Toddler Won't Walk Outside

[helenfagain]

My ds will not walk outside at all. He is fine being carried or in the buggy but as soon as you put him down he throws himself to the floor and cries. They have started taking him outside at nursery again now the weather is better and he just cries and tries to get back in. Has anyone else been through this? Any tips? He is very big for his age, 20 months but he's 3 year old size/weight so carrying him is becoming increasingly difficult.

Does he wear shoes in the house? Maybe he does not like shoes?

He wears shoes inside sometimes. Admittedly he isn't a huge fan of them (or socks for that matter, I have to put him in tights because he pulls them off)! When we are leaving nursery he will happily run about while I'm putting my shoes on but as soon as we step outside it's a different story. Leaving the house is the same.

I don't think the problem is being outside, but he doesn't want to walk. He prefers to be carried or in the pushchair (although that doesn't explain the nursery situation).

What happens when he has a tantrum? Do,you give in and put him back in the pushchair (or do nursery carry him inside)? If so, he has 'won' and is getting own way.

I may be totally wrong.

Forgot to mention, to counteract this, let him have a tantrum. Explain the pushchairmis not coming outmormhenisn't being carried. He will eventually stop crying and then go,for a short walk.

I also wonder if it it his shoes! My nephew hated his. Maybe try him outside with some softer shoes?

He has walked around in his shoes all day the last few days so I really don't think that's the issue. Am going to keep trying and hopefully it will come.

how about a cap or hat with a visor? or a hood. maybe he experiences some sensory overload outside.

Hats do not go down well! They stay on for about 10 seconds. Haha.

Hmm I don't know, how have you managed without him walking outside up to now?
DD2 is 20 months and hasn't been in a pushchair since 15 months (just refuses it) so I can't imagine one that age not walking outside! Does he not get out and walk at all on day trips/at parks etc?
If it's not his shoes then I'm baffled! Do you have a garden? Does he play outside there?

He was a late walker so has only been walking about 2.5 months. Due to the time of year that he started walking he hasn't really been outside to play since he learnt to walk. I've taken him to the park a few times but he won't leave the picnic blanket and clings on to me after his food is finished. We have a garden but it is not at all child friendly, nursery have a great space though and are starting to take him out more regularly as the weather is improving. He absolutely loves football so am going to try taking the football to the park at the weekend of the weather is good, see if that encourages him.

I had him in the doctors today and he kept running away (had shoes on), he seems totally fine inside. I just wonder if he is a bit overwhelmed. I do have a suspicion that he may have autism although he has come on leaps and bounds in the past month or two.

My lo was like this. He learnt to walk at 13-14 months but I couldn't get him to walk outside at all until about 17-18 months. I found taking him to indoor places with an outdoor feel helped. Like garden centres. Also we'd go places that had a distraction such as ducks and then stand him on the floor and spend time looking at the ducks and then I'd run a few feet in front of him and make a game out of him 'chasing me' and as he got closer I'd move back a bit. At first he'd only do a couple of minutes before demanding to be carried but it gradually extended and now he's 19.5 months and he walks outside much better. He still likes to carried 30-40% of the time but it's better than 100% of the time!!! Good luck!

My 20 month old was a late walker too (he's been walking about 2-3 months) and had only really started walking outside in the last few weeks. For him he seemed to get really confused by the changes in what's underfoot (grass, pavement, gravel etc) and was really uncomfortable with going up or downhill. I just started him with short periods walking outside - literally five minutes up and down our street or walking the couple of minutes from nursery to the car, and gradually he's become more confident.

I'm glad that others seem to have had the same issue. Will try some of these things at the weekend. Am sure he will get there, it's just very frustrating when he walks/runs so well indoors.

Taking a football is a good idea. Or taking him somewhere really exciting so he'll want to get out and run around.
DD2 took her first steps outside (it was the summer) so she was used to it from the start. DD1 started walking at Christmas and hated shoes, it took us a few weeks to get her to walk confidently in them.