Walking with a 2 yr old

[scrappydappydoo]

Right - new years resolution - walk more use car less. First real challenge is tomorrow we have a 1/2 mile walk to playgroup. Please tell me how to get a 2 (almost 3)yr old to walk that distance without it taking forever. Last time we walked it it took 3/4hr of her stopping every 2/3 steps to look at something and me getting VERY frustrated. I have dd2 who is 10mths and I do have a double buggy which I normally end up putting her in just to get somewhere on time. (I do give her a chance to walk a bit) but I want to ditch it for my lightweight single buggy and I know she can walk that distance. Do I go cold turkey and just leave an hour early and end up very angry?? How do you do it????

I ask her to find things for me - three red cars, a house with a blue front door etc. That normally keeps her moving as she looks (not always moving quickly though!).

I endlessly pick out things further along the street for her to look at or count or whatever, anything thats further on and keeps her focussed ahead. She also thinks running is hilarious, sometimes I just take exaggerated footsteps if I'm not in a running mood and this works for when you get really bored!
Or why not stick a buggy board on the lightweight pushchair?

Sigh- yup, been there! We have dogs who need a good long walk every day. My girls always wanted out of the double buggy, and they...were...juuust...soooo....sloooowww!! the good news is, they get faster as they get bigger . the bad news is, there is NO way on earth to speed 'em up! I think you have to set your mind around the fact that it will take forever. And keep reciting that poem through gritted teeth "What life is this if, full of care; We have no time to stop and stare"

Resigned sigh... I was hoping there was some secret that I wasn't party to.
Jooly - I'm not sure the poem meant stopping to stare at dog poo and saying whatssat mummy..

My ds was 2.9 when dd was born. He had a "special handle" on her (new) buggy and thought that was very exciting.

We also made an effort to still take him out alone when possible. My dh is good at "insisting" on holding hands and maintaining some speed (working on this now with dd 21 months!) and I can see that we have instilled a reasonably good walking habit in ds through doing this.

But in the short term I would def advise leaving plenty of time for the journey... it's so much more stressful if you are late!

Oh, and I agree with what everyone else has said... and funny walks are another idea when you just need a new distraction.

I go with 'race you to the bin/lamp post/hedge' or 'last one to the (aforementioned articles) is a rotten banana' or 'bet you can't beat mummyto the......'

It works for a while!

Lol scrappy- one day I made the mistake of pointing out a snail to the dds- only to discover it was one of a mass exodus of snails, and we had to stop and look at every. single. one. And wonder where every single one was going. And exclaim about how slowly it was moving. Arrgh!

I also attach a wrist strap to the pram, as dd2 likes to hold onto it (it doesn't go round her wrist!), which kinda forces her to keep up a bit [evil mum emoticon]

cold turkey, leave early and try not to get angry!

I did that with my dd when she was that age or she'd still be in the buggy now! She's a great walker now, don't have a car and definitely no buggy.

it won't take long and you'll be so glad you did it.