.
The helmet has a dialed fit system and moisture-wicking pads. It comes with a 30-day unconditional guarantee and a “crash replacement guarantee.” That guarantee ensures that you receive a replacement helmet if the child has a crash with their helmet within the first year of ownership.
Bontrager “builds the future,” with $1.00 from every helmet sale going to People for Bikes, which provides leadership and professional support for transforming cities across the country in the effort to make the U.S. a bike-friendly country.
Do you need a helmet for an older child? I like the Electra Slime bike helmet, also featured on the Trek site.
Source: Trek Bikes
It features that cool green slime over a black helmet. The helmet has a durable ABS hardshell and an EPS foam liner to protect the bike rider wearing this helmet. It is a great helmet for kids aged 5 and over.
2. Water Bottle Holder
I cannot stress enough how important it is for you to make sure that every child has a water bottle holder on their bike. Staying hydrated is important for your child’s health and their safety. Staying hydrated helps to regulate body temperature and can possibly help the child avoid losing fluids on those hot, steamy, muggy days.
Do not supply the water bottle holder only on hotter days. It is possible to become dehydrated or to experience exhaustion even on cooler days. Keeping your child adequately hydrated every time they ride their bike is important, and so is buying a water bottle holder. It is okay if you purchase a water bottle holder based on the age of the child or what you think is the cool factor.
Parents, take into consideration the durability of the water bottle holder. Some are simply a mesh or fabric bag with a pull string on the item. I wonder if these types of water bottle holders securely hold a water bottle when a child rides their bike? I do not like these types of water bottle holders.
I realize that it is only my opinion. The reason I do not like them is because I worry about the water bottle falling out, which means the child may become distracted while riding their bike and face potential safety issues.
The water bottle holder needs to fit securely on the bike. Some water bottle holders attach to the handlebars, while others attach to other areas of the bicycle frame.
I like the Active Adventure Bike Seat Water Bottle Holder. The product is perfect for a kid’s bike. It comes in a wide variety of colors, so every child has the opportunity to choose a water bottle holder in their favorite color or to choose another color to customize their bike accessories.
Choose from options such as anodized blue or purple, or powder coat orange. I like simplicity, so I would probably choose the powder coat black or the powder coat white water bottle holder. 
The product, available on Amazon, keeps water bottles safely in place, even when your child hits those holes and bumps or decides to take a wild ride up or down a hill. It adjusts 90 degrees, and it provides for the option of mounting it on the seat post or the handlebars. It is a newly reinforced model for 2022, and comes with necessary tools and spacers. The company offers a lifetime warranty.
Water Bottle Cages
Water bottle cages are usually a convenient and budget-friendly way to provide a safe water bottle holder for your child’s bike. I like to save money, so I love the CNC Bike Water Bottle Holder 2-pack. It comes in orange, black, blue or red. Consider using them for two children, or one for your child’s bike and one for your own bike.
Water bottle cages are popular and for good reason. You cannot purchase any water bottle holder without knowing whether the water bottle will fit inside the water bottle holder. There is no fumbling around trying to get the water bottle to fit or stay securely in the holder.
The water bottle cages often fit many styles of water bottles securely into the cage. This one accommodates most standard and oversized water bottles. It is lightweight and “highly resilient” for customers who make the purchase.
3. Water Bottle
Source: CamelBak
The kids need a good water bottle to put in that water bottle holder. CamelBak is known for children’s and adult accessories for biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities. I like the quality of their equipment, including the options for kid’s water bottles.
Let your child’s personality shine with the water bottle options that are ideal for all their bike adventures. CamelBak water bottles feature the designs that kids love and the features that parents want in a water bottle for kids.
Consider the Eddy®+ Kids 14 oz Bottle with Tritan™ Renew, Limited Edition Bottle. The pops of color and graphics are sure to please your kids. You will appreciate the same feature that I do, which is the fact that the water bottle is free of BPA, BPS, and BPF. It is made of 50 percent recycled materials.
There is a cool little handle on the bottle, making it easy for kids to remove the bottle from the water bottle holder and to carry it anywhere. It is leak-proof and spill-proof.
Do you have older kids who need a water bottle for their bike? I chose the Podium® Chill™ 24 oz Bike Bottle.
Source: CamelBak
The bottle has a double-wall construction that keeps water cold twice as long as other bike water bottles. It is 100 percent BPA, BPS, and BPF free. The company engineered the bike water bottle to fit securely in a variety of bike bottle cage holders.
It is an easy squeeze, high-flow bottle with a self-sealing cap.
4. Bike Bell or Horn
Source: REI
Kids think having a bell or horn is a great little accessory. A bike bell or horn is fun, but also a safety feature. Make sure that you inform the kids of this fact.
Children can personalize this accessory to their favorite color, design or character. REI offers the Electra Domed Ringer Bike Bell in a variety of fun designs. I love the ice cream cone design. Perhaps your child prefers the pink coolcat, the donut with sprinkles design or the sleekness of the titanium bike bell.
