To not have a buggy for my three year old?

People who are invested in buggies enough to be on a chat forum about their favourite buggy make are going to be a skewed cross section of parents - if you had stopped using a buggy you’d hardly be on that forum!

I agree with slower walking speed, it can make a big difference. My DC would walk for hours at three as long as it was at their pace - they are teens now and complain MUCH more than they did at 3.

He may be a bit jealous of his siblings as sometimes they revert for attention but if you're going on holiday I would definitely get a buggy board and get him used to it before you go
My DS2 used his buggy daily until 3 years 9 months and I saw no reason to hurry him out of it

Our eldest is 2.5 and the buggy board is a great option. You can buy one cheaper on vinted.
We have a double pushchair because the was only 1.5 when our second was born, but if she was born now I don't think I would get one.

For holidays, we prefer using a backpack for him. Its easier in cities I think, you don't have to worry about access, steps etc. and he is seated if tired. The issue with the buggy board is that if it's a long day walking, they might not want to stand on it for long. There are some with seats though but I find them bulky.

Neither of mine were in a buggy/pushchair for very long once they started walking - especially my youngest, as we live rurally and our walking route to school isn't pushchair friendly.

I bought a buggy board for the eldest who was 2.5 when youngest was born, but she didn't use it that much, just walked next to the pram (she enjoyed 'pushing' it)

If your children are used to walking then I think no pushchair from an earlier age is fine - I wouldn't worry too much about the Facebook comments.

You know your children best, so it's say your instinct to try a buggy board it's probably right.

Are you going somewhere where he could scoot?
Sometimes a scooter works wonders for tired legs (and put it in the same box/bag as your pram for the flight, they don't mind as long as it stays under the weight limit)

I think this scooter can even attach to a pram: uk.mountainbuggy.com/products/freerider

(Probably other attachments available, I don't know)

My DC got into scooters and balance bikes from around 2.5 at which stage the pushchair barely got used again! I think i hung on to it for a couple of times where we knew they'd need a nap on the go but by age 3 neither really napped any more either.

I can't imagine a 5 or 6 year old wanting to go in a pushchair lol. Mine would NOT be willing to sit still long enough.

You do still see kids in them at 4+ though.

My 3 year old rarely uses his buggy however on long days out, I always bring it.

Does he still nap? If so, will you be at the accommodation for all nap times? Also what type of holiday is it? Does it include lots of walking?

We have a 2 yo and a 3 yo. We have one buggy, a buggy board and a toddler/preschool sling 😂so many options!! They both take turns doing all three depending on their mood/energy level that day. But the 3 yo is usually on the buggy board or walking now tbh.

For a city break a buggy board that has a seat on it might work well? So he can sit down whilst you push him about? Lascal sell one that looks good.

My son wouldn't entertain a buggy from being about 2 - it was a pita to be honest but here we are 😂

I'd say buggy board is a good in between.
Both my kids stopped using buggies at about 2 years. I haven't taken on out in the car for ages with my 2.5 year old. Day to day she uses a scooter or smart trike if we do a longer walk.
We did still take one on holiday with my eldest when he was 3-3.5 years old but more as so we can keep track on the travelling than actually using it when we were on holiday.

How old is the baby? Generally the newborn pack with the yoyo is outgrown around 4/4.5 months. I don’t know a single person who used it until 6. Even a smaller 5 month old looks huge in it and the harness has quite a limited adjustment.
So pretty soon the baby will be in the outward facing seat and then if your 3 year old is tired on longer days he can sit in the pram.

I’ve a just turned 3 year old and an 8 month old, we use a buggy board for local trips but it’s a bit cumbersome.

There’s 3 years between my children and we only had a buggy board for my eldest as she was a child who didn’t like going in it from early on and preferred walking. My youngest had to be strongly encouraged to stop using the buggy but by 3.5 I was keen he mostly walked. I hate seeing older kids in prams tbh

Do you think that you might have increased your walking speed since you started pushing your baby in the pram? Rather than walk at your 3 year olds pace because you only have him?

We still use a buggy for our 3.5 year old on days when we’ll walk lots or need to get from a-b quickly.
We also used it abroad as walking in the heat is more tiring for little ones.

We wouldn’t use it to walk to nursery or local shops but if we went on a city break or a whole day out to a zoo or something we’d bring it.

I think a buggy board would be fine. My DS had just turned 3 when DD was born and I didn’t think there was a need in a double buggy when he was 3. DD had the buggy (it was a travel system thing with a pram bit) and DS had the buggy board. He used it until he was about 4 when he stopped needing it. I found it really handy when he was 3 and there was a lot of walking or he was tired

I didn't say she DOES use the buggy, she hasn't in years. She just very very happily would. We ditched the buggy for her younger sibling when she was 5 and she'd still ask the odd time even though the answer was always no. My DN is equally as determined to never use her buggy again, even though it would make life easier at times if she would.

OP personally, I wouldn't have gone away with either of mine at 3 without a buggy just so we could go further and not be tied to the distance they could/were willing to do in the heat. But if he's usually a good walker and you have a buggy board then that would be fine. You probably don't want to reintroduce him to the idea of the buggy at this age, he'll want it when you get back.

i think there's a difference between doing short walks locally and expecting him to walk all day on a city break where it could be hot and he might be out of routine too. A lot of people still take them on holiday or out for day trips even if they don't use one regularly at that age.

My DD always walked everywhere. We had a double buggy for a while when DS was a baby (DD was 2 years and 7 months, when he was born), but we soon gave it up as she never got in it and it was a total hassle to manage on walks.

DN, a month older than DD, was staying with us and we went for a walk. DD walked and ran the whole way - DN sat in the buggy with DS!! So I agree - it is totally individual and not age dependent. But to answer your question, I’d go with the buggy board, ‘cooler’ for your DS and easier to hop on and off.

OMG - literally...
I know that's cultural differences but as a foreigner from a poorer country I can't conceive of a healthy 6 yo using a buggy ...

At 3yo, DD1 climbed Snowdon
At 3yo, DD2 sometimes struggled with the 15min walk home from preschool.

Everyone's lives are different, everyones children are different.

At 3 mine could walk a good few miles over the course of the day, but I took a carrier on city breaks because so much walking and in unfamiliar places can he hard on them, particularly in the heat! If I didn't use a carrier I would have taken a buggy. Tbh in your position I'd try a buggy board more generally so he has the option and doesn't feel.so pushed out

No my grandson is nearly 2 years 4 months and not used a buggy for ages now. My DD doesn't have a car either so he's quite used to walking.

As you said it's probably due to the fact the baby has a buggy

Speaking from experience of one dd and Gdcs, I’d miles rather have a buggy than a 3 year old who’s constantly whingeing about having to walk/sitting down on the pavement and refusing to move/demanding to be carried.

I once ended up buying a buggy while on holiday for 3 yo dd2, it was a monumental saver of hassle. By contrast, dd1 always hated sitting in the buggy from the time she started walking at 12 months!

We did the same, it folded up really small in the basket of the buggy, so came everywhere just incase.