Too big for stroller?: WWYD

akp0709 · November 2012

When you go to the zoo/mall/grocery store with your 3/4/5 year old, where do you put them? Stroller? Let them just walk?

We have a almost 4 year old and expecting #2 in February. I plan to carry the baby in Moby Wrap for a least the first few months but I am not sure what we will do with DS #1 when DS #2 too big for the Moby. Our 4 year old is.. busy! I am not sure I trust him walking next to me just yet. He is soo long and will out grow any stroller we have here (chicco stroller and running stroller) by the summer..

What do you do?

AgrippaRidesAgain · November 2012

cmeon_the_water:
Neither of my kids did much stroller riding past 2yo. Only for the really long walking days- out at the theme parks. And even on those days, my son had dropped the stroller rides long before he turned 4yo (we don't do full days out there, though).
If he doesn't get practice walking next to you, listening, behaving, when will you be able to trust him? Start at the safer places- grocery store, Target, whatever- and make sure you can "get right back in the car and go home" if he doesn't listen. It only took a few times for my kids to "get" that, even as very young 2yos.

All of this. DS hasn't used a stroller or sat in a cart in a store in a really long time. Probably since DD was born. We even do trips on the Metro in to the city for museum or zoo trips and he is just fine. But, I also enforced the leaving immediately if he doesn't listen thing way early. We once even got off of a train and got back on the train home.

Mrs.Greg · November 2012

I am kinda in the same boat. My DD1 is 3 and a half and prefers to sit in a stroller or shopping cart. When we have tried to have her walk at the mall or wherever, she complains that someone is going to step on her because she's so little and they can't see her. She makes an excellent point. She's at a funny stage right now, too big for the stroller [we've tried out a lot of them and haven't found one where she can sit comfortably] but too small to walk in a crowded place.

jetgrrrl · November 2012

Our nanny started our 3-year-old walking on outings a long time ago, so I haven't brought him to our local zoo or aquarium in a stroller in ages, but now we do push him and our neighbor's daughter to daycare in a double stroller because it's over a mile. If you can still keep up with him I would start letting him walk on his own as much as possible now, but I would also investigate double strollers. We have an InStep which we bought used but I think it's a pretty cheap brand, and then there's the Bob double revolution that looks pretty big.

rsd12 · November 2012

Walk. But I don't have any runners... phew. Sometimes my 3 yr old will sit in the grocery cart, but I would rather them know how to walk properly and safely in these places. We only use a stroller for our 3 yr old for long walks and running.

jc&cat · November 2012

The only place we take the sit and stand these days is to the zoo.... and we used it over the summer on the boardwalk. Other than that, he is fine to walk. We're going to Sesame Place on Sunday so we'll bring it then. More so b/c it's going to be cold and we're going to need to get around a little faster than I think he'll be able to keep up by the end of the day.

stever · November 2012

DS is 3 and hasn't been in a stroller in a year.

KathrynMD · November 2012

Except for something big like the zoo, we don't use the stroller. DD walks, in a crowd, she knows to hold my hand, stay close and has never run off. If we are moving, we normally hold hands. If we're looking at something (like at a museum or festival) she's close by. We talk about the behavior expectations when we're in public alot (and have since she was very little) and its never been an issue.

KL777 · November 2012

DS walks at the zoo and the mall. He does get in the shopping cart at Target and the grocery store unless I'm running in and out.

ToBeMrsT · November 2012

DS (he's almost 5) & DD (she's 2 1/2) walk with me. We've only used the stroller for Disneyland this year.

sunnydays99 · November 2012

DS started walking beside me a couple months before DD was born (so he was almost 2.5). For big trips like the zoo I have a rumble seat for the UppaBaby that he will sit in once he's tired. Overall, he likes to walk and does great for normal day to day stuff. It took a couple months of enforcing hand holding or stroller if he ran away or something but now he stays beside me and does great!

akp0709 · November 2012

Thanks for your input everyone!

sunnybrook. · November 2012

My twin girls stopped using a stroller when they were about 20 months. I had DS when the girls were 23 months. We seldom use a stroller for anybody. I wear or carry DS and the girls walk. If they don't listen to the rules, they go to time-out. If they don't listen after that, we leave. My kids are not runners though. If they were, I'd probably use a backpack leash.

gimmietimmies · November 2012

DD3 hasn't bothered with the stroller in a while. The last time was at an all day event, and when she tired out she jumped in our jog stroller (Chariot Carrier). It can literally fit my 10 yo dd and she's nearly 5'. We kept it and sold our Phil and Ted's, since she rarely needs to ride. She did still fit the Phil and Ted's, and she's tall. Can't say the same about many doubles. I toyed with getting a buggy board for our single, but for the amount of times she may actually need to ride/nap, we'll use the Chariot. I wouldn't go out and get something though, if we didn't have something. At 4 they can manage.

bim38106 · November 2012

We use the wagon for the zoo, and that's about the only time I need something.

What about one of those boards that you can hook onto the back of a stroller, so he can ride standing if he gets tired of walking?

jlw2505 · December 2012

My kids are only 21 months apart but we used a double stroller for a while. You can always get a sit and stand stroller or start working with your older child on walking and staying near you. At Target and other places that we will be getting a lot, I will often still get the cart that has the kids seat area (the huge ones that take up half the row) so the kids can sit while I shop. If its just a fast trip in, everyone walks. I have not used a stroller other than at Disney since my baby was 3.

Too big for stroller?: WWYD

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