It comes with the attachment hardware. The bike bell fits standard bike handlebars and is easy to install. Kids will likely appreciate that this bell rings three times, not just once.
Does your child prefer to have a bike horn? I personally like the bell better, but many families prefer a bike horn. There are so many bike horn options that you and your child will likely have a hard time choosing which one to get for your kid’s bike.
One cool choice that I really like and think you will too is the Hornit Mini Bike & Scooter Horn with Kids Headlight. It comes in your choice of black on black, red and blue, green and blue or pink and turquoise.
This amazing little horn has a range of up to 80 decibels and features 25 sound effects. Some sound effects include a racing car, police sirens, a train, a lion and a rooster.
It is a combination of a bike horn and headlight. Save money on the headlight by buying this bike horn and headlight combination. Kids choose between a flashing light, or a constant beam of light.
It is water resistant and locks in place. No tools are required for installing or removing this neat accessory for a kid’s bike.
5. Bicycle Lights
I know that bike lights for a child’s bike increases safety when kids ride their bike at night. Kids just think the lights are cool and set them apart from their friends who do not have bike lights on the bicycle spokes.
One of my favorite choices is the SpinBrightz LED Bike Spoke Wheel Light Tubes, 3 Pack.
I do not like the lights that make the bicycle spokes look like they have more lights than my Christmas tree. I think they are possibly distracting to drivers. The SpinBrightz wheel lights have three LED light tubes. Choose between three selectable lighting modes, including flashing or solid patterns.
This product clips on the bike spokes with no tools. They are compatible with bikes with standard wheel sizes. The lights are rain and weather resistant. The bike lights come with included batteries in your choice of four colors.
6. Bike Reflectors
There are many styles of reflectors for kids to have on their bike. I like the standard style. Drivers know these reflectors and are likely to take precautions when they see the reflector ahead of them. The standard red, orange or clear reflectors provide the ability for people to see your child at night.
Some companies sell the front and rear reflectors separately, while others offer the front and rear bike reflectors for kids in one set. I like the budget-friendly SANNIX Bicycle Reflectors Front and Rear Kit.
The kit includes one white front reflector and front reflector bracket, one red rear reflector and bracket, and a bicycle bell.
The only tool I needed for this set was a screwdriver. The product does not indicate that the reflectors are specifically for a child’s bike, but they are small enough to fit on a child’s bike.
7. Helmet and Bike Stickers and Decals
What if your child wants something else that displays their unique sense of style? Consider the large variety of fun helmets and bike stickers that express your child’s style and their cool personality.
Check out the reflective happy face stickers, the reflective tape for kid’s bikes, the heart shapes or dinosaur reflective stickers.
They do not take the place of reflectors for bikes, but I think that they increase visibility.
8. Handlebar Bag or Basket
Kids need a bag or basket on their bike for all their stuff. Bike bags and baskets come in a variety of styles. Manufacturers make them of a variety of materials. Choose the one that is best for your child’s needs or coolness factor.
The Electra Rattan Small basket is a traditional style basket that holds up to eight pounds of books, sunglasses, snacks or beverages. It has a buckle strap attachment that holds it to the bike.
Source: Electra Bikes
Choose the traditional pineapple color or make it your own by choosing dark blue, dark purple or white.
The Electra Graffiti Drip Handlebar Bag with Lid is an example of the various bike bag options for kids.
Source: Electra Bikes
It is mounted onto the handlebar with Velcro straps. This bag holds plenty of stuff that kids claim is necessary to carry on their bike. Throw in some snacks and a juice box and they are sure to have a good time on their bike.
I have concerns about the stability of the bag because it is not mounted to the bike, but only attached by Velcro. You may have a different opinion of this bike bag if you buy it for your child.
9. Streamers
Source: REI
Many kids, including my own kids, think that streamers are a necessity for their bike. Streamers come in a variety of colors and styles. I like the EVO Handlebar Streamers.
The multi-colored, plastic and nylon streamers are sure to match any color of a bicycle. They are sold as a pair and easily installed on most bike handlebar grips. These multi-colored streamers easily match other bike accessories.
10. Bike Lock
Teaching kids to put the lock on their bike is a part of teaching them about bike safety. I explained to them that if you want to keep your bike, you will not forget the lock.
Some people think that the IDEALUX Bike Lock is a fun bike lock for kids.
I have concerns about it being so lightweight. It is likely to be a good lock for younger kids as a teaching tool.
The bright colors and the ability to reset the combination likely makes it appealing to kids. It has four feet of self-coiling cable and has weatherproof PVC coating.
One lock that I like is the Kryptonite 8mm Chain Key Chain Bicycle Lock.
Source: Walmart
It is not specifically marketed as a lock for a child’s bike. I like this lock because of its features, which makes it a great choice for protecting the bike from theft.
The 8mm hardened steel chain links protects the bike by resisting cutting by hand tools or bolt cutters. It has a nylon protective coating that helps to keep the three-foot-long chain from scratching the bike. The lock has easy click locking and includes two stainless steel keys.
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