Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

How to train toddler to walk longer distances?

30 replies

PickledElectricity · 06/01/2025 14:43

When I say "longer" I mean 5/10 minutes. We are lucky to live in an area where there are 2 playgrounds within walking distance and a parade of shops up the road, and he likes going to Costa for a babyccino so I'm not dragging him to places he doesn't want to be or anything like that.

To the park - 5 mins.
To the shop/cafe - 7 minutes.
To nursery - 15 mins. A stretch/long term dream.

DS is 20 months old and runs around the house nonstop from the moment he wakes up until he goes for a nap/sleep.

But when we try to take him for a walk he will go to the end of our road max (1 minute if that) then refuses to walk and wants to be picked up.

I don't always want to drag the pram around and have the inevitable battle of getting him into the pram in the first place.

Any tips?

OP posts:

WomenInConstruction · 06/01/2025 17:15

coxesorangepippin · 06/01/2025 17:01

Save yourself the hassle and just use the pram

My 8 year old still doesn't like walking

well, duh.

Choose your win - short term or long term.

Sillysaussicon · 06/01/2025 17:16

Honestly just give it 6 months haha

FavouriteFearlessHero · 06/01/2025 17:20

Scooter with seat. When mine were little I was sometimes pushing the pushchair, holding the scooter and letting them walk just to build them up to walking longer distances. But 20 months seems young.

They will walk eventually (let me know when it's without moaning please!). Mine now all walk to school without comment because it's all they've ever known. Longer walks can be a whingefest but they will do it (snowdon last summer was a highlight but that’s hard for adults too!)

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

1 year olds Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families

LadyQuackBeth · 06/01/2025 17:23

Definitely the games and looking about them, looking to see the colour of the next door etc. we used to walk "like," things as well, they seem to be able to walk like an elephant/mouse/giraffe/dog etc much faster and further than walking as a toddler.

Bodeganights · 06/01/2025 17:43

BarnacleBeasley · 06/01/2025 17:02

I agree with the silly games. Otherwise toddlers are clever. They will either say they can't walk on the way back from the park, or they will say they don't actually want to go to the park even if they do, which means they don't want to walk. (Mine didn't do this but regularly claims he doesn't want to play outside if he actually doesn't want his coat on). We went on a lot of walks to 'look for cats', or most recently 'see how many Christmas trees we can spot'.

I found it just as tedious as most adults, but if we had the time it was always a game, lets spot the bugs, see if we can see a leopard (in basingstoke natch) find "treasure" was that a squirrel etc etc. If we didnt have the time then buggy and buggy board, but still the same silly games. God I did knock a door run through many town centres when we were late out and I wanted to catch the next bus.

Flip

1 2