Buggy for a 3yr old

Annabananna

Can anyone recommend a buggy for a three year old as my little lad be starting playschool in sept and its an km walk so thinking the three yr old will need a buggy.

Thanks

highly1111

Would a scooter be a better option instead? Sorry I can't recommend a buggy - my lad is now 4 but he was in a light Maclaren stroller until about 2 and a half.

foxy06

Your probably better off without. You wont have it that long before the child will be too big for it. 1 KM isn't that far really they would probably be grand even if it took longer than you wanted to get there

Moonbeam

1km is not far at all.
If you are in a rush to get their though I can understand.
I would just get a cheap one in Tesco or Smyths.

pwurple

How about a bike with a toddler bikeseat if you are in a rush? Might get more use out of it.

lonestargirl

I think a scooter is a good option too, lots of kids in my son's crèche use them to get there.

dazed+confused

I think the posts above are bang on, otherwise your next post will be looking for advice on an obese 4year old.

bulmersgal

my little girl is starting playschool in sept too. So what i'm doing now is practising walking down to it with her. Maybe thats a option for you even just start walking now 1/4 of the way and back then a 1/3 and then 1/2 and back which would be equivalent of whole way there. then he'll be grand going to preschool

hallo dare

Maclaren or a McClaren,cannot remember the correct name. fold up grand for the boot of the car and perfect for our 3 y.o. has a basket on the bottom,rain shield and folding hood. great all round

BostonB

The out and about 360 Nipper take a heavier weight than others. You can pick up buggies like new 2nd hand. Ones with tyres will be easier to push with the heavier 3yr old.

That said my vote is for the scooter, or cycle yourself if possible.

Ms. Pingui

I got a lightweight disney stroller for my almost 3 year old the other day. I still need one for getting around with her and it was only 29.99, can't go wrong with that! I'll find a link and post it up.

Annabananna

Hey girls,

Thanks for your ideas the issue i have is thta my 4 yr old is starting preschool he grand and will walk there no issue but i wanted the three old in a buggy as she have to do 4.5 km a day as a km there and back so she may be able to walk over and back in morning and use buggy to collect up.

If anyone has links to buggys they have used that be great.

Thanks

wolfpawnat

I used a Maclaren for my fella when he started preschool which was a bit away, the buggy is handy to train them to walk with you and when they get tired to hop in and the like, also when the weather is bad, the shelter is great piece of mind. Because of the bad Spring I had to bring my guy's one with us even when he turned four. Don't need to now. But the Maclaren is a good sturdy investment or if you just want something to whip him in and out of for school, others suggested a few too

How Strange

I'd definitely recommend the mclaren quest. See if you can pick one up second hand. They're virtually indestructible and you'll always be as to sell it on once you're finished with it.

Chocolate fiend

The Babyjogger Citymini, it is fantastic. I have a lazy 4 year old (and a lazy 5 year old) who often still try to hop into it when their sister is in the sling. It is expensive, but so easy to push.

wmpdd3

Sorry for butting in but what kind of scooter could a 3 year old use? Just one where one leg is on the scooter and the other pushes them along or the flicker thing? My little one is 2 and a half and I cant imagine her comming for a walk with me with a scooter...but I'd love it!

BostonB

We found these good

http://www.mothercare.ie/ybike-glider-green.html
http://www.micro-scooters.ie/

Though much cheaper from amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mookie-Mini-Street-Tri-Scooter-Black/dp/B004UL4H18/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1369182575&sr=8-6&keywords=Glider+Scooter

Tried other ones and they didn't glide that well, or were heavy and bulky.

Moonbeam

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Sorry for butting in but what kind of scooter could a 3 year old use? Just one where one leg is on the scooter and the other pushes them along or the flicker thing? My little one is 2 and a half and I cant imagine her comming for a walk with me with a scooter...but I'd love it!

My 2 year old has "my 1st scooter" she loves it but is not brilliant on it.
You can get little bikes or scooters that connect to the buggy like a buggy board.

December2012

Moonbeam wrote: »

My 2 year old has "my 1st scooter" she loves it but is not brilliant on it.
You can get little bikes or scooters that connect to the buggy like a buggy board.

Was just going to second this! My first loved it - got it for her aged 3 and she was fine on it. My second started on the same one just before she turned 2 and she loves it and is great on it.

It changes as they grow older and it's great value too.

wolfpawnat

BostonB wrote: »

We found these good

http://www.mothercare.ie/ybike-glider-green.html
http://www.micro-scooters.ie/

Though much cheaper from amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mookie-Mini-Street-Tri-Scooter-Black/dp/B004UL4H18/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1369182575&sr=8-6&keywords=Glider+Scooter

Tried other ones and they didn't glide that well, or were heavy and bulky.

