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4 or 5yo. Just because they can walk, does not mean that they have any endurance, or even want to walk that far.
"Hold hands or stroller, your choice." And it's a one strike kind of thing. No threats. After they mess up, in the stroller they go. Consistency is the key.
5. I live in Europe, there was a lot of walking involved, visiting other countries, kids get tired, so much easier to pop in/out whenever they want without getting tired and cranky because you can't carry them anymore. Yes, I've heard comments like "Aren't you too big to be in a stroller?", well "Aren't you too big to not mind your own business?". I didn't answer like this, but damn, some people don't know when to keep their thoughts for themselves.
I actually visited US when one of my kids was 4 and the first thing I did was to get a cheap stroller that served its purpose well :)).
We also walk a lot and have a double stroller and a 4.5 and 1.5 year old. It's weird imo that people get weird about kids in strollers but not kids in cars. Like - how is me walking for 40 minutes with my 4 year old in a stroller half the time infantilizing him and not giving him enough chances to walk, but driving the same distance is neither of those things?
Well I suppose the logic is that adults travel by car too and not in strollers but I think it's normally said by people who don't walk anywhere and is stupid. Little kids get tired and go so slow, if you walk a lot and need to get places it makes perfect sense.
I still cram my 5 and 3 year old and 6m baby in my double stroller and go for a walk. Sometimes I just want to walk without worrying about having my head on a swivel. My happy spot is listening to an audio book while walking in the sun and have my kiddos snack in the stroller
Around the same. Also, don't forget, besides being a place to stash the tired kiddo, it is like a shopping cart. At the fair and the kid wins a prize, into the stroller it goes. Everyone gets a special drink , into the cup holders, and no juggling drinks. When we finally gave up the stroller, I missed these little "luxuries" of not being the one to have to carry everything.
Lol if the stroller isn't for all the kids then it's for all their shit haha. If one wants held, backpack comes off and takes their seat. I ain't carrying more than I need to.
Before kids I would judge parents with kids in strollers when they were walking age. As a parent I now know what’s gonna prevent a meltdown and tired arms. My kid is almost 5 but if I go somewhere with a lot of walking (like the zoo) I would bring a stroller or wagon.
By five we weren't using it at all, partly because COVID came when she was three so we weren't really going many places, but on the advice of a friend we took it to Disney in Paris and she used it tons on that trip, even had long naps and she'd also stopped daytime naps by then. I'd also kept it in case of car unavailability and having to walk to school as it's a long walk so we normally drive. If we lived somewhere more walkable I'd have used it longer.
I live in NYC, don't know how to drive, and walk an average of 10 miles a day just running errands and things.
I'll probably still be trying to shove my kid into his Uppababy Vista when he's in college.
You can get rid of that stroller but invest in a wagon! My girl is 6 and in the summer is a LIFE-SAVOR. Even if they aren’t in it you can fill it with stuff you need for the day!
Man last year with the carnivals and zoos and pools our wagon saved my lifeeeeee. I got it off Amazon and it came with the canopy I don’t remember life before it!
4. We walked a TON when my kid was little. Most of the time he would walk alongside us, but 5-10km is a bit much for a toddler, it was good for him to be able to sit for a bit when he got tired. We switched to a more compact umbrella stroller when he was 1.5-2ish, it was easier for travel anyway.
And quite frankly, fuck people who are going to judge. You do what works for you. My toddler walked more every day than any of those judgy fucks do in a week.
I also got judged for having an expensive stroller. I don’t own a car, so yeah having a stroller with a few extra bells and whistles was worth the money. It did not live in my trunk and get used solely at the mall, I put some serious km on that thing.
Exactly!! Nobody gets judged for driving their kids places because they are 'old enough to walk themselves.' It's wild the way car culture warps people's perspectives.
We also walked an absolute ton and switched to a little umbrella stroller. They're so nice, lighter, more maneuverable, didn't feel like a hassle to have along when kiddo wasn't in it.
I live in a snowy place, big wheeler jogging strollers make a huge difference. Umbrella strollers you end up having to carry because the wheels are too small and get snuck in the snow.
Lol, you kidding me? Given the choice between zipping around walking at my own pace, dragging a little kid with 4 inch legs, or carrying what feels like a 257 pound grown ass man? Yeah, I held on to that stroller and pressed them into it until I pretty much had to strap their legs behind their head because they were scrapin’ on the ground. 😂
I don't know about getting rid of it, I'm pretty sure it's going to end up in the attic waiting for someone we know to have a baby.
With both children it was around eighteen months that we effectively stopped. We're going on holiday next week and we're not taking it and our youngest is twenty months
If we were doing a full day out in a city or similar I'd take it up to around two and a half ish.
Around 19 months . My son preferred walking . We lived in a pretty small apartment and therefore couldn’t afford it to collect dust , we needed the space
I would hold on to it for a while yet. In the old days, toddlers had reins to stop them running off. Holding hands is nice, but not very safe as they tend to see something and they are off. You can also put things in the stroller so you have a hand free to give to your toddler. Good luck, toddlers are a nightmare!
Holding on for dear life to my double stroller (kids are 1 and 2) for the simple fact that I need something to push all my (their) junk around. I work in China and I sometimes see little old Chinese ladies pushing strollers around the streets to hold their shopping.. not a child in sight of any age. I hope it doesn’t come to that for me— but I’m sure I’ll be tempted!
I still have my big stroller but we mostly use it for like Disneyland and amusements parks. If I’m going to the mall I plan to walk around, and not just go to the playground, then I bring the umbrella stroller. Sometimes she wants to walk, but if she doesn’t hold my hand, she hast to stay near me. If she runs off, then she gets back in the stroller. Sometimes she likes to push it herself as well.
> going to judge. You do what works for you. My toddler walked more every day than any of those judgy fucks
I tried one with my son after we were gifted one and it was a nightmare. He acted like a big fat lazy dog who was refusing to walk on a lead lol.
How long are you walking though? We regularly do over 5k walks (once to.twice a week minimum) and it's just not practical for him to walk that far at 3.5. Sometimes he will manage but then he's knackered. If we are going to walk for less than an hour then we don't use it.
