Walking with twin toddlers

[Tftpoo]

My 14 month old boys are just starting to walk and I am wondering how I'll cope out and about. How have you managed to juggle two toddlers who want to walk (and don't want to be in the pushchair) and the pushchair? I feel guilty that they won't get as much walking practice as singletons and that they'll have to be strapped into the buggy when they don't want to be. Does it generally take twins longer to learn to walk independently because of this? How long did you use your buggy for?

Rucksack reins. I don't have twins but a year gap with eldest late walker and youngest early walker so both learnt around the same time. Then eventually just holding hands

Neither went in a pram from 2 years. 18-24months was half on buggy board/ half walking

Oh and I would go out now with them on reins without pram to local shop/ park/ around the block to build up practice and road danger awareness. A 5 min walk around roads might take 20 mins now but they will gradually speed up the more walking they do

Get a small folding sling. Boba do a compact one you can throw in bag. If out and one refuses to walk at least you can put them on back in sling ( and carry other in arms in front of all falls!)

My dad was a twin & walked at 7 months (says family lore). Just reading the thread title made me want to hyper-ventilate at the thought of having 2 both loose. I used buggy until age 5+ with singletons, no regrets, either.

A friend with twins had LittleLife rucksacks for them when they were wee - worked well.

I insisted on my DTs holding my hands - we practiced a lot in safe locations - but I also had backup reins.

Don't take the buggy if you are going somewhere they can walk.
Make them go in the buggy if you are going a long distance - pushing a pushchair one handed is horrible. A double will be worse! and if each twin needs a hand, you'd need to be an octopus.

Invest in a rucksac to carry your purse etc in.

Thanks for the suggestions. Think I'll go get some back pack reins. The foldable sling sounds like a really good idea too, I'll look into getting one of them. They used to love being carried when they were smaller but recently they've got too heavy for the front carrier.

My twins walked at 14 & 16 months. So while twin 1 was still slow and wobbly, twin 2 was practically running! I insisted on the buggy when we were out, if this meant they had to scream, tough. I took ours for lots of walks near to home/park so they got plenty of walking practice.

The Little Life animal backpack reins are great. Mine are 29 months and I only take tge buggy if I know we are going to be out for a while. Carrying two tired whingy toddlers is not fun!

My twins walked at 11 months and were tiny. Which made holding their hands fun (not). After some encouragement and a lot of deep breathing, we just got on with it and did lots of practice walking - in the park initially and then on the pavements, round the block. I didn't bother with reins (live in London so streets are busy) and must admit that that it was terrifying but ultimately great. They learnt to listen to instructions really well and we did things like closing garden gates/picking up sticks, looking at flowers in gardens to encourage interest and prevent bolting. At 2 they are great little walkers and pretty good at stopping when ordered.

The key is to build it up slowly and have very low expectations for the first few months. By the summer, they'll be storming about.

These days, I reckon my pair walk far more than other children their age because the incentive to leave the double buggy monstrosity behind if at all possible is huge! We walked to the bus stop, got the bus to Brixton, walked to Brixton Market, had crepes and walked/bussed home again on Saturday morning - all without a buggy.

totally agree re back pack reins, and also I used to take mine for a little walk around the block every day at about that age. Have to be honest though we rely on the pushchair far too much even now for long walks into town etc. They are 3.5.

I can't quite get my head around holding each hand, and a basket, and actually being able to do some shopping.

If it's an activity for them - library / park etc then we will walk and take the bus and they are fine with that and we have inststilled from a very early age that they must listen to and follow instructions.

I've bought normal reins for my dts, with the idea that they can be strapped into the buggy and car with them on, which means I can hang on to one while I get the second out, and not worry about either bolting.
I walked them to the library the other day (about 200 yards away), it took me 15 minutes and they both spent the entire time trying to go in opposite directions. They'll be in the buggy a while longer I think!

Mine are 2.5 and have used the little life backpack reins since around 14 months. It requires lots of practise and patience but they walk wonderfully well on them now (well, most of the time). We started just going up and down the street, then around the estate. We went further when there was 2 of us but don't be too ambitious if on your own! Carrying two tantruming toddlers is most definitely not easy or fun!

I did feel they they had more time on their buggy then singletons but all you can do is your best, like most situations with twins really. Often it's not what you'd choose but for them but they have to be safe (and you have to stay sane .

i have some reins from twinsuk. They come with a waist belt so you can hook them onto yourself and have hands free for carrying shopping (like I would talk my monsters shopping hahaha). I don't use them any more now they are 2.5 and walk quite nicely on their own holding my hands (with rucksack reins as backup). It does still take me forever to get anywhere though especially as one is just potty trained and needs to stop for a wee randomly.

I had the waist belt reins too - Kool Kangeroos. Like retractable dog leads :) I had so many comments out and about with them. Best thing is you have both hands free so, for example means you can clip one on and have both arms free to get the other out the car. Felt really secure too as can't accidentally lose grip of one.

Teach them to hold onto the buggy instead.

My DTs are 3.3 now. Dd walked at 12 months and DS 17 months so for a long time he was in pram while she walked, holding the buggy. Then when DS wanted out too I used little life rucksack and also held their hands. Can't say it was easy though when one wanted to go one direction and the other in the opposite. DS often would just through himself to the floor and then I had to struggle to pick him back up whilst not letting go of DD's hand. Now though they happily hold my hands all the time and on quiet pavements they hold each other's hands instead.

Empty double buggy, both with wrist straps walking next to buggy.