Need suggestions for a bike or cycling related or themed gift for a 4 1/2 year old

[kiwi girl]

My 4 1/2 year old niece has just (yesterday) learnt how to ride her bike without training wheels. I've just got back from a lunch hour of riding up and down her driveway with her. She is still pretty wobbly but she clearly has the general idea. I would like to buy her a cycling or bike themed gift as a 'well done'. I don't think she would really be into cycle specific clothing. She already has a bell on her bike which was the first thing I thought of (although price wise I can go higher than a bell if I found the right thing). I'd be grateful for some ideas.

[KnottedYet]

water bottle? My kid was enthralled with his water bottle at that age. They make tiny kiddo-sized ones.

[makbike]

A basket? Or how about handle bar streamers?

[RoadRaven]

what about a small seat bag she could carry her small "treasures" in...?

and i agree with Knotted... my youngest two loved water bottles - they felt like "real" cyclists coz we all had them!

[pooks]

Does she have riding gloves? They make kid-sizes in great colors. I know they have pink because I bought some for a 4-year-old. I assume she has a helmet?

[SouthernBelle]

I actually have a leopard child's bar bag that I have used during the summer. It's a Bell.

[Mel_bikes]

Hi I joined just so I could respond to this. Okay so I was lurking for a few months.
For the 4 1/2 year old, TireFlies. You can find them at Walmart and LBS. Pick a favorite color and makes the kids visible. Backup, my kids loved it when they got their own gloves.

[kiwi girl]

Thanks for the ideas folks. I'll wander down to the lbs at lunchtime and see what they have

Although I had ruled out 'clothing', I had forgotten that she was fascinated by bf's cycling gloves when we rode to Easter Sunday family lunch

[kiwi girl]

Thanks for the suggestions everybody. I got a pair of pink 'Winnie the Pooh' cycling gloves. I saw my niece this afternoon and they went down very well

[mindfulmer]

The other day my kids and I were playing at a local park and a kid rode by with a card clicking in his spokes. I didn't pay much attention but as soon as we got home my kids were looking all over the house for a spare playing card. Ever since it's been all the rage.

Meredith

[pooks]

Oh wow, we used to do that. It works with baseball cards, too. I loved the way it made the bike sound!

We would also turn our bikes upside down and get the wheels going fast and "burn" catalpa beans on them. The catalpa tree has beautiful blooms in the spring, and long "beans" later in the summer, 6 or 8 inches long? Or maybe up to a foot long? I just remember we'd hold the beans to the tires and watch 'em disintigrate!