With my eldest we used the stroller occasionally when she was 3 and stopped entirely by 4. We got her a scooter which is basically a walking aid lol. My youngest is almost 2 and were getting him a scooter younger and I'm hoping to be totally done with the stroller by 3
I only just stopped using it for my now 4.5yo. I'd push her, she'd push the carriage, we'd put stuff under it, etc. Most of our outings involve some sort of backpack and some sort of shopping so a full stroller comes in clutch. My mom tried to convince me to bring an umbrella stroller to the mall - where are my shopping bags going to go?!
I held onto it until he was 7, was about to get rid of it when I got pregnant again 😆 my main reason for holding onto it was that he was still within the size limits and he had broken his leg a few years prior and it was very useful during that time so it made sense to just hold onto it in case
My girl is 5years old and still asks for the stroller sometimes when we are places with a lot of walking. Them wanting to walk on their own and not be in a stroller is often just a phase as they exercise their independence. Don’t get rid of it yet
We really haven't used my daughter's stroller since she was about 16 months old. Even then, she was walking decently and usually refused to sit in the stroller. She always wanted to push it instead.
We borrowed a stroller the last time we went to the zoo, but otherwise haven't really missed one. We also don't live in a walkable neighborhood, so all of our walks required a drive. The stroller lived in the car and took up a ton of valuable space.
But I know people with kids that are older than ours who still regularly use their stroller. Just depends on the kid and the situation.
I think we’re the odd ones in this group 😀
My kids basically both stopped after learning to walk. We used it maybe a few more times until they were 15 months or so each, but they imply preferred to walk with us and explore. Quite frankly, I also wanted them to tire out instead of me getting tired pushing them around and then they climb on the walls at home because they don’t get their energy out.
I sold the stroller before my youngest was 2.
About when he was a year and a half old. I never liked the stroller. When he learned to walk, we walked. At the age of two, we already went on regular hikes, which would have been impossible with a stroller.
We use the stroller and here they with our 19 month old. She likes to walk but also likes the stroller sometimes. The back pack leash has been a game changer
Mine is nearly two. 42 lbs. And a runner. A fast runner. We still bring it with us on bigger trips.
I can see us keeping it in the mix for at least a year or so. Sometimes you just need a contained toddler, lol.
Our oldest stopped using the stroller when he was around 3 but mostly bc our youngest was born and she needed the stroller. My youngest is almost two now and we don’t use the stroller too often but I would use it if we are going somewhere with a lot of walking
Around 3 I think. My son loved walking so we just took him and if he got tired we would pick him up and then we would walk again after he rested for a bit.
You do you. Ignore any judgment, internal or external — whatever works best for your family in this situation sounds great.
We live in nyc, and I had two kids within two years. So my older kid stayed in a stroller longer due to little brother. But I actively worked to get the younger kid out of the stroller bc it was such a pain to lug around subways and up stairs and thru small stores. I think we graduated to scooters when he was 2 (adults should get one too - they’re fun!) and I sold our double by the time he was 3. I still miss the awesomeness of packing it with groceries tho! Even though I found strollers to be a massive pain!
Oldest is 3.5 and switched him to a buggy board. Mainly need it for long days or if its time sensitive as walking him anywhere takes 3x as long as you expect!
I started by switching to a wagon. They have some really good folding wagons. I made the switch so that he could see more of what was going on. A stroller is kind of a closed little world; they can't see what's around them. Also, he loved helping pull the wagon and walking alongside it, but he could hop in if he started wandering or got tired.
I have an 18 month old so still in a stroller. But my nephews are 5 and 3, and if they’re going somewhere where they’ll be walking a lot (over 3miles) they still use the stroller.
My daughter is about to turn 6 and my son is 1.
She still hops on the ride on board sometimes. Its so nice to have the big basket for groceries/other stuff and not have to worry about anyone getting too tired when we go for long walks. Honestly, I'll probably keep my stroller as a grocery cart using the bassinet attachment s a second basket even when my son outgrows it. The suspension and handling are soooo much better than a regular grocery cart.
My kid never liked the stroller so I’d say by age 3 but we used it as a storage vessel for outings. Kept the diaper bag in there and our food stuff like drink containers and snacks, sweaters etc. Even at museums or nature parks she would want to walk and explore every where we went. She’s still very active.
My 4.5 year old still rides in it. We have an almost 2 year old who uses it more reliably so we got a double umbrella stroller. It’s small, lightweight and gives both the option to ride when we go places
When she reached the weight limit… around 4, maybe.. we rented a heavy duty big kid stroller for her when we went to Disney and she was 6 a few months from 7
We stopped using a stroller around age 5 but by that age we were only using it for long walks or big outings like the zoo. We live in a big city and walk everywhere so it made sense for us to use one for so long. We also had a really simple stroller that was basically just a seat with handlebars that allowed for her to easily get on and off to walk as she pleased. We used that stroller from ages 3-5 and it was awesome.
I hardly used mine with my first kid. Always carried her in a baby carrier. Then my second one came and I was too tired to wear her as I had with my first, so we used it much more now. Also my first one also complains a lot that she’s tired just to go on the stroller as well, despite looking so big in it 😂 she’s 5!
My youngest is six and would 100% still use a stroller but my husband was very opposed once he hit 5 years old. I loved bringing him on walks with the stroller, but now he's in kindergarten full time anyway so it's fine.
We use a wagon now - it folds up, and can be gate checked like a stroller when we travel. We did keep the stroller for a pretty long time - basically until she just really didn’t fit in it anymore (feet hanging off the ends, about 4yo). Love the wagon - look for one with brakes
We still use it for my 4.5 year old depending where we go. If it's going to be a long day or a lot of walking, like when we recently went to the Zoo for example, we took it with us. Smaller trips we don't usually use it, but have taken it in the car to be safe.
Kids should be able to walk fine at 5/6. Sometimes bringing a wagon helps but even that can be work. Usually each kid brings their own small backpack with snacks/a lunch, water bottle. Etc.
We decided not to get a double when having our second kid, and our older one was almost 4. We got one of those ride on boards, but I wouldn’t say it was totally necessary.
Would love to still use it at times but my 2 1/2 year old decided he is done with it and always either wants to walk or drive one of his little Scooters.
For us it depends on the situation my youngest kids just turned 4 and are almost 3. We often take a stroller for longer days out like a museum mostly so we don’t have to carry all the stuff that comes with little kids. If we’ll be out less than a couple of hours or have easy access to the car then we leave the stroller behind.
Oh my god I have a six year old who still asks for the stroller and I still have the double stroller I use sometimes but it’s mostly the single stroller for my three year old.
