Outgrown the Stroller; Now What? Recommendations?

[Meeko]

Meeko - I'm selling my 6-seat Bye Bye Buggy. I've upgraded to a Choo Choo Wagon. Want it?

You'd have to come to NM to get it.....::

I wish! Now I gotta look up a choo choo wagon.......
::

[countrymom]

I have found that one of the wagons you buy for gardening work great. They are adult size and can hold a lot of gear. Some models have removable sides, great for that tired child to sit on the edge for a ride! They also have good tires for any rough terrain. Up here in Canada you can get them at Home Depot, Lowes etc.

I have one from TSC. Its the best and can hold alot, and also it came with a removable canopy. Now I did pay almost 200 dollars for it, but it came with all the removable padding, the canopy and the sides are removable so I use it for other things. Whatever you do make sure you get tires that you need to pump because they are the best to push or pull.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I have one from TSC. Its the best and can hold alot, and also it came with a removable canopy. Now I did pay almost 200 dollars for it, but it came with all the removable padding, the canopy and the sides are removable so I use it for other things. Whatever you do make sure you get tires that you need to pump because they are the best to push or pull.

Wow--looking them up online, it looks like you got a deal! This sounds ideal, if I could find one that's a decent price, too. Thanks.

[cheerfuldom]

Those huge strollers are crazy. I wouldnt push anything more than a double stroller and I make anyone that can walk, walk. The kids carry their own things in backpacks. I guess I dont understand what all is being carried to and fro that the kids cant carry? Even my kids just over a year walk and carry a backpack if necessary. We tailor our walks based on what the younger ones are capable of doing.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Those huge strollers are crazy. I wouldnt push anything more than a double stroller and I make anyone that can walk, walk. The kids carry their own things in backpacks. I guess I dont understand what all is being carried to and fro that the kids cant carry? Even my kids just over a year walk and carry a backpack if necessary. We tailor our walks based on what the younger ones are capable of doing.

I totally agree about walking. Big kids getting pushed in strollers everywhere is a pet peeve of mine and part of why I want to leave it at home. But I do tend to bring a bunch of stuff if we're going out all morning; I like to be prepared, and I also don't use disposables (paper plates, plastic baggies, etc). So, for example, heading out for a morning at the river the other day, we brought a big picnic basket with food for all of us (including plates, lots of water for a hot day, food in bulky containers), the diaper bag (diapers, change of clothes, emergency info, first aid, camera, clipboard, etc). Just the water alone would have been a lot of weight for a young child to have to tote a mile. Another example: we walk to the hardware store and buy something huge: 50 lbs of playground sand, a new shovel, etc. These are things I've lugged home on the stroller in the past. We're walking to go somewhere and do something, not just for a walk around the block.

[cheerfuldom]

I totally agree about walking. Big kids getting pushed in strollers everywhere is a pet peeve of mine and part of why I want to leave it at home. But I do tend to bring a bunch of stuff if we're going out all morning; I like to be prepared, and I also don't use disposables (paper plates, plastic baggies, etc). So, for example, heading out for a morning at the river the other day, we brought a big picnic basket with food for all of us (including plates, lots of water for a hot day, food in bulky containers), the diaper bag (diapers, change of clothes, emergency info, first aid, camera, clipboard, etc). Just the water alone would have been a lot of weight for a young child to have to tote a mile. Another example: we walk to the hardware store and buy something huge: 50 lbs of playground sand, a new shovel, etc. These are things I've lugged home on the stroller in the past. We're walking to go somewhere and do something, not just for a walk around the block.

It sounds like you are running serious errands here and probably have different needs than the average daycare provider.....not sure how big of a group you have or the ages so I am sure that is a big factor. I guess you are in a unique situation. I would just run those errands at a later time and not try to squeeze everything into one time. I dont use disposable products either but if we take a long a meal, I do everything finger foods and cut down on all the extra stuff needed. Maybe rethinking what you actually "need" and where you go would be a good way to start and perhaps your current wagon/stroller arrangement would work once again? just a thought.

[Solandia]

I totally agree about walking. Big kids getting pushed in strollers everywhere is a pet peeve of mine and part of why I want to leave it at home. But I do tend to bring a bunch of stuff if we're going out all morning; I like to be prepared, and I also don't use disposables (paper plates, plastic baggies, etc). So, for example, heading out for a morning at the river the other day, we brought a big picnic basket with food for all of us (including plates, lots of water for a hot day, food in bulky containers), the diaper bag (diapers, change of clothes, emergency info, first aid, camera, clipboard, etc). Just the water alone would have been a lot of weight for a young child to have to tote a mile. Another example: we walk to the hardware store and buy something huge: 50 lbs of playground sand, a new shovel, etc. These are things I've lugged home on the stroller in the past. We're walking to go somewhere and do something, not just for a walk around the block.

Think more compact, less "bulk"! Serious. I have it down to an artform...I have 2 toddlers, a preteen, and a teen --- we often spend whole days at the fair, the zoo, and bring out own food/snack, & drinks and it really doesn't take a wagon. And if we are taking the train to the zoo or downtown, we only use umbrella strollers for the little ones, so no double stroller, no wagon at all. It is really quite "freeing", for lack of a better term, to not be overburdened with stuff to keep track.

