Walking 6 under 5 with minimum fuss. Deluded or possible?

[MultipleMama]

I plan to do a lot more walking with the DC (we walk twice a day) and the occasionally shop/market trip.

I don't like using the car unless I have to and at the moment I am not finding any joy driving and my road rage would put the world's best cursing sailor to shame.

I want to be outdoors more and the DC hate being cooped up and after a while the backgarden and park get boring. I want to pick up hiking/walking again (I usually just play Ice Hockey for fitness...) I have an ABC quad buggy so can push the youngest 4. However, my 5 year old gets tired after so long and I end up juggling him and dts3 in the boba. - I've done this 4 occassions.

Should I just give up now and go back to the car and learn the DC the importance of road rage, or is there anyway I can transport 6 DC by foot for longer than 1 hour?

On weekends DH helps but during the week I am on my lonesome.

[HolidayCriminal]

You have 6 kids under 6yo to look after & you're looking for ways to make your life harder?

I don't know how long you'd like to walk for, but an hour is already amazing with that crew.

[ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen]

I only had to do this with four under five, but it was possible. I had a double pushchair where either side could be converted into a flat-lying carrycot thing. To start with I had one of the newborns in a sling, while pushing double pushchair/pram and teaching four year old to walk alongside, holding the pushchair with one hand. Then worked on getting the two year old walking the other side of the pushchair and holding on. Once he was doing this reliably, I put both babies in the double pram.

[TheKnightsThatSayNee]

-Get a bigger buggy/transporter thing.
-The eldest could have scooters but mine would use them for that long maybe by swiching who rides and who scoots you could make it work.
-Slings/backpacks?

I would even think about it. You are clearly 6 times the woman I am.

[HolidayCriminal]

She's already pushing 4 at once, TKTSN, how many more can a buggy fit? I expect her to be pushing a minibus, soon!

[MultipleMama]

So far the arrangement I have is; ds1(5) & dd1(2) swap turns sitting in the bottom seat, ds2(18mo) in bottom seat, ds3(18mo) in the top seat, dd2(17w adj) top seat and ds4(17w adj) in Boba. But I switch up depending who wants to walk (I always pack reins just in case).

An hour is what it takes to reach PiL and by then all of them are sleeping. Ds1 loves to walk and explore - total nature boy, I'm just having a hard time finding a solution to when he gets tired and I doubt there's carriers that fit a 5.7yo! Lol

I'm trying to make my life easier. Being inside does none of us any good and leads to tratrums because the want to be out or they're bored. Walking helps plus it tires them out and makes them nap so I get a few quiet minutes .

[fieldfare]

Scooter for ds1 and a buggy board for dd1?
And wow at 6 under 6, I'm in awe.
I sometimes cm 5 under 5 but they all go home at 6pm :)

[Endymion]

Micro scooter for 5 year old? The three wheeler.

[ThreeLannistersOneTargaryen]

[MultipleMama]

We have a buggy board but they hardly like to use it.They should invent bikes that attach to strollers!

[Fresh01]

I had 4 under 6 (no twins) and that was busy so I can't imagine 6 under 6.

On short walks I taught my two that were walking to hold onto the back pocket of my jeans on either side. Looks a bit odd but I could feel the weight if them holding the pocket so knew as soon as one had let go. This was particularly handy crossing roads etc.

Now you meant a bike seat for a buggy. I have seen one somewhere online in the UK. It attached to one of the main verticals on one side of the pram. Will trying finding it but I am not good with links.

[Fresh01]

Can't post a link but the image is coming up as eBay bibi Swiss toddler bike seat.

I also understand why you want out each day. The change of scene helps everyone : )

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

Mountains buggy so some sort of scooter thing that attached to a buggy iirc! Two sets of twins, how amazing! :)

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

Yes here mountainbuggy.com/uk/Products/freerider-stroller-board

[RandomMess]

Presumably if you've just started this in earnest your 5 year old's stamina will improve? I would recommend a micro scooter because it is more effortless than walking.

[MultipleMama]

He's a very active boy and spends most of his days outside or inside doing crafts. He's not much interested in toys. He also plays hockey which is a lot of leg work but I do think (hopefully) that his stamina will improve as we carry on.

We have the buggy board and the attachable seat you can buy but we walk mostly offroad and they just slide off seat or bounce!

My problem is when he falls asleep and I have carry him back along with a heavy buggy haha.