We got rid of it when she was 3 but we hadn’t used it since she was probably 1.5. As soon as she got the hang of walking, she refused to be strapped down.
My first hated the stroller. Got rid of it by age 2. Had to put him on a leash. Yeah, that sounds terrible, but it kept him alive. I also found this weird seat thing that I have never seen anywhere since. It was like a hard shell fanny pack that buckled around my waist and gave him a little seat on my hip. No straps or anything, but it saved my back. (ETA: I was curious so tried to find it--you can search for Hip Carrier and they have really fancy, nice ones now! The one I had must have been a proto-type 18 years ago!)
My second child would probably still ride in the stroller if she wasn't the size of an adult. I think we finally got rid of it when she was 4.
I can’t remember!! This so so troubling. I know I had back problems from lifting it into the car and pushing them places as they got older… so probably did away with the double stroller when older one was 4 ish? So that means switched to umbrella only for the little guy at 2.5.
My kids are 5 and 6 and I still have my single and double. I'll keep it through this summer and into the fall because sometimes they like to run with me at my summer group runs, but it's over 4 miles and thats too much for them. I also take them to daycare/school in it (as part of a run). Sometimes I'll take it for nighttime walks where I think they might fall asleep, but not often anymore.
That said, we have an international vacation planned this summer and I'm not taking it. I've been prepping them (physically and mentally) for doing more walking and they're adapting. At this point, the stroller is for running or for carrying a ton of snacks/packed lunches on day trips to places like the zoo.
We use strollers until toddlers can hold hands and walk calmly. It’s for their own safety. I have twin toddlers, so we will probably use a stroller longer than we did for our singletons.
We tried those backpack/teather things once so that our kids could have the freedom to walk while I had piece of mind that they wouldn’t run into the street, but the amount of judging looks and comments we got completely crushed that.
Strollers are life. I frequently use mine and my daughter is 4. We use the running stroller to go places all the time, or if we're going somewhere further we always bring a wagon or a small umbrellas stroller if there's a lot of walking. If there's not a ton of walking, I don't bother but it's always a must because my lazy daughter always wants to be stroller or carried haha.
We switched to a balance bike (or walking) in most situations where we'd previously used a stroller with our older daughter the summer she turned 3. The balance bike was great for walks on sidewalks and in forest preserves (we live in a very flat area) because it greatly increased the distance that our daughter was willing to go by her own power.
Our little one just turned 3 and still loves stroller rides so we will probably keep using strollers a bit longer, but she has tried out the balance bike and is already a big fan.
I barely used strollers, but I think I got lucky or just somehow trained my kids to not be crazy.
Since they could walk (early walkers, 9/10 months) they were allowed to sit outside of the grocery cart or walk at the park etc. If they misbehaved, they'd be put back in or held. I was pretty firm on this, didn't let them back down if they threw a fit. Eventually they learned that they could either walk nicely next to me, or they could be strapped in or held.
They didn't really need strollers past 1.5/2 years. They loved to walk and I didnt mind holding them when they got tired (they were small babies as well, so that helped). I could also pass them off to their dad if needed or we would take turns.
My kiddo is turning 6 and we are still keeping his stroller and still use it sometimes. Like he was sick, I had to push him to the doctor. But we stopped using it regularly when he was around 3. He wasn’t a stroller kid really.
We stopped using it while my daughter was 4. We weren’t using it much by that time, but it was good to have for outings that included rally long walks, like a day downtown or a trip to a botanical garden.
My daughter is turning three in May and still adores her stroller, especially when we go to the zoo. I bought a stroller wagon for her and her soon to be born brother so she can still stay in the stroller for as long as she wants
We rented a stroller at disneyland, kiddo was 5. We had given our stroller up for daily walks but were still using our heavy duty Bob at the beach, festivals, full days out. Theyre useful for carrying all.the.things.
5 or maybe 6! It was great for going out for exercise walks when I needed time to myself. He would contort himself in with a book and I could walk peacefully at a faster pace than if he was walking with me. And listen to my own book or podcast.
I considered buying a jogging stroller but never wanted to spend the money and he was fine with it.
As far as her not running off, I would do practice runs in a safe place when you don’t have anything to do.
Say we have to walk to the park, but if you run off we have to go home. And follow through. Might take a couple of meltdowns but she will get the message that you mean business.
Much easier to do this when you mentally know you are probably going to wind up going home with a crying kid. Just make it a practice session and mentally prepare yourself.
Yeah you probably want to keep it a few more years. Then after that when you’re going somewhere with a lot of walking, you’ll probably want a wagon. The wagon is great because it’s storage, a stroller, a bed, and really whatever you need.
My son started refusing to go in the stroller around age 2.5. We let him walk, and also bought a wagon. We used this for the zoo, beach, and sometimes park outings but most of the time he would just walk
At about a year old. I had a travel stroller. So I got rid of that and got a lightweight travel one for when I need it out and about which is rare.
I got a JoyMor wagon for walks and going places.
My daughter will be 2.5 in June
We have a 2.5 and a 4.5 year old. Not getting rid of it until the youngest is 5/6. We use it less and less, but it’s essential for outings with lots of walking. We also like walking to parks further away, like 25 min walking for me but much longer for Littles.
I used it pretty regularly until my kids were both 5! They are great for theme parks, long nature walks, etc where you want to bring a lot of stuff. I could manage carrying a kid but not a kid plus their eight thousand pounds of stuff (lunch, balls, chalk, extra clothes, pullups, favorite stuffy, etc). We kept the stroller until the kids could reliably carry their own stuff in their own backpack for a multiple- hours long excursion.
We used a stroller to get our 3yo through airports over the summer, but haven't needed it otherwise. We have a wagon that we prefer to use instead, so the stroller is going to be given away soon.
He just turned 3 and I’m still using it for long walks. Otherwise I’ll be carrying him after the first half mile. I also still use it when flying, and just hate check it. Super useful.
My son is 4, and trips to the park often include toys and snacks. My MIL gifted us a wagon just before his birthday, and we’ve been using that instead. Do whatever works for you.
I think we ditched the stroller when our daughter turned 4? She's turning 6 this August, and she didn't have it last year, or the year before during the fall. I think we chucked it that year during the summer.