Wow those are expensive. I was able to go to Smyths and get my little guy one with Disney characters on it (almost identical to those) for €25. Excellent quality.

BostonB

wolfpawnat wrote: »

Wow those are expensive. I was able to go to Smyths and get my little guy one with Disney characters on it (almost identical to those) for €25. Excellent quality.

You can certainly get cheaper ones, and perhaps just better value. These are just the ones we liked, the roll really well and you can get parts for them. We use ours a lot on the school run, and long walks, and we've worn out two.

We originally got them for €29 in smyths but they stopped stocking them. Thats why I said if you hunt around like on the web, you can get them cheaper. We had a couple of cheaper 2 wheeler ones, and they were closer to toys, useless for any distance. The stryder thingies were too heavy, we needed something you could carry if the child goes back in the buggy, or you carry it home from school. These 3 wheeler ones just worked well for us.

Ultimately you want one the child will want to use. It it achieves that, job done.

One other point is to get a colour neutral one. So it can be passed down, or between kids. Blue or Pink may not work so well for this.

wolfpawnat

BostonB wrote: »

You can certainly get cheaper ones, and perhaps just better value. These are just the ones we liked, the roll really well and you can get parts for them. We use ours a lot on the school run, and long walks, and we've worn out two.

We originally got them for €29 in smyths but they stopped stocking them. Thats why I said if you hunt around like on the web, you can get them cheaper. We had a couple of cheaper 2 wheeler ones, and they were closer to toys, useless for any distance. The stryder thingies were too heavy, we needed something you could carry if the child goes back in the buggy, or you carry it home from school. These 3 wheeler ones just worked well for us.

Ultimately you want one the child will want to use. It it achieves that, job done.

One other point is to get a colour neutral one. So it can be passed down, or between kids. Blue or Pink may not work so well for this.

The three wheelers are best IMO. Especially with 2 at the front, it gives the child balance on the front. They are good quality for the price.

There are some out there that you can twist and it folds in two for easy foldaway if space is an issue

BostonB

Those y-bike ones I link to you can remove the handle. But the clips are hard and fiddly to push. So you might want to check how easy that is if its something you do a lot. The micro scooter was a lot easier, we only have one of those as they take a much older, heavier child, even up to an adults weight. The smaller ones just get strapped to the buggy with a elasticated cord.

Another point with the 3 wheelers, the child can stand on them and you can simply push them with a hand in the back. As they roll so easily, its no much effort to do this. Handy when the child gets tired.

wolfpawnat

BostonB wrote: »

Another point with the 3 wheelers, the child can stand on them and you can simply push them with a hand in the back. As they roll so easily, its no much effort to do this. Handy when the child gets tired.

Or if your my little terror, for help up hills

BostonB

Then on the way down having a brake is handy. Most have a heel brake on the back wheel.

wmpdd3

Yeah thats the kinda one I got her, it was a fiver in tesco last summer. I've never bought her for a walk with it just around the garden. It has 2 wheels at the front but you lean to steer, she can do it, I cant get the hang of it at all.

Tordelback

The Y-Bike scooters are fantastic, but they appear to have skyrocketed in price since Smyths stopped stocking them. My son used his from 4 to 7 and could reach terrifying speeds (the heel brake wore out, but Smyths replaced it), and my daughter from 2.5 until some fecker stole it from the playground last Christmas. We replaced it with one of the cheaper Disney Character 3-wheelers from Smyths, and we had to exchange it 3 times to get one where the wheels turned easily enough to permit coasting: it's just not the same quality at all, but it works, and was a useful stopgap until she inherited her brother's Y-Bike.

Brands aside, the scooter solution is highly recommended: they transformed my parenting life. It was suddenly possible for all of us to go on walks of decent length at a decent pace, particularly the biggie of taking the youngest to and from the eldest's school (4 legs a day), which had become an endless chore, instead of the joyous race it is now.

josip

How Strange wrote: »

I'd definitely recommend the mclaren quest. See if you can pick one up second hand. They're virtually indestructible and you'll always be as to sell it on once you're finished with it.

+1 The red is lovely.
But try to keep it just for the wet days and encourage the scooter.
You should be able to fit a 3 year old's scooter under the buggy if you can't decide which to bring.

DubDani

What about a normal Bike? Our 3 year old daughter loves her bike, and will drive everywhere with it. She has no problem going for 2 or 3 KM at a time.

I (personal opinion) think 3 year olds shouldn't be in a buggy anymore. They need to be able to walk or use scooters/bikes etc., which also has the nice effect of keeping them active and in shape. We binned the buggy when she was about two, and since then she has always been walking or driving her Balance Bike, and now proper bike.

BostonB

That might depend how many you have to control, and also of the route is suitable. One of ours was like a demon on the balance bike. Switched to scooter to slow him down, and of course you might have a mixed group so keeping them together can be an issue.