Going for walks with very young children

[Daisydaisydaisydaisydaisy]

My 15 month old is walking well and in theory we could walk in the park and so on. The problem is he has no sense of direction and just wanders off and meanders in circles. He doesn’t follow us at all!

When do children start to get the idea of walking with their parents?

There is quite a long time where random twigs, flowers, pebbles etc can be very exciting, and the cause of many diversions. I cant remember when you can get them to understand that they just need to walk sometimes, but I'm guessing about 5 - after they start school anyway.

About 3. Until they're more cat than dog...

At about 3. That's why you need to hold their hands u til then . Don't use strollers either.

Yep - it’s definitely like taking a cat for a walk

Meant until then

Mine did better with her toy pushchair. She pushed her dolly or Teddy, I pushed the big pushchair. (Especially after baby sister was born when she 20 months... it was our afternoon routine. Once around the square to get baby asleep, then to playpark!)

Saying that, it could take us 45 minutes to walk home from nursery. She had to inspect every nut and bolt on the fence... it took me 10 mins alone.

Mine definitely could definitely walk properly with me before 5 though - my third was born when the older two wete 3 and 5 and there was no problem with dc2 walking alongside the buggy. Very different when dc2 was born and dc1 wasn't quite 2.

I'd say 3 but even my 4 and 9 yr old struggle at times sticks and spinning around suddenly seem more of a focus!!
Reins help and offer some reassurance bit some days it seems you are just saying "come on, this way, no this way" through most of the walk!

Yup I have to handhold outside as the fancy takes my two year old to randomly run onto a busy road with no warning. Can vouch generally this is how it is until about three as others said😂

I think the problem with handholding or reins is we’re at that age where if he’s trying to trot off one way and we are going the other he flings himself on the ground!

Hold hands.

Or backpack with reins (the Littlelife ones are great).

Or dolly pram.

But until around age 2 - 2.5 it is a slow distracted pace!

About 3 I’d say. Though DD1 does still faff about on the way to preschool so I make her get on the buggy board.

If you’re going out for a walk for leisure then yes just enjoy the randomness of it. If you need to get somewhere at any speed other than snail, then I recommend a buggy or trike.

I found a mini micro scooter solved the problem and balance bike about 2. Youngest has to be on wheels otherwise couldn't keep up with others. He's 5 and still resistant to walking, only goes anywhere on wheels! (Which is a problem!)

1. Get some reins, it makes life a lot easier / quicker. If you're just off for a meander fine but if you need to get somewhere it's just painful.

Also have you thought about a little bike or a scooter? My two loved their little balance bikes (the first had plastic wheels about 6 inches wide so didn’t go dangerously fast) from quite early on. Also I wouldn’t totally give up on the buggy unless you’re driving everywhere. We are a walking family, never had a car as lived in London and had great public transport, but it meant we kept the buggies for a long time. We used a double eventually when the second child came along and would go on 20k walks with tiny children and they would walk loads! I remember getting some funny looks from people having a big 4 year old in a double buggy but the fact was he only used it to rest occasionally or we popped him in it to get somewhere quickly and actually he’s walked at least 10k himself that day! But don’t underestimate the power of wheels (scooters, bikes, buggies) when you need to get somewhere quickly. Then you mind less at the periods spent dawdling around every pavement crack and blade of grass.

We have reins thanks but I’d literally be dragging him around which I obviously don’t want to do.

A scooter is a possibility

Hes just too young to understand that there is any purpose to the walk, and everything is very interesting at that age. Even if you could get him to follow you, you're not going to get very far with him on those little legs. Stick with the buggy for now and let him out to have a wander at some point to practice.

I found a hip seat that strapped on useful at this age. Do a mix of walking and looking and sitting and chatting. Point out interesting things up ahead, let's race to the next tree etc.

Let him 'choose' the walk - you follow behind and guide him away from danger. It's very, very boring, but you'll be far less frustrated. Mine just started walking at the beginning of lockdown, so I spent much of my free time doing this. It's quite zen 😂

Also yes, reins. Handy for hauling him up when he falls over too. Pushchair if you actually want to get somewhere.