to worry a little that toddler won't run much because he is always on scooter/bike?

[OrlandoTheCat]

My toddler (2yr) is OBSESSED with his balance bike and, to a slightly lesser extent, his scooter. It feels like he hardly ever walks or runs. If he can't scoot or cycle, he mostly wants to be in the buggy. It feels odd to refuse him his bike or scooter when he wants to use them (and we're not on busy/narrow pavements).

When I was little, very young children weren't on balance bikes (I don't think they existed) or scooters (not yet the fashion). But now it seems like young children have scooters like they would another limb....

Does this mean that they might become less inclined to walk or run as they get older??

I would also be a little worried. Does he walk and run well when he does?

I wouldn't worry yet - he's just two. Plus, you can encourage walking and running by sometimes not having the balance bike or scooter around for him to use. It's okay to say no, you know, even if it does feel odd

Thanks.

Jonesy he seems to be fairly good at walking and running...at least not noticeably worse than other children his age....

I wouldnt worry. He will be using his legs everywhere else - round the house etc. Id ditch the buggy soon unless you need it for him to sleep.

It's all exercise isn't it? I wouldn't worry - he won't forget how to walk!

If he loves his BBike he'll be on pedals by age 3.5 - the norm near us.
He'll naturally move to other interests he likes anyway too.

I wouldn't worry at all. When my youngest was 2 he was either on his balance bike or in the pushchair. He's now 7 and runs, walks, rides his bike or scooter, plays football etc etc. At 2 surely we just want children to be free of the confines of a pushchair (I know I did) and if that means using a balance bike then so be it! FWIW my eldest didn't have a balance bike or scooter at that age and the only way I could get him out of his pushchair was to let him push his teddy in a dolls pushchair!

Thanks all. Reassured now.