To ask for recommendations for larger children double pushchairs...

[LePetitMaman]

DTwins are 4, and very tall. 120cm. Heavy too.

We'd like to do some evening things as a family this winter, several late fireworks displays, some evening Christmas markets, and they both tire quite quickly after 6pm. We want something they could snuggle up in, with enough visibility that they can still see what's going on, but comfy/spacious enough that they could fall asleep if needs be.

We do have one of those trolleys that you can load up for the beach, which they are too heavy to sit in now, and are too big to share a space like this without being a tangle of legs booting each other.

They haven't been in a buggy for the best part of a year Boy twin is quite lazy and would happily sit in a buggy were we to ever use one again, but we can't get a single, as girl twin is a lot more "no I'm a big girl," but also contrary enough to want to sit in a buggy if she thought her brother was getting the only ride available. So, a double buggy is the only thing possible really.

Is there a really big stroller that would be suitable for us to take to events like this this? Or an alternative? I'm rather short, and slim (essentially a bit weak lol), so carrying one for any period of time isn't really a possibility for me now they're so big. DH can carry one. But it would be nice if we could set them down into something where they could nap and we could relax a little.

Thank you

I'd go for something more like this....

www.thule.com/en-gb/bike-trailers/bike-trailers-for-kids/thule-chariot-cross-double-_-10202026

They can snuggle up with a blanket and they are great for long days out

My DDs will be 2 and 4 this month and we currently use the Joie Twin Aire double buggy. But am planning to upgrade to the Out n About Nipper Wagon in a few months as DD1 has SEN and so I still need a buggy at times. It’s just been released this month.

The wagon can be used up till 7/8 years old and the weight limit is 60kg (it has removable seats). May be a more versatile option for you compared to the Nipper Double.

outnabout.com/products/nipper-wagon?variant=49193310290234

@Ohfuckwhatdoidonow I hope you don't mind me asking, however I see you've said you don't recommend the icandy peach for toddlers.

We're having exactly the same issue, except we're now expecting another baby and our eldest will only be 2.5yrs old so will still need a pram.

Did you have a good combination of newborn bassinet and toddler seat recommendation?

Thanks!

No problem at all, I didn't bother buying the bassinet when I changed from the bugaboo donkey to the out n about as DS was coming up to 3 months old and the seats in the nipper were suitable from birth, but they do a carry cot, I've just looked and it's just under £100 with mattress and liner.
I'd recommend the out n about highly! It's easy to put up and down (and let's face it, we need easy when you're already strapping two kids in and out of the car already!)

It's pretty roomy, fits through standard doorways. Steers easily, and it all comes apart easily for cleaning.

There's a roomy basket you can attach to it, and there are handy compartments on the back of each seat which has allowed me to pretty much drop the changing bag. There are compartments in each hood big enough to fit a bottle and a few nappies but the ones on the back of the seats are big enough for me to put 4 nappies, 2 changes of clothes and I put babies bottles and pre made bottles in too. Plenty of room which I just love. The boys have their compartment each and it takes away a fair bit of planning for each day out.

I also attached fans to the detachable bar of the pram for the kids during the warmer weather.

I'm such a fan of it for the size of seats for my elder boy, and the ease of putting up and down. It's as simple as undoing the clip on each side of the pram, and pulling up a tab in the seat area, and fold. Wheels come off very easily too if you find space is ever a problem in your car!

Ffs you sound absolutely horrible.

@Ohfuckwhatdoidonow amazing thank you! I think you've just solved our problem!

@Gettingitalldone I'm interested why you think it's ok for four year olds to be in a buggy? They are literally in school at four and most nurseries won't even put 3 year olds in buggies. It's really bad for their physical development, and its humiliating for children to be stuffed in a buggy at that age. Imagine their classmates finding out the next morning- I can promise that they will not be kind and I'd be surprised if the twins ever get in the buggy happily again. Maybe the OP just has to accept she can't take her children out late because they if they are sleepy they should be in bed???
If you think that's horrible I think you are prioritising the needs of adults over the needs of four year olds.

Ffs please tell me who made it a crime to put kids in a buggy and what the hell the crime is?!?!

With my first when he started walking I often went out without a buggy because he was light and easy to carry and I was fitter and not dealing with a second child

I was adamant I didn't need a double buggy (think I had internalised the bizarre prejudice!) But then someone gave us ours and it honestly changed our life!

We use our car alot less, we make the day of walking to the seaside and local area, we cover 10 miles sometimes. Someone please tell me what amount of rest stops a 3 year old would need for that! Plan ahead..allow for rests..carry them.. get a babysitter... dear god.... LITERALLY ANYTHING OTHER THAN USE A DOUBLE BUGGY! THE SHAME!

Of course he isn't sat in it the whole day but it's a fucking Godsend and it's opened our world up and so fucking what if its for the parents?! Sorry if I'm not Superwoman to carry 6 bags of shopping & a 3 year old!

Our boys get to see more places, get more fresh air, we're all less stressed, life is just easier!

You do you op.

And for crying out loud of course they won't get bullied by nursery mates. Most ridiculous thing I've heard all day.

