Taking Walks

[DaycareMom]

I wanted to start taking walks with the kids. I have 4 total (1 yo, 2, 2 yo, and a 3 yo).

The 1 yo would be in the stroller and I would like the other 3 to walk.

Are there any special tricks, tools, ideas to keep them with me?

What do you do?

[FCCProvider]

I have 6 children 18mos, 23 mos, (2) 2yo, 3yo, and 4yo. I use a double stroller for the little ones and I have 4 dog leashes that I've cut the handle and about 12" of the leash. That part is sewn onto 4 corners of my stroller and the walkers have something to hold onto. They are also in different colors, that way they know which one is theirs. We walk to the park every day sometimes twice a day and there are no problems.

[lpperry]

I use little ropes attached to my strollers. My 2 1/2 year olds can walk without holding the rope, but I have 3 kids who have to use the rope. One 2 year old wanders, a 20 month old is pokey, but if holding the rope he keeps up, another 2 year old goes back and forth between using the rope and not. If in a parking lot, she has to use rope. If we are walking around my neighborhood, she sometimes doesn't.

I use a double stroller and usually either put the 20 month in or the 2 year old and then they trade later. Then I have one less walking to keep track of.

[MarinaVanessa]

I have a double stroller for the 2 youngest ones and the rest all get animal backpacks (the ones that harness on and have a lead to hold for a tail).

I unclip the lead from the backpack, thread it through a bar on the stroller (two in front on either side, two in back on either side), pull the end of the lead through the loop (the part of the lead that you hold on to) and then re-clip the lead back onto the harness. VOAHLAH! They're all atached to the stroller.

The backpacks are cute and come in different animals and cost about $10-$12 depending on where you get them (I think here they're still $10 at Wal-Mart).

[Ariana]

At the centre where I used to work we had a rope with little colored elastic bands (hair elastics!) that the kids would put their wrist in to follow along. Would that work?

[daycare]

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?Product=28567&rec=PDHbot

I have this and I would not go anywhere with out it..

[BigMama]

I have six. I put the two babies in the double stroller. The four others ( 3 2y.o.'s and 1 3y.o.) hold right onto the stroller. Two hold on the side in the front and two in the back. We walk like one giant chemical compound! When I have school-agers I allow them to hold hands in pairs and walk ahead a bit.

[AnneCordelia]

I have 6 little ones. 4 1yos and 2 3yos. I have a quint Runabout stroller. Attached to the stroller are 4 lanyards for the walkers to hold.

We have two walks a day...one morning and one afternoon. The 1yos all sit in the stroller and are allowed to walk one at a time. The 3yos know to walk holding their lanyard. As the babies get older and better at walking then I'll let more at a time walk, and for longer periods.

I love that they all want exercise so they learn to behave while walking very quickly, or else they end up in the stroller instead.

[mom2many]

I have a wagon and it'll hold the 3 little ones. I have 2 one year olds and a 2 year old. The 3 and four year olds walk beside me. They love riding in the wagon almost more than the park itself!

[Unregistered]

Just a couple ideas

A quad stroller is nice to have! I really like it for when my babies are little and not walking or not walking well enough to not fall down a lot. I don't use it unless I have to, though. Sometimes kids that can walk will see that there are a couple of seats available and they'll want to go in the stroller and then the stroller gets heavier and harder to push.

I have a couple of the chest harnesses with back packs for my little ones who are steady walkers but easily distracted. I also make sure that all of my kids know what I expect from them when we go outside and especially when we go for walks.

Has anyone used the "Walk-a-dile"? I was wondering how well it works.

[SimpleMom]

I have six. I put the two babies in the double stroller. The four others ( 3 2y.o.'s and 1 3y.o.) hold right onto the stroller. Two hold on the side in the front and two in the back. We walk like one giant chemical compound! When I have school-agers I allow them to hold hands in pairs and walk ahead a bit.

This is what I do. I have had one "stray" ONCE and cross a street ahead of me. Luckily not a busy one. They were then put on a "leash" that hooked up to the wrist and the other to the stroller. When they showed me they could follow the rules I then let them hold the stroller again.

[kidkair]

I start with short walks. Anyone old enough to not be in the stroller or held needs to respond to me when I say stop or no. I don't have them hold on to anything and will let them run ahead when they are old enough to know and have shown me that they will not enter the streets alone. Usually I keep them within a couple houses or yards and always ahead of me so I can see them. If I have difficulties with the walking kids listening we return home and try again in a week. I do have to have wheeled transportation available to every child under 3 years when the destination is farther than 3 blocks so you may want to double check regs before heading out with just a single seated stroller.

[Blackcat31]

Has anyone used the "Walk-a-dile"? I was wondering how well it works.

http://www.walkodile.com/

Looks interesting but I just have a regular walking rope that the kids aren't actually attached to.

If I used the Walk-a-dile, I can just picture one kid falling down and dragging the whole line with them. ::

[nannyde]

I love tot a longs. They are very narrow and flexible and can easily be wrapped around the stroller.

I've been using them for YEARS and haven't had any problems.

[Lianne]

I use those plastic links that you find with baby toys. I attach a couple lengths to the side of the stroller (single, double or sit n stand) and the children hold the last link on their length of links.

I have currently have an 11mos old, a 13mos old, an 18mos old, a 2yr old and two 3.5yr olds registered. I can fit three kids on my sit n stand so the 11mos old sits in the stroller part, the 13mos old sits behind him on the seat but facing forward and the 18mos old stands. Then, the 2yr old holds the links on one side and the two 3.5yr olds walk in front of me. When we get to a road we need to cross, or if we're walking on a busier street and I'm not comfortable with them walking ahead of me, the older two hold hands and one holds the empty links on the other side of the stroller.