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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Hill walking with toddlers - is there any hope?

11 replies

grannyslippers · 14/09/2007 15:28

Following on from previous threads about toddlers who are disinclined to walk...

I'm in the last throes of holiday packing and looking at our 2 back carriers. DS's are now 2 and 3.5, both obviously can walk but they are not going to do any significant expedition unless carried. But if we did carry them we could do a good day walk or two, after all they are not particularly heavy children. Pre-children we always used to go walking for holidays and we really miss it.

What do you do with your toddlers - carry, walk for half a mile at a snail pace or give up and wait until older?

I am not sure what is worse, lugging the backpacks all the way there and back without using them, or looking wistfully at mountains we have no hope of getting near. Dilemma

OP posts:

Kathyis6incheshigh · 14/09/2007 15:30

Go with another family and take it in turns to go for a proper walk.

kiskidee · 14/09/2007 15:32

We took a 3 wheeled scooter, the micro scooter, for dd on hols to devon. She is just over 2 and it was a treat for her and us. it folds down tiny.

I have a soft baby/toddler carrier called a Meitai. she enjoys being carried piggy back style in that.

Of course she also does some walking and also does some carrying on daddy's shoulders (and big rucksack thing if we are out for a long day).

Piggy · 14/09/2007 15:32

We have back carriers for really long walks (dses are 2.11 and 1.11). I got so fed up with planning a lovely long walk and hanging around whilst the dses stopped to examine every feckin bit of bracken in the New Forest. If the walk is 2 miles or less the dses walk (or run if they are particularly full of beans). We don't have hills in W.Hampshire and I admire you for carrying a 3.5 year old up a hill!

Original poster

grannyslippers · 14/09/2007 15:55

We haven't carried him yet, in fact he's not been in the backpack for about a year. But I haven't had a decent walk in that time either!

I was inclined to take backpack for little DS and hippychick seat so DH can carry big DS when he gets tired and whingy, but then thought that any walk a 3 year old can manage, the 2 year old probably could as well. so why bother with any backpack at all?

Piggy in 6 months you will have this problem, you see.

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Original poster

grannyslippers · 14/09/2007 15:56

I mean DS getting tired and whingy, not DH. I think.

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laura032004 · 14/09/2007 16:02

We've got an Ergo, and carried DS1 in it for quite a while. Even at 3 and a half, I could still carry him in it as he's not all that much heavier than DS1 who's 14 months (he's a chunky monkey though!).

lailasmum · 14/09/2007 16:07

I live in devon and walk a lot on the moors, it is possible to walk a proper adult distance with toddlers with them in a sling but I think you do need to build up stamina cos the back carriers weigh quite a lot in their own right if you have them on for hours.

kiskidee · 14/09/2007 16:11

see, a mei tai weighs less than a kilo.

the scooter comes into its own as long as you keep to 'soft walking' paths.

laura032004 · 14/09/2007 16:15

Same with an ergo - the weight of the carrier is around the same as an empty rucksack, so negligible really. The only real issue with that is that you struggle with the stuff you'd otherwise have on your back in a rucksack.

casbie · 14/09/2007 16:17

we take a rucksac with a hug-a-bub in (and snacks, and long sleeved shirts for the children and water bottles).

if the youngest (2) is tired or has just woken up from a ride in the car, i strap it on my back and in she goes.

best thing about it is that it folds up small and we don't have to worry about carrying a heavy backpac with no-child in it!

our son (4) too heavy to carry in a backpac or in the hug-a-bub, so when he gets tired it's usually carried on dads back, with hands folded under boy's bum. usually he's quite good thugh and loves to run with his older sister and so it's not till it's walking back time, that he asks to be picked up!

Original poster

grannyslippers · 14/09/2007 16:55

Yes if I had my time again I'd have bought an ergo, having discovered it on MN, but it's not worth having another baby to try it out

both our back carriers are cheapy ones and quite lightweight, fortunately, if a bit bulky.

well I will consult with DH, I think once it's less than 24 hours to take-off he might be prepared to think about the holiday, IYKWIM.

I liked the one about the sweets, maybe a packet of dolly mixtures will be the key!

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