[harrygracejessica]

Hey - as you know I had. 5 under 4 and funnily enough had the ABC too. I was going to suggest a buggy board but if it's more off road then a problem but you could always chuck eldest on there on the flat parts or echo the suggestion of a scooter to make it more fun if even a bike x

[MultipleMama]

He's fine with walking he prefers it because he likes to pick up leaves. We took his bike once and after 10 minutes I was carrying it...

A bike and scooter are all fibe but when he's tired or dead on his feet I would need to be able push the buggy, carry ds1 and the bike/scooter. I don't have problem with keeping them entertain but rather dealing with the tiredness and transportation :)

The buggypod looked great but it's not compatable with my ABC buggy. - Shame as it would be perfect!

[MultipleMama]

I think I found at least one solution - it's the new Buggypod perle however it's not realised yet. It looks good i.e backrest, harness and fits on both my donkey and Lascal boards.

A carrier would be perfecg though but I doubt carriers go up to his age.. damn.

[throckenholt]

Any chance your PIL could walk back with you and carry one of the little twins ? Or plan your visit so that they can all have a rest at PIL and then walk back when DS1 is less tired.

When our twins were little we often had one on the front and one on the back - Maybe you could have one of your older twins in a back pack and one of the littlies in a front carrier.

Then DS1 could have a ride in the buggy when he is tired.

I hesitate to suggest a pedalless bike for your oldest - he could scoot along on that and maybe not get so tired. My hesitation is that they can go quite fast on those and you might not want that when you have 4 in a buggy and carrying another.

[MultipleMama]

As we're visiting PiL we obviously stay awhile because they there to spend some time with them :) If my MiL did walk back with us, she'd expect a lift back (but that means putting all 6 in a car which just defeats the object). If I don't want to drive her she'll make any excuse to stay until DH comes home and that is not happening, thats why I visit them

I don't need any extra items to carry and on top of the DC. DS1 wants to walk that isn't the issue


I never thought of having a twin on the back. That just might work...

[clara85]

I dont often dare walk anywhere with my 2 & 3 year old and once no3 arrives im hoping 3 year old will be a better walker bout i doubt it!

We use slings alot ( think we have about 4 and thankfully DH loves using them too ! ) and you do get larger slings for up to age 4/5 if you were wanting to put your older dc in it or use them for the younger ones on your back :)

[MultipleMama]

clara85 - Where would I find carriers for that age? I didn't know they exsisted. I'd rather carry him than one of the older twins on my back.

[IglooisnowinSheffield]

Are you home schooling? Only ask as I don't think my 5 year old could manage an hour walk to grandma's and back after a busy school day.

[Artandco]

Personally I wouldn't attempt to carry eldest at 5. And would get 2 year old walking more.

To do this I would rejig your day so that everyone can rest/ nap at a house. Either at yours or your pil. But so only the smallest two nap in pram/ sling. This way you can also get a break as at least 4 hopefully all 6 can nap/ rest at same time.
Then go out after/ before with elder two twins in bottom of pram, and smallest two in the top. A beco Gemini sling will sling newborn- 4/5 so can use in emergencies for any of them.
Get a little rucksack back pack for 2 year old so they can't walk off.

Is there safe park/ pedestrianised/ etc route to pil? I would take that if poss and try having all four eldest out pram when safe.

Ie day could be

Wake-10am = getting ready/ play at home.
10-11/11.30 = slow wander to pil
11-30-1 = lunch at pil
1-3 = all children nap/ rest with books quietly
3-4/4.30 = wander home via park/ ducks or whatever
4.30- onwards at home

Or
9am-10 = walk to pil
Stay an hour
11-12 walk home
Eat
1-3 all nap/ rest
3-4 little wander around local area to shop/ post box/ park

[Artandco]

Oh and I say let 18 months out to walk as much as possible where all safe as then by the time they are say 2 1/2 they will have already built up quite a good stamina for walking. Meaning you could potentially use say just twin pram by then with them toddling next to it for smaller journeys


I don't have 6 under 6, but have 2 with a years gap, and had db x2 6 month old twins living here for 6 months when sil was sick/ having chemo. So at one point had ds1 20 months, ds2, 5 months, plus twins 6 months. In this combo used donkey for twins, my youngest in sling, and eldest had to walk with buggy board under for emergencies.

Btw have you got the bugaboo board for donkey? It really is one of the easiest to push. Not so helpful for x2 but handy if you have less out with you