What age did your DC stop using a buggy / how to transport a 3 year old

[CFinn]

DS is 3.5. We've tried scooter and buggy board, he's not interested. His nursery is a bit too far for him to walk, especially in the mornings when we're always in a rush.

We've also got a DD who's nearly 1, so I stack them up in the double buggy, but it weighs a ton with them both in and I worry about it breaking or collapsing. Can also put them in the car but the parking situation isn't always great round here and DH doesn't have a licence.

How do other people transport their children?!

Either 3yr old walks and baby (8m) goes in the pram, or 3yr old goes in the pram and baby goes in the carrier. Sometimes we can't take the pram and I put the 3yr old in the hiking backpack and the baby in the carrier.

Can you get a buggy board?

We've got one. He used it once for 5 mins and has refused ever since. It cost £120 as well!

Since DS2 was born (7 months ago) he goes in the pushchair, and DS1 who's now nearly 3 rides on the buggy board. He hasn't really used the pushchair since he turned 2 as he always wanted to walk, which probably means his brother will be a lazy bugger and want to be pushed until he's 5!

I only had one child but DD used a pushchair until she was 4 but looked more like a 6 year old as she was tall. I didnt drive and needs must. Dont worry about looks from other people, do what you need to to get you where you need to go on time and with as little stress as possible.

Double check the weight limit for the pushchair, I doubt its going to break. Its also useful to know that UK buggies say 1 weight because thats the maximum they are required to test it to but the exact same buggy in a different country has a higher max weight as they have to test to a higher weight limit.

Going to break? Sounds unlikely I had mine in the double for much longer a 1 and 3 year old should fit fine in a double buggy together

I had a bike trailer until DD was 4. I could clock upto 10 miles in a day with it.

One of DS' nursery pals is the same age with the same age sibling. They have experimented unsuccessfully with a buggy board and a scooter but seem to have better luck with a balance bike (I think that's the right word)

Double buggy at that age. Actually latest age in any kind of buggy or trailer was probably about 7-8 (when ill). I never cared about stated weight limits, but tbf, DC all tended to be "petite" so I wasn't pushing limits hard.

Double pushchair 🤷🏼‍♀️ we still use it on holidays, days out and long (2/3 miles plus) for ours at 4 and 2. 4 year old likes his sleep and if we have plans past 6pm, still could do with a nap.
He'll still jump in now for snacks or to rest his legs if we're on a long countryside walk.

My nearly 3yo is fast on a balance bike. But I use buggy board or carrier (her on my back).

Or bribery to make them walk.

Mine is not even 22 months but absolutely hates the pushchair and refuses to go in it!

How far is "too far"?

I appreciate that I'm probably outside the normal range but I had my eldest walking 6km most days by 3yrs - he had to because we had livestock to sort 3km from the house and I couldn't carry/push him, ds2 and any equipment/feed I needed.

You could be nice and gradually increase the amount he is made to walk or you could go cold turkey: ditch the buggy, put dc2 in a carrier, allow extra time for the journey and try not to stress if you're late. He'll get the idea that he has to walk pretty quickly and be healthier as a result.

I know a lot of people chivied their kids age 3+ to walk with sweets. I didn't want to do that.

.. or drive. I know a huge number of adults who wouldn't dream of walking 1km each way on a regular basis, least of all if there's the slightest hint of rain in the air. They drive. This is extremely "normal" for them & their children. My corner shop is heaving with people who drove there, who live < 1km away.

Double buggy. I have a 4, 2 and 9 month old and rely on double buggy as we walk or use public transport for longer journeys. 4 year old walks and the other two are in the buggy. Sometimes if we've been out all day the four year goes in the buggy and the two year old walks or if we are running late on the school run all three go in the double buggy

Walk until they can’t manage it anymore then on the buggy board for a rest, walk again. Rinse repeat.

DS 3 rides his scooter to nursery and back.
He sometimes walks but told me yesterday that walking was hard 🤣.

I used to have me on a bike, the baby on a bike seat and the 3yo on a balance bike.

DS walks, cycles or scoots to nursery. If DH is taking him in on the way to work he goes on his seat on the back of DHs bike (dh cycles to work), it wasn't hugely expensive, we got it from decathlon and DS loves it

Thanks all. I'd been wondering about a balance bike but couldn't face forking out for yet another thing he won't use 🙄 He is generally up for walking at the start of the journey so maybe I'll gradually extend it until he's doing the whole thing.

Could you borrow a balance bike for a bit? Or a bike with stabilisers on it? My anecdotal experience is that kids get on with one but not the other. My DS loves the balance bike (and at 3.5 is probably ready for pedals) but couldn't ever get his head around scooters. His friends are mostly the other way though.

We had a similar age gap. I had a single buggy and a sling. Toddler walked until too tired then went into the buggy and the baby went into the sling.

How far is the nursery? The last family I worked for had three children and the youngest was probably walking 5 miles+ a day at that age, the school was a mile away so she walked there and back twice a day, plus walking to the shops, park, playgroup etc during the day. I built it up slowly with her, so pram part of the way and walking part of the way and gradually increasing the amount of walking. Sometimes she scooted or biked and I always left in plenty of time to allow for delays, tired legs, stopping to look at stuff etc. It was mostly quiet residential roads though, which does make a difference, I probably would have kept her in the pram a bit longer if we had to walk alongside a busy main road.

I have an old Phil and teds and all my three youngest will travel on it ( just 5 a 4 and 2 yrs. !! I always take it in walks and jungle the kids in it. Never thought about weight limit 😳