A square ziploc reusable container holds a sandwich, a 100 calorie pack, and a small handful of grapes. And a juice pouch if the child doesn't care if his sandwich is smooshed. Perfect! Each child has their own extra diapers, and extra outfit, and some wipes. Not a big wipe box, but a refill ones, with the resealable opening. Snacks for later in the day/morning...each kids keeps theirs in their own backpack...a fruit cup, some crackers, and a string cheese. Each one has their own sippy cup or water bottle with ice water. It is too much for a 2yo(who would likely be in a stroller for longer trips anyway), but for 3yo+ it is perfectly fine. Most venues will refill the kids' cups with ice and tap water for free and virtually all places that we go have drinking fountains available to refill cups. Dh and I have our own backpacks, and dh's has a camelbak inside of his.I keep the first aid kit, tablecloth, etc in mine (and any little kid meds). My big kids - 10yo+ keep their own asthma meds in their backpack. In addition, each child's backpack - a little laminated card clipped on --my information, the child's name & allergy info, and the parent's phone. Any extra stuff (sand toys or pool toys, depending on where we are going)..has their own bag that stays packed and put away until needed. Just grab and go.

Once you have a system down...it is nice, because there is little dinking around at meal & snack...the kids can set up their own, clean up their mess and be independent. It's neat, because I am not handing out or organizing lunch or snacktime.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

It sounds like you are running serious errands here

No, not errands, like it sounds like you're thinking. What I'm talking about is things I do with the children, for the children. For example, when the kids were all into the circus, and together we decided to create a circus of our own, and we needed rope and dowels and rubber tubing, we walked to the hardware store to get it. Going there, talking to the people who work there, finding what we need, paying for it, etc. are not "errands" to us but a big piece of our curriculum.

Right now I have 6-8 children, ages 3-8. Usually 6 children, ages 2-5. We are out in the community a lot, for a wide variety of reasons, and I find I need a way to tote things, beyond what the kids can carry. Sounds like you don't. I think we all have "unique situations," as you said.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

...each child's backpack - a little laminated card clipped on --my information, the child's name & allergy info, and the parent's phone. Any extra stuff (sand toys or pool toys, depending on where we are going)..has their own bag that stays packed and put away until needed. Just grab and go.

Once you have a system down...it is nice, because there is little dinking around at meal & snack...the kids can set up their own, clean up their mess and be independent. It's neat, because I am not handing out or organizing lunch or snacktime.

Hm. I'll have to consider backpacks for smaller trips.

I think it's because of how we buy/store/pack things that makes it different for me. I don't buy plastic, or packaged foods, or individual portions of things. So for me, packing is easiest in larger containers.

[Blackcat31]

No, not errands, like it sounds like you're thinking. What I'm talking about is things I do with the children, for the children. For example, when the kids were all into the circus, and together we decided to create a circus of our own, and we needed rope and dowels and rubber tubing, we walked to the hardware store to get it. Going there, talking to the people who work there, finding what we need, paying for it, etc. are not "errands" to us but a big piece of our curriculum.

Right now I have 6-8 children, ages 3-8. Usually 6 children, ages 2-5. We are out in the community a lot, for a wide variety of reasons, and I find I need a way to tote things, beyond what the kids can carry. Sounds like you don't. I think we all have "unique situations," as you said.

I don't have any advice about the wagon or stroller but I wanted to say COOL!!!!!! that you integrate the purchasing of materials into your curriculum! happyface

Buying the stuff, talking to the sales staff and counting and measuring what is needed is all important and those steps are often over looked (as being educational too) and done solely by the provider so the kids don't have a part in it....but how you do things sounds really really cool!

So

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I don't have any advice about the wagon or stroller but I wanted to say COOL!!!!!! that you integrate the purchasing of materials into your curriculum! happyface

Buying the stuff, talking to the sales staff and counting and measuring what is needed is all important and those steps are often over looked (as being educational too) and done solely by the provider so the kids don't have a part in it....but how you do things sounds really really cool!

So

Thanks for saying so. :-)

[SunnyDay]

I don't have any advice about the wagon or stroller but I wanted to say COOL!!!!!! that you integrate the purchasing of materials into your curriculum! happyface

Buying the stuff, talking to the sales staff and counting and measuring what is needed is all important and those steps are often over looked (as being educational too) and done solely by the provider so the kids don't have a part in it....but how you do things sounds really really cool!

So

I agree, what a great "real world" experience for them.

[Meyou]

I use a garden cart or utility cart like another poster mentioned. It was about $100 at the hardware store. I sewed an quilted insert for it with seatbelts and can sit 4 easily. basically a big rectangle with ties to attach and holes for the seatbelts to strap through. We attached a little tote on the back for our stuff. We go to the beach alot so there are things I need and the littles are much too tired to walk on the way home let alone carry their own things.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I agree, what a great "real world" experience for them.

Exactly. This is one of the reasons I prefer family child care to center-based or public-school-based preschool, as I've done in the past. There are so many more opportunities for real-world learning.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I use a garden cart or utility cart like another poster mentioned. It was about $100 at the hardware store. I sewed an quilted insert for it with seatbelts and can sit 4 easily. basically a big rectangle with ties to attach and holes for the seatbelts to strap through. We attached a little tote on the back for our stuff. We go to the beach alot so there are things I need and the littles are much too tired to walk on the way home let alone carry their own things.

I love the sound of your quilted insert for tired littles!
And how jealous I am that you can walk to the beach!