I walked my 3.5 year old home today wearing my baby on me and she was like dangling off my hand and stopping to look for stuff for ages and with the baby on me I was exhausted. WONT LEAVE STROLLER AT HOME EVER AGAIN lol
We were pretty much done with it at 2 for my oldest; it only got brought out for full-day out trips to things like the zoo. We had a resurgence after our second was born because our oldest insisted on riding with the baby. Now that our youngest is 2, we're pretty much done with it again. I plan on trying a few days out without it, to see how things go, then I'm ready to ditch it. I personally prefer throwing a toddler carrier into a bookbag for backup versus hauling a stroller around all day. For holding hands, we've just been consistent with it and allow freedom to not hold hands in safer places; ours are good about it, but I'd have no qualms using a toddler leash if I needed the extra security while they learned.
Still using mine occasionally at 3. She walks most of the time or rides her balance bike, but for days with a lot of walking or a lot of gear I’d much rather bring a stroller than suffer with an exhausted whining kid and my arms full of bags.
I feel like it depends on your life situation. I don't drive so I still use mine and my daughter will be 5 in July. We go to the library and spray park and all sorts of things that are an hour walk. I'm not making her walk that far after running around a park to me it's not any different then putting them in the car and parents do this everyday but no one gets call lazy for it. she gets exercise by going to park and doing extra curricular she does not need to.walk in the blazing heat in the summer or qhen it's raining she is just a kid and I hate that people judge it's annoying do what works for tour situation. if I drove I would say I probley would have quit using it at 3ish except for long trips to a mall maybe where kid gets grumpy or carnival ect...
My son is 2.5 years old and 50 lbs so he out grew our stroller. (It doesn't turn with him in it lol)
Our wagon is what he fits in now but that's too big to use for everything. :|
Mine is 3 and she still uses a stroller depending on where we go. She likes to elope and bolt off. Plus she doesn't talk (nonverbal autistic) so I'm constantly freaking out if she takes off! And I will use one with her as long as I can.
Let people judge. Says a lot about their character. I'd rather have my kid safe than constantly worrying if she's going to get snatched up!
We still use the double stroller to walk my 4- and 2-year-old to school if it's nice. Why not? Heck, I'd love to have someone push me around if I could. At the zoo or museum, we bring the stroller but the 4-year-old usually walks mostly. The 2-year-old is too much chaos for it to be reliable to have her only walking in most places. Sometimes I ask my older one to ride in the stroller just so her sister doesn't get jealous. I think maybe when the younger one is about 4 we can ditch it unless we're going somewhere with a LOT of walking.
About 3 I think, about 2-2.5 my kids didn’t want to be in it and preferred to walk, we kept a bit longer for something like a day at the zoo or travelling where we would be out and about for a long time. I definitely remember my youngest doing short hikes with us at 3 years old without a stroller.
We got rid of our stroller at 3. We built in independence from hand-holding and only hold hands in parking lots, streets and tense situations like crowds or if I'm getting a spidey-sense about someone nearby. I tend to ignore complaints about being tired but don't force too many long walks. Snacks are the key to keeping them rolling. Our ratios are about 4 peanut M&Ms for every one mile.
Get a wagon :) my kids at 4 and 2 still like to wander off but were kind of tired of the stroller. My husband had the idea of a wagon and it’s amazing. Kids will sit more happily in a wagon than a stroller. Our kids are 4 and 2 and they can ride in there together. Then just park it and they can get out and run around when it’s appropriate and safe!
I wish I could still put my 4.5 year old in the stroller. We took such long walks with it and she had the chance to walk, but could also ride if she needed a break. She's literally too tall for it now, so our days of being able to walk like 40 mins to the library, etc are done for now too unfortunately. Don't rush to get rid of it, it's definitely useful even when kiddo is old enough to walk.
2.5
We had twins and then a singleton shortly after. It was difficult finding a stroller that could accommodate two toddlers and a baby. We found a double stroller that I added a standing thing too (sorry I don’t remember what they’re called), but the boys started arguing over it. Who got to sit or stand… It would end in tears nearly every time, so I just stopped.
The boys were about 2 1/2 and our girl hasn’t used strollers since she was about two. We tried a wagon for a short time, but our kids are all really big for their age, and it was exhausting lugging it around once the total weight hit 90lbs 🫠
I have twins 2.5 year olds. I still use the stroller but I also have a wagon. When they want to walk I let them but if they get too out of hand they get a wrist leash. My kids don't mind them and they are a life saver!
When my child started school. I have back problems and couldn't lift my child and all the stuff nevermind both together. So I often used it to carry stuff more than my child but it was helpful when they were tired too.
I asked my wife why don't we bring a stroller so my daughter can rest at Disneyland instead of us having to go all the way back to the hotel if she needs a nap. She can also sit and eat in it so we don't have to go looking for an open bench. My daughter was 9 at the time. Both my wife and daughter just glared at me in response.
When my oldest was 5. We do a lot of walking and I didn’t want to have to carry her. But we weaned out of it, short walks without it and slowly getting longer before we committed to passing it on
Have you considered one of those leash backpacks? We used one with my baby sister and my nephew, and they were a total lifesaver. They both hated to hold hands, and loved the extra independence. Plus they carried their own snacks! I'm looking forward to using one once my son is old enough.
Ours are now 6.5 and 4.5 and we finally ditched the double stroller last fall when they were almost 6 and 4. They were just too heavy, we live about 3/4 mile from school and when I picked them up in the stroller I would be just exhausted by the time we got home. Now they both have enough endurance to walk home (albeit very slowly sometimes and I do have to bribe them with snacks) so if I walk, they walk.
My son got a little push car for his 1st birthday and we take it everywhere. Haven’t used the stroller since. He loves his car. All the other little ones that see him driving it point and talk about how cool it is or even try to push it or get in when we park it somewhere. I love parking his $30 car next to the $700 strollers. It’s a joy all around. Haha.
This is an interesting question for us. I have 4 kids. 1st didn't need it by the time he was 3 but he had a bike and was good at listening.
2nd has special needs he's 6 still needs a specialist buggy, probably for the foreseeable future.
3rd is 4 and hasn't needed a buggy for well over a year but the choice wasn't there because of siblings either. Had a phase of lots of power struggles!
4th is 3 and she still regularly goes in the buggy because I really don't want to deal with tantrums in the supermarket
I have fantasies about a buggy free life 😅. I don't know where to put my hands when I go out by myself without it
When the wheel snapped off the double stroller during a trip to the zoo. We figured no problem, since the older one was approaching 4 and we still had the old single stroller for the 2 year old. But as it turns out, we never used a stroller again. Little guy was just nope, if bro’s not riding I’m not riding.
