How do you go to the park alone with two small kids

[greydoggie]

My 14 month old is now actually running and very inquisitive. My 3 and a half year old listens a little bit, but I don't trust her entirely to not run off.

How do I go to the playground / park with both of them by myself ? Obviously I would take the buggy for the little one, but he also wants to play and get out. So at some point, both will be out and there's just one of me.

I'm really worried about losing them or someone taking them. It really stresses me out.

Any advice ?

Gosh it’s mot that difficult, just stay alert. Swimming with twins, now that was more tricky !

I had a 17 m she gap between first two then two years to the third, so had a while of them at different stages.

The main thing is to enforce boundaries strictly and immediately, so as soon as the older one strays it’s into the buggy/straight home. This should help really quickly.

Do you have any with a smaller fenced off bit within a bigger fenced off area? I’d try and find one if not a as you might find someone you go with the older one as the younger one can be left safely, and vice versa.

I didn’t have a garden so it forced me to cope, if we didn’t get out all day it was horrendous for all (and I don’t drive so was limited to places on foot/public transport)

It is difficult OP at that age and with the age gap. However your older one should be old enough to understand they need to stay where you can see them when the baby is out of the pram. I found soft play more difficult because the baby area was usually totally separate from the main area and I literally couldn't see my older one if I was with the younger one in the baby area. I used to go with a friend and we'd watch each others childre.

I was just thinking this. Or going to the park with 1 year old twins and a 3 year old.

I have three children and had two with that age gap. If on my own I'd go to a park with just one gate that had a good lock. We'd also go to a park that wasn't too busy. My 3yo knew to stay in the park and that I couldn't be in two places at once, so if they needed help with something they had to ask. If something went wrong we'd talk about it after and then the next time I would remind her what to do. She knew the score, that if she followed the rules then we'd come again sooner.

We went through a period of neither of them wanting to leave the park so (after warnings that we'd be leaving in x minutes) I'd put the younger one in the buggy and then go and get the older one. I'd actually scoop her up and give her a cuddle and then tell her, or else she would leg it across the park and she was faster than me!!

I wasn't keen on taking them both to the park because it was exhausting but we did it 3 or 4 times a week and it got easier. These days I happily sit on the bench and watch them play with my cup of tea.

I stopped going to one park as it was open and too many kids - impossible to keep my eye on both. So quieter park with the play area fenced off.
By biggest fear was in airports! Handling two youngsters plus luggage was a nightmare.

That's what I used to do.

Ha ha! That brought back memories! We always waved a bag of choc buttons. It was like that e dog whistle equivalent for kids 😂

Op - I had twins then another one, so three under three. Not a brag but you just get used to watching all three. Agree with others though that I didn't like a non fenced park as it was a logistical nightmare.

Go to a small one. Many towns have little ones near estates - I can think of 3 near me

They will be fenced and gated

Plus the 3yr should be able to listen to you when you call them and if need be come back to you

I used reins - I have twins and they both used to split and run in different directions. The reins saved my sanity. I know they aren't always popular here, but faced with not going out, going out and risking one dashing across the road or using reins I chose the latter!

There is something about picking your location v carefully. Smaller and fenced as others have said would be better. At that sort of age I found the younger one wanted to do the adventurous stuff the older one was doubt without having the physical capabilities and the older one would suddenly climb something high and get stuck. You’ve probably got 2-3 years of it being hard (and then getting easier) before you can sit on a bench and let them both crack on without having to do much. At your age it’s hard work- in a few years time it will be a rest for you.

Yes, you need to be taking them out. Gated playgrounds, soft play centres, big National Trust gardens with open land where you can see them (unless your 3 y/o is an actual bolter) and forest school type clubs where there are more adults to watch the DC.

Take them there and back in the buggy, strap them in. Put the youngest on reins if you need to. Set boundaries with your eldest.