@Wavescrashingonthebeach the OP wants to buy a double buggy to take her four year olds out at night to events, when they will be asleep.
Three is the absolute top end age for buggy use and children without SEN should NOT be in a buggy after that. If they get too big for the buggy, it's definitely time to get rid of it.
Children are coming to school in nappies, unable to eat with cutlery with speech delays and fine and gross motor issues so that learning to write is more difficult. Getting them out of the buggy is part of this- stop babying children!!!
It's really important that they get to walk, run, jump and use large muscles all day as a matter of course and are not sat in a seat being pushed around. It impacts their ability to judge risk, distance, become independent little people and to interact socially with others rather than sit passively in a pushchair. There's even evidence to Suggs that forward facing buggies can be detrimental to children's language development as they don't get so much chance to talk to the adult pushing them - this could be even more problematic for twins if they are prone to chatting in their own language.

Maybe people don't like to think that other children will bully their child for being in a buggy, but the top insult in early years is " baby" and no matter how fantastic a school or nursery is, if four year olds are in a buggy for convenience not SEN, one of their peers will call them a baby.

I appreciate what you are saying but I don't think it necessarily means that they are going to be held back and babied in all other areas just because of this.

@Wavescrashingonthebeach I appreciate that it's really difficult with a baby and toddler and a double buggy is a godsend for a little while, but it's important to get pre schoolers out and walking around as much as possible. Their gross motor strength really needs to be developed along with priopreception, eyesight, hearing and continence, all things which really need a child to stand upright and weight bear on their skeleton. Under some pretty antiquated rules, children are expected to be able to walk 3.5 miles to school before they qualify for any help with transport costs- but it does show what little ones are capable of.

Oh mine does walk loads but like I say we can be out all day and cover miles and miles- I genuinely think it would be too much for him to walk. He would be sat down if he was in a car, and no one would bat an eyelid us driving to do our errands, but when possible we prefer to make a day of it and a double buggy offers the opportunity for him to have a rest when he needs to.

OP I have twins, they’re 4.5
I get what you mean that logistically they can still be a nightmare at this age!
So, two points from me…

We also had an Out n About, absolute workhorse of a pram I was so sad to see it go. Goes up to 22kg per seat if I remember right. Always lots second hand! I’d recommend it to anyone.

However… we have started doing lots of long days out without the pram this year to prep them for the school run and build their walking stamina, and they’ve surprised me. We’ve done two holidays with them in the U.K. sans pram and they walked really well. You could find they surprise you (I do have a lazy twin who eventually asks to go on Daddy’s shoulders but the other will happily walk with me!) - why don’t you try a day trip to test their legs before you shell out? As the OnA secondhand they’re about £200.

But either way - hope you get sorted and enjoy your trips!

I just carried my twins in a sling, one on the front, one on the back. Surely getting good and strong is just part and parcel of being a twin mummy! I’m happy to be short, fat and strong 💪 🥧 💪

Four year olds can get tired , especially if it’s an outing and not at the times they are usually out for a treat. If it’s cold as well they may just want to sit and be cosy and watch fireworks etc.

I think the bigger problem is all
these other 4 year olds you keep mentioning who are going to bully their friends for being in a buggy ……

Ahhh, you're one of those who thinks they've got the faintest clue because they had children "near" in ages. That's very sweet.

@crystalmazelab you're welcome, you always get the ones that can't bear the idea that they had it easier with two singletons, it's obviously because they are superior parents with better ideas and nothing to do with twins/triplets being a whole different level

I feel your pain with the lazy boy twin. Mine, are both long and heavy children, and even in the lightweight bugaboo two years ago, their combined weight, the weight of the buggy, plus they weight of all their double paraphernalia I had stuffed in it, plus my bag, weighed more than I did. Several times we went rogue downhill, it ended up pulling me into a jog

I think for odd occasions like winter evenings, where it's slow paced, I'll manage. I'll ache the next day from pushing them across the field for the fireworks, but it's going to be worth it.

I know this is so bizarre.

These are our youngest children. I feel so sorry for this poster who lives somewhere that 4yr olds bully each other for being in a buggy. I wonder how she's ended up living amongst these kind of little arseholes children?

They are heavy because I'm just under 9stone. And quite short. And in comparison, they are nearly 120cm tall. And from memory around 3.5st each, wearing age 6yrs, with the waists taken in because they are thin but incredibly long. Dad is a giant.

They can walk after 6pm. But they will want to go home by 7pm because it's dark and they will be tired. I don't know why this is such a difficult concept to some. It's perfectly normal for a 4yo to be tired walking around in the dark, for an hour already at 7pm in the winter months. If they had somewhere comfy to sit, they'd chill out with a hot milk and enjoy the lights and sounds.

By they way, as a triplet mum you should have been awarded an OBE in the delivery suite.

Thank you xx

Can I ask, what's the cover like with the ONA, is it easy for them to still see everything? Does the hood have viewing windows so to speak, or is it an all encompassing clear cover?

The hoods do have viewing windows at the top to look through; the rain cover is massive but see through - sometimes we’d have the rain cover over the hoods rolled up if it was raining but they still wanted to see out, and just put them in in their puddle suits!

Don't book things your kids can't cope with. It's not normal to book something so late for 4yos whether you have one, two, or three.

Take the wagon. They'll get colder sat still so you can't be ages out anyway, they'll need to be moving to stay warm.

If you have older kids, divide and conquer. One goes out with the older ones, and the other stays in.