Tips to help ds walk further

[tassis]

Ds is 3.5 and has been very happy to sit in the pushchair and be pushed all his life!

Little sister has now arrived and I'd really like to get back into walking everywhere (had SPD in pregnancy so git a bit lazy!). Any good tips to help ds walk further?

So far we've tried playing eye-spy, singing (bit embarassing!) and bribery...

Does he have his own doll's pushchair and baby/teddy to take out for a walk? The little, cheap, fold down buggies are good for this age as they fold down really small and are easier for you to carry on psuhchair if/when he gets bored of pushing.

Scooter if he can do it safely and it wouldn't drive you mad. Mine walk because they always had to before I could drive - have been a bit lazy of late but am determined to get back to walking lots. Make sure his shoes are comfy - my ds2 has suffered terribly with his long, thin feet for which Clarks sold us the wrong size shoes - twice!
Actually, a new pair of shoes that he has chosen can do wonders for enthusiasm, or wellies and the lure of puddles.
We do some of our walking in fields/by canal which makes it more interesting.
Try letting him choose the route.

If you're going to shops, let him take his own money and buy something - doesn't have to be toys or sweets, it's the independence and buying that's fun so maybe bread roll/carton of juice/fruit.

Building up to longer trips helps too.

A trail of sweets to follow .

A pedometer!!! I had a nearly 4 year old charge who decided walking was no longer for her when little brother arrived. So we bought her a pedometer and for every 100 steps she took she got a star sticker, worked a treat, she even used to wear it go go up and down stairs before bed to get another sticker! Plus it teaches math skills, in easy increments, and shows how bigger numbers do exist. She loved it for the competetive streak in her. It had to be replaced about 5 times in 6 months but in that time she got so used to walking lots that it was never an issue after that.