What age did you stop using a stroller with your child?

[hogu]

Mine is 2.5 years and I use a stroller quite often, I want to get a different one that's more compact for my car but wondering if it's worth it. Although I can't imagine stop using one anytime soon as my boy is quite lazy! But most say he's near the top weight bracket already!

I think probably around 3, and by around 4 or so they were on a tagalong bike. Mine were big and between 3 and 4 it was hard work having them in the bike seat!

With an age gap of 2.75 I'd considered a double buggy and got (sensibly) talked out of it. Turned out she could easily stand on the edge of the basket under the pram which was useful for the first few months. I do remember using the pushchair for her again when she was recovering from serious illness between 3.5 and 4.

My eldest 2 kids were about 2.5 years but we are a pretty active family who walk a lot. My youngest is nearly 2 and still uses his. I think it depends on factors such as how far you have to walk, do you have a car and your child. I would encourage walking or using a balance bike to though.

Til she was 4 1/2. I still miss it sometimes now and she's ten!!
We do a lot of walking

About 2.5 for DS. DD is 21 months and I think she will be out of the buggy earlier than that. With DS, I always assumed that he couldn't walk that far - but I had just never pushed him very far. After he came out of the buggy we used the bus for a lot of journeys that I would have walked if I had been on my own.

Then when the first lockdown hit (when DS was almost 4) I started to take him on longer and longer walks, and sort of train him to walk for longer. Every day we would add another few minutes to our walk, and he became a lot stronger and a lot more able to walk. With DD we have encouraged her to walk from the beginning, and she is already a far better walker than DS was at the same age.

HOWEVER, I never HAVE to walk more than about 30 minutes with either of them (though we sometimes do anyway) and I never HAVE to carry anything that can't fit in a backpack (we use our car for groceries). If I was having to carry heavy grocery shopping while holding the hand of a wayward toddler I would definitely keep them in the buggy!

DS hated it with a passion, so we gladly packed it away before he was 2. However now he's 4 he'll climb into his little sisters any chance he gets. The actual toddler is far less keen, so will probably get rid at around 3, but I tend to drive if it's more then about 30 minutes walk anyway. If it was my only way of getting places, they'd be in it as long as I could squeeze them in.

Just get one. If you don't end up using it, you'll be able to sell it. If you do end up using it, you'll be really glad you bothered.

I'm one of those nauseating people whose kids didn't use a buggy much after 2, but I still always bring a light umbrella buggy on days out because it's so much easier than having to carry the jackets/snacks/water bottles. Plus if I didn't bring it, my youngest would whine to go on my shoulders... But if I say "sure, if you're tired jump in the buggy" he'll walk just to to make the point that he doesn't need the buggy...

I used one with my eldest until he was about 3. That was mainly because he was terrible for running off and I have a younger child too so needed him strapped in safe. We also walk a lot as I don’t drive. I have a very smug friend who frequently told me her son didn’t go in a stroller past the age of 15 months however she drives literally everywhere even a 2 minute walk so she didn’t need a stroller!

It depends a lot on lifestyle I think. Part is building up distances, but I’ve noticed that friends with cars stop sooner. DS 2.5 will walk a fair distance but if I need to carry a lot of groceries or similar, or it’s far but somewhere unsuitable for a balance bike, then we take the buggy. Same if we have loads of chores to do in a short window and can’t spend hours on a walk that takes me 10 mins. In those situations a lightweight buggy is really useful.

Stopped using ours around 4 with DD, we live in a city and it’s not unusual to walk around 10km over a weekend. No way DD could have managed that without the buggy at 2.5!

At 4&6. I had tears when they saw me putting it in the boot to take to women's aid, cries of it's not fair. Living in a village it was very handy

@MakkaPakkas

You are not alone. I miss the pushchair to put the shopping in still 15 years later think I might get an old woman trolley

Dd was 3.5, life is much easier! Although we live in the city center so public transport every 10 mins. I’d probably have kept it a bit longer if not.

@Bramshott

Lots of people will be along in a sec to tell you that their child didn't go near a stroller after the age of 2.

However, I used one occasionally with both of my DDs up to the age of 4.5 - we walk a lot, and don't always want to do that at pre-schooler pace. It didn't impact on their ability to walk well and long distances as they got older.

I'm one of those people! But not through choice! My dd just wouldn't go in one, despite all my protests and bribery.

She walked everywhere and didn't even ask to be carried. Having a pushchair was so convenient for shopping trips though!

Aaargh, I always cringed seeing parents ferrying their reception class children to and from school in pushchairs! I remember one who was lifted from the buggy and came in and out on mum's hip with dummy in mouth. Exception rather than the rule.

I sold the twins' pushchair and they walked everywhere from age 3 because I had no 3!

About 4. DS1 well into 4. DS2 only when pace mattered, but his pace quickly became more functional.
It turns out that DS1 has ASD and hypermobility.

It's no indication of how well they walk as older children. They do parkruns, DS2 runs faster than me and they can do mountainous hiking.
Because I didm't sweat buggies/ carriers in the pre-schooler years it wasn't a point of battle (exceprion being when DS1 was 2 and SPD left me unable to use a buggy or carry him so we had meltdown after meltdown)

I drive, but I also do a lot of functional walking around my neighbourhood and life was too short to do it at toddler pace out of random principle.

DD1 is 3.5 and still uses hers sometimes. (I don't drive). Her old one broke a few months ago and despite her age I got a new one as I was pregnant and knew we'd use it again for the next one. Now we have DD2 though DD1 will have to get used to the buggy board on the pram.

I think it depend on a child. My dc stopped using them quite early because he really hated to get stuck in a stroller and loved to walk every where, and he was very early walker so his legs were quite stable.

@NewlyGranny I was aware that people rolled their eyes at using a buggy for a reception child, but we had a long way to walk and it reduced our walk home time massively. I think a lot of people who look down on this have cars & don't have to walk miles every day with a tired four year old!

It depends on lifestyle. I'm into buggy running so I'm hoping I can still persuade mine into the buggy when they're five or six or I won't get any decent length runs in.

Still used it occasionally at 4. We live in London don’t drive walk everywhere.

DS1 was in his until about 2.9, he stayed in a little longer due to his heart condition. DS2 stopped using his at about 2.5 because it broke and it seemed daft to get a new one. However, we both drive and live quite close to the park, library and supermarket.

4 years old. We've only just stopped taking it on day trips with us. I let them tell me when they were ready.

My DS went through periods where he insisted to walk but I still had to push the stroller. It finally broke when he was 3 and that was it.

Up to the age of 4.5, though much less after 3.5.
There was one trip that we had to do in very short time from an activity to school pickup for older sibling. Needed the stroller so I could run with it to be there on time.

I stoped at 3 but used a bike with childseat for longer / rushed trips. By the time lo was 4 I couldn’t ride up hills with him but just jumped off and wheeled the bike - it was still quicker / easier overall.