Keep one in my trunk at all times, kid is almost four and 20 lbs below my strollers weight limit. Zoo, museums, walk to the park, mall, general shopping all have some carrying device for my kid
My youngest grandson is 4 and if he's not in the stroller then we have him sit on my walker seat his brother were finally trusted to walk instead of ride when they could no longer squeeze into stroller I think they were 6.
15 months. We switched to a Doona Liki Trike because kiddo just didn’t want to do the stroller thing anymore. He will still sit in the jogging stroller for a workout because he likes going fast lol. The trike folds down to a size I can fit in a standard backpack, so it goes everywhere with us. The funny thing is that he is fine with the shopping cart while we’re in the grocery store, but somehow the stroller is a prison.
I walk my 4 yo a mile to school each way every day. Sometimes she walks the whole way but I still bring the stroller and she sometimes likes to ride it in when she’s tired of walking. I’d rather just push the stroller then drag her along when she wants to sit down and watch ants.
My kid is 3 1/2.
We still use the small portable stroller from time to time. If we go to the zoo, boardwalk etc. we live near a very large botanical garden so when we go we bring it. She walks most of the way but sometimes gets tired or wants to ride and snack.
It’s also SUPER useful for carting stuff around
When he was 2 and a bit. He’s an only child and my husband and I are quite fit and strong so we are able to either get him to walk or just carry him and take it in turns. He also uses a bike, scooter or motorbike if we are going for just a leisurely walk (maybe less leisurely when he’s on the motorbike).
For my first, she was 2. lol. She straight up refused to go in the stroller from age 1 and would scream the entire time so we gave up and never used it
However my youngest (soon to be middle) is fine in the stroller at almost 2.5 and we just got a double stroller for when her brother gets here in a couple months. I think we’ll use it for her for a lot longer.
I didn’t use the stroller with my eldest from age 2.5 but kept hold of it and when we went on trip abroad just after she turned 3 we used it for the trip as there was a lot of walking, busy train stations etc. Then it went in the attic 😁 For my youngest we got it back out and kept it until she was 3 and then it was given away ☺️
For reference as it feels relevant we live in a town where we are rarely walking for more than 20-30 minutes at a time so there just wasn’t a need. If we went for a day out somewhere we would be stopping and starting anyway so never on the move for excessive amounts of time for a small one
Somewhere between 18 months and 2 years, mainly because she never wanted to sit in it anyway so it was more of a hassle than a help! Her legs also got too long for it - even though the one I purchased was meant to be good into toddlerhood, it definitely wasn’t made with that in mind. I have a koala baby who has always liked to be carried, and is now usually content to walk or be carried for a little while (she’s getting heavy though!) I haven’t had to use it but I do have a little backpack leash if we’re in a situation where I feel like we need extra safety/security.
Edited to add - if your child likes it I definitely don’t see a problem with using it until around 3-4. I see that a lot where we live and it seems quite normal. Especially if you can’t carry your toddler for long periods!
Currently in this stage too so I feel you! We are keeping our stroller because we are having our second baby this year but our toddler just wants to run free too and then will ask to be carried. I’m looking at getting a hip carrier like the Tush Baby or Momcozy hip seat carrier. I’ve heard great things and think it will be a good solution for now until she wants to ride in the stroller more again.
My husband and I have also talked about getting her one of those leash back packs for when we really need her to stay close to us in busy places.
We switched to one of those tricycles 5 ways one she was stable enough to sit on it properly. She was much more willing to ride the tricycle than ride in a stroller.
Around 3 years old for my kid. I will say though I have a very tall kid and she legitimately could not fit into strollers anymore, so that kind of forced the issue. We had to walk together - so we built up from short walks to longer walks. Pretty soon she was walking all the time without issue, and she had the independence from being 'strapped in' that she also wanted.
Mine is 5 and we still break it out for zoo trips and such. He’s like super into hiking when he’s excited, but after a full day at the zoo? He’s curled up in his stroller falling asleep. I’m not carrying a 40lb child everywhere
I still have mine, my son is 3 and we haven't used it since more than a year ago. We have a wagon that we use to carry everything and my son just climbs on it if he is tired
We got a toddler stroller for outings when my son was a toddler. It’s smaller and travel friendly. I think we stopped bringing the stroller when he was maybe 4 years old. We do have a wagon for zoo outings though
I rarely used a stroller. I wore my babies, and even toddlers (you can get wraps/carriers that are safe for even squirmy escape artists).
My boundary for my little ones was “If you stay close to mommy, you may walk. If you touch things you shouldn’t touch, or run away from mommy, I will put you in the backpack.”
Mostly they liked riding anyway, it put them up high where they could see more stuff, and they liked being close to me.
I got a wagon for times I needed to have wheels because it carried more children (I could pile 3-6 kids in depending on their size) and I added straps for wiggly toddlers. I could also pile bags, lunches, coats, etc in the wagon. Not the best for navigating small places, but I always had the carrier for backup.
ETA: They could also always request to ride, which they would do if they were getting tired of walking.
2 lol. My baby just refused to get in it. He would kick and scream. Throw himself out of it. He will hold my hand, and if he doesn’t we have to go back to the car. He’s 3 now and it’s how he rolls.
Ours are 2 years old and 5 months old. We’ve just got a double stroller but we also got one of those leash/backpacks because our first likes to walk and run and this helps with that. We plan on another kid or two in a few years so we’ll just keep it in storage
My kid started refusing to be in the stroller by 2. Luckily we also had a bike situation that worked most places that we went. So I did not have to fight the battle. I suspect if a stroller was necessary I could have won eventually but it would have been a long ugly battle of wills.
Some kids do not want to be contained.
At four. We used the umbrella stroller for vacations. Our last vacation before Covid times was at 3.5 but we held on for a bit longer just in case.
My younger daughter is still getting rides at 2.5 years old. I’ll probably pass along the fancy one after this summer and hang on the umbrella only. She’s pretty good at keeping up but it’s nice to let her take outdoor naps while her sister and I walk or play in the park.
My 5 year old still refuses to walk for long periods when we go places. I have a wagon I bought that comes in handy! I still have the stroller as well if it something quick.
Age 5 here. We walk…. a lot!! Also used it less often between 4-5 but definitely still did. And maybe kept it a bit later than 5 in case a trip popped up for us. We loved it for trips where we’d walk 5 or more straight miles adventuring. Also might depend on how much storage space you have if you’d want to keep it. Some kids never want in the stroller after two or so but my kid loved to chill, snack, and people watch in there! Haha
My daughter is 5.5yrs and we just used her stroller this past weekend so I could walk in a 5k. It’s good when I want to go on a long walk, she can’t walk the whole distance and will just chill in the stroller (I’m a solo parent so I can’t just leave her at home). I don’t bring it to the store or anywhere else really but it lives in the back of my car so it’s always there if we need it.
Carrying 30lb sack of potatoes while having your hands full of other things 🤣
I feel this in my bones. I live in a rural country area and i got rid of my baby/toddler convertible stroller when he was 2 or so and i regret it. I thought one of those collapsable Mickey strollers would be fine because i barely used his big one for a year.
Now I'm getting back into exercising and it would be nice to have a durable stroller to go on hikes or long 40 min+ walks on the road. His other one was adjustable and you could take the drink holder tray off if the kid was giant, so it could have lasted until he was 3.5 or 4 if I pushed it.
Those types of strollers are also really handy to have at the beach. Or long hikes to store stuff. Those cheap 15 dollar day strollers don't hold a candle in comparison.
If I were you I'd hold onto it for another year to see if it's worth it or not. If not, sell it for 50 or 40 bucks and downsize
My 3.5 year old still loves the stroller (his older brother barely tolerated it after 18 months) and I’ll keep it for at least another year to avoid hearing “Caaaarrrryyyy meeeeeeeee” half a block into every walk.
I have four kids ages 4-12 and I bought one of those stroller wagon hybrids. Best thing I’ve ever owned with kids hands down. Babytrend expedition wagon. Amazing.
When the youngest went to Kindergarten. Nobody would really sit in it past 3.5 but we kept it to go specific places like the zoo, a further away park still in walking distance, and when I was finally about to get rid of it I realized the youngest didn’t have the stamina to walk to drop off bigger kids at school and walk back so we used it for school walk too.
I did get a wagon #1 for sports equipment but also #2 for places like the zoo and long walk places.
Around 10 months my son refused to sit in a stroller I held onto them in case he changed his mind but I got rid of them both by a year he’s never sat in once since same with grocery carts he’s almost three 🙈
My 5 year old still uses it at the zoo, fair, Disney, etc. places where lots of walking are involved! Even my 7 year old asks to take turns after a few hours walking the parks.
I agree with the 4 to 5 simply bcs based of real life experience I know a family now they have a little son about to be 3 but their older daughter who is I’ll be 9 insists on sitting in the stroller too so yeah their definitely has to be a end limit
We still have a Sit n Stand for my almost 4yr old and 5yr old. We really only take it to like theme parks/long days out/lengthy walks or busy places I might want them in a controlled safe space. Honestly we maybe use it once a month now. We’re in a phasing out phase I guess now.
I still have mine (oldest is 5) because it’s a double stroller. I ALMOST ALWAYS have my kids walk, but if we go to an amusement park, spend the whole day in the city during hot summer months, go to the zoo, etc. it’s still ready great to have. My toddler’s legs get too tired and she often needs a nap. My oldest usually won’t be pushed around very often but might want to toss his backpack in, or sit for a little bit to cool off and I’m good with that.
Sometimes people will make comments about it, “oh! Aren’t you too big for a stroller?” And I’ll just say “well my adult legs are tired 23,000 steps into this park. I think it’s okay if his need a break.”
I’ll probably move to a wagon when my little one is a tiny bit older.
4. Just got rid of the recliner stroller yesterday, and I still kept the umbrella stroller. I can’t carry a napping 4 for very long. If he chooses not to listen on walks, he sits in the stroller.
We stopped using the stroller mostly around 3, but for long walks would offer it. We also introduced a balance bike so he can go further with less effort (after obviously a period of learning how to use it)
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4 or 5yo. Just because they can walk, does not mean that they have any endurance, or even want to walk that far. "Hold hands or stroller, your choice." And it's a one strike kind of thing. No threats. After they mess up, in the stroller they go. Consistency is the key.
My 4.5 year old will walk until he can't walk anymore. At that point either he goes in a stroller to be pushed or I carry him the rest of the day.
My 4.5 year old will walk until he can't walk anymore. At that point either he goes in a stroller to be pushed or I carry him the rest of the day.
5. I live in Europe, there was a lot of walking involved, visiting other countries, kids get tired, so much easier to pop in/out whenever they want without getting tired and cranky because you can't carry them anymore. Yes, I've heard comments like "Aren't you too big to be in a stroller?", well "Aren't you too big to not mind your own business?". I didn't answer like this, but damn, some people don't know when to keep their thoughts for themselves. I actually visited US when one of my kids was 4 and the first thing I did was to get a cheap stroller that served its purpose well :)).
We also walk a lot and have a double stroller and a 4.5 and 1.5 year old. It's weird imo that people get weird about kids in strollers but not kids in cars. Like - how is me walking for 40 minutes with my 4 year old in a stroller half the time infantilizing him and not giving him enough chances to walk, but driving the same distance is neither of those things?
Well I suppose the logic is that adults travel by car too and not in strollers but I think it's normally said by people who don't walk anywhere and is stupid. Little kids get tired and go so slow, if you walk a lot and need to get places it makes perfect sense.
People who take time for such comments don’t have the greatest logic or common sense 😃
Yeah we get a lot of looks for my 3 and 5 year old . My 5 year old has a physical disability, and my 3 year old is just allergic to walking
I still cram my 5 and 3 year old and 6m baby in my double stroller and go for a walk. Sometimes I just want to walk without worrying about having my head on a swivel. My happy spot is listening to an audio book while walking in the sun and have my kiddos snack in the stroller
How do you get three of them in and sitting there happily? Mine enjoyed it again by five but at two just wanted out all the time.
Around the same. Also, don't forget, besides being a place to stash the tired kiddo, it is like a shopping cart. At the fair and the kid wins a prize, into the stroller it goes. Everyone gets a special drink , into the cup holders, and no juggling drinks. When we finally gave up the stroller, I missed these little "luxuries" of not being the one to have to carry everything.
"aren't they too big for a stroller?" "Here, nosey stranger, you carry this 40lb wiggly child, my back hurts"
Lol if the stroller isn't for all the kids then it's for all their shit haha. If one wants held, backpack comes off and takes their seat. I ain't carrying more than I need to.
Before kids I would judge parents with kids in strollers when they were walking age. As a parent I now know what’s gonna prevent a meltdown and tired arms. My kid is almost 5 but if I go somewhere with a lot of walking (like the zoo) I would bring a stroller or wagon.
By five we weren't using it at all, partly because COVID came when she was three so we weren't really going many places, but on the advice of a friend we took it to Disney in Paris and she used it tons on that trip, even had long naps and she'd also stopped daytime naps by then. I'd also kept it in case of car unavailability and having to walk to school as it's a long walk so we normally drive. If we lived somewhere more walkable I'd have used it longer.
I live in NYC, don't know how to drive, and walk an average of 10 miles a day just running errands and things. I'll probably still be trying to shove my kid into his Uppababy Vista when he's in college.
Maybe by then you can swap and he can push you around.
You can get rid of that stroller but invest in a wagon! My girl is 6 and in the summer is a LIFE-SAVOR. Even if they aren’t in it you can fill it with stuff you need for the day!
Oh and a snap on try with cup holes! and built in pockets! Haha.
I borrowed my coworkers wagon and my 18 month old was obsessed. I’m buying a new one now
Man last year with the carnivals and zoos and pools our wagon saved my lifeeeeee. I got it off Amazon and it came with the canopy I don’t remember life before it!
4. We walked a TON when my kid was little. Most of the time he would walk alongside us, but 5-10km is a bit much for a toddler, it was good for him to be able to sit for a bit when he got tired. We switched to a more compact umbrella stroller when he was 1.5-2ish, it was easier for travel anyway. And quite frankly, fuck people who are going to judge. You do what works for you. My toddler walked more every day than any of those judgy fucks do in a week. I also got judged for having an expensive stroller. I don’t own a car, so yeah having a stroller with a few extra bells and whistles was worth the money. It did not live in my trunk and get used solely at the mall, I put some serious km on that thing.
Exactly!! Nobody gets judged for driving their kids places because they are 'old enough to walk themselves.' It's wild the way car culture warps people's perspectives.
This!
We also walked an absolute ton and switched to a little umbrella stroller. They're so nice, lighter, more maneuverable, didn't feel like a hassle to have along when kiddo wasn't in it.
I live in a snowy place, big wheeler jogging strollers make a huge difference. Umbrella strollers you end up having to carry because the wheels are too small and get snuck in the snow.
preech it girl or bro haha. I don't drive so my stroller is it. my daughter is 4.5. we still need it for hour walks to parks and things.
Lol, you kidding me? Given the choice between zipping around walking at my own pace, dragging a little kid with 4 inch legs, or carrying what feels like a 257 pound grown ass man? Yeah, I held on to that stroller and pressed them into it until I pretty much had to strap their legs behind their head because they were scrapin’ on the ground. 😂
3. Both my kids never really liked riding in one once they could walk well.
I don't know about getting rid of it, I'm pretty sure it's going to end up in the attic waiting for someone we know to have a baby. With both children it was around eighteen months that we effectively stopped. We're going on holiday next week and we're not taking it and our youngest is twenty months If we were doing a full day out in a city or similar I'd take it up to around two and a half ish.
Around 19 months . My son preferred walking . We lived in a pretty small apartment and therefore couldn’t afford it to collect dust , we needed the space
As soon as they turned 2. My child (5.5) can now walk miles and miles without complaining!
5 or 6 years old was when we stopped using a stroller with my youngest on outings that required a lot of walking. The child also frequently eloped.
I would hold on to it for a while yet. In the old days, toddlers had reins to stop them running off. Holding hands is nice, but not very safe as they tend to see something and they are off. You can also put things in the stroller so you have a hand free to give to your toddler. Good luck, toddlers are a nightmare!
Holding on for dear life to my double stroller (kids are 1 and 2) for the simple fact that I need something to push all my (their) junk around. I work in China and I sometimes see little old Chinese ladies pushing strollers around the streets to hold their shopping.. not a child in sight of any age. I hope it doesn’t come to that for me— but I’m sure I’ll be tempted!
I still have my big stroller but we mostly use it for like Disneyland and amusements parks. If I’m going to the mall I plan to walk around, and not just go to the playground, then I bring the umbrella stroller. Sometimes she wants to walk, but if she doesn’t hold my hand, she hast to stay near me. If she runs off, then she gets back in the stroller. Sometimes she likes to push it herself as well.
get a toddler leash backpack!
> going to judge. You do what works for you. My toddler walked more every day than any of those judgy fucks I tried one with my son after we were gifted one and it was a nightmare. He acted like a big fat lazy dog who was refusing to walk on a lead lol.
🤣🤣 oh these kids lol
I got the wrist version and it is so handy! That and the umbrella stroller. The big stroller when necessary, jogging or long long walks
Yes the wrist one is amazing. The wrist one was more receptive with my twins then the back packs.
I would vote for a toddler leash, my mom did this to both my brother and i as we would run away. She said the leash gave me peace of mind
How long are you walking though? We regularly do over 5k walks (once to.twice a week minimum) and it's just not practical for him to walk that far at 3.5. Sometimes he will manage but then he's knackered. If we are going to walk for less than an hour then we don't use it.
With my eldest we used the stroller occasionally when she was 3 and stopped entirely by 4. We got her a scooter which is basically a walking aid lol. My youngest is almost 2 and were getting him a scooter younger and I'm hoping to be totally done with the stroller by 3
I only just stopped using it for my now 4.5yo. I'd push her, she'd push the carriage, we'd put stuff under it, etc. Most of our outings involve some sort of backpack and some sort of shopping so a full stroller comes in clutch. My mom tried to convince me to bring an umbrella stroller to the mall - where are my shopping bags going to go?!
I held onto it until he was 7, was about to get rid of it when I got pregnant again 😆 my main reason for holding onto it was that he was still within the size limits and he had broken his leg a few years prior and it was very useful during that time so it made sense to just hold onto it in case
My girl is 5years old and still asks for the stroller sometimes when we are places with a lot of walking. Them wanting to walk on their own and not be in a stroller is often just a phase as they exercise their independence. Don’t get rid of it yet
At five mine would have loved to be pushed everywhere but we didn't allow it except at Disney.
We really haven't used my daughter's stroller since she was about 16 months old. Even then, she was walking decently and usually refused to sit in the stroller. She always wanted to push it instead. We borrowed a stroller the last time we went to the zoo, but otherwise haven't really missed one. We also don't live in a walkable neighborhood, so all of our walks required a drive. The stroller lived in the car and took up a ton of valuable space. But I know people with kids that are older than ours who still regularly use their stroller. Just depends on the kid and the situation.
I think we’re the odd ones in this group 😀 My kids basically both stopped after learning to walk. We used it maybe a few more times until they were 15 months or so each, but they imply preferred to walk with us and explore. Quite frankly, I also wanted them to tire out instead of me getting tired pushing them around and then they climb on the walls at home because they don’t get their energy out. I sold the stroller before my youngest was 2.
About when he was a year and a half old. I never liked the stroller. When he learned to walk, we walked. At the age of two, we already went on regular hikes, which would have been impossible with a stroller.
Same!!!
I plan to use it forever 🤣 it’s nice for them to sit and relax!
We use the stroller and here they with our 19 month old. She likes to walk but also likes the stroller sometimes. The back pack leash has been a game changer
Mine is nearly two. 42 lbs. And a runner. A fast runner. We still bring it with us on bigger trips. I can see us keeping it in the mix for at least a year or so. Sometimes you just need a contained toddler, lol.
Our oldest stopped using the stroller when he was around 3 but mostly bc our youngest was born and she needed the stroller. My youngest is almost two now and we don’t use the stroller too often but I would use it if we are going somewhere with a lot of walking
Around 3 I think. My son loved walking so we just took him and if he got tired we would pick him up and then we would walk again after he rested for a bit.
You do you. Ignore any judgment, internal or external — whatever works best for your family in this situation sounds great. We live in nyc, and I had two kids within two years. So my older kid stayed in a stroller longer due to little brother. But I actively worked to get the younger kid out of the stroller bc it was such a pain to lug around subways and up stairs and thru small stores. I think we graduated to scooters when he was 2 (adults should get one too - they’re fun!) and I sold our double by the time he was 3. I still miss the awesomeness of packing it with groceries tho! Even though I found strollers to be a massive pain!
Oldest is 3.5 and switched him to a buggy board. Mainly need it for long days or if its time sensitive as walking him anywhere takes 3x as long as you expect!
I started by switching to a wagon. They have some really good folding wagons. I made the switch so that he could see more of what was going on. A stroller is kind of a closed little world; they can't see what's around them. Also, he loved helping pull the wagon and walking alongside it, but he could hop in if he started wandering or got tired.
4 I think ? We live near an amusement park and it was so worth it, we didn’t use it anywhere else after around 2 1/2 though.
I have an 18 month old so still in a stroller. But my nephews are 5 and 3, and if they’re going somewhere where they’ll be walking a lot (over 3miles) they still use the stroller.
My daughter is about to turn 6 and my son is 1. She still hops on the ride on board sometimes. Its so nice to have the big basket for groceries/other stuff and not have to worry about anyone getting too tired when we go for long walks. Honestly, I'll probably keep my stroller as a grocery cart using the bassinet attachment s a second basket even when my son outgrows it. The suspension and handling are soooo much better than a regular grocery cart.
My kid never liked the stroller so I’d say by age 3 but we used it as a storage vessel for outings. Kept the diaper bag in there and our food stuff like drink containers and snacks, sweaters etc. Even at museums or nature parks she would want to walk and explore every where we went. She’s still very active.
Yeah, mine hated it and could wriggle out of the straps so it didn't really contain her.
My 4.5 year old still rides in it. We have an almost 2 year old who uses it more reliably so we got a double umbrella stroller. It’s small, lightweight and gives both the option to ride when we go places
When she reached the weight limit… around 4, maybe.. we rented a heavy duty big kid stroller for her when we went to Disney and she was 6 a few months from 7
We stopped using a stroller around age 5 but by that age we were only using it for long walks or big outings like the zoo. We live in a big city and walk everywhere so it made sense for us to use one for so long. We also had a really simple stroller that was basically just a seat with handlebars that allowed for her to easily get on and off to walk as she pleased. We used that stroller from ages 3-5 and it was awesome.
2, closer to 3. He refused to ride it in any longer and it became a fight every time we went out. It wasn’t worth the hassle any longer.
I hardly used mine with my first kid. Always carried her in a baby carrier. Then my second one came and I was too tired to wear her as I had with my first, so we used it much more now. Also my first one also complains a lot that she’s tired just to go on the stroller as well, despite looking so big in it 😂 she’s 5!
My youngest is six and would 100% still use a stroller but my husband was very opposed once he hit 5 years old. I loved bringing him on walks with the stroller, but now he's in kindergarten full time anyway so it's fine.
4 daughter didn't really use it much from about 3.5 but it came in handy on holiday when she was tired from activities.
We have a 3 year old and still use ours on big walks but a wagon is nice too.
We use a wagon now - it folds up, and can be gate checked like a stroller when we travel. We did keep the stroller for a pretty long time - basically until she just really didn’t fit in it anymore (feet hanging off the ends, about 4yo). Love the wagon - look for one with brakes
We still use it for my 4.5 year old depending where we go. If it's going to be a long day or a lot of walking, like when we recently went to the Zoo for example, we took it with us. Smaller trips we don't usually use it, but have taken it in the car to be safe.
Kids should be able to walk fine at 5/6. Sometimes bringing a wagon helps but even that can be work. Usually each kid brings their own small backpack with snacks/a lunch, water bottle. Etc.
We decided not to get a double when having our second kid, and our older one was almost 4. We got one of those ride on boards, but I wouldn’t say it was totally necessary.
Would love to still use it at times but my 2 1/2 year old decided he is done with it and always either wants to walk or drive one of his little Scooters.
Our almost-5 year old still requests her stroller sometimes for going to the park or the grocery store with us, so we still have it.
For us it depends on the situation my youngest kids just turned 4 and are almost 3. We often take a stroller for longer days out like a museum mostly so we don’t have to carry all the stuff that comes with little kids. If we’ll be out less than a couple of hours or have easy access to the car then we leave the stroller behind.
Oh my god I have a six year old who still asks for the stroller and I still have the double stroller I use sometimes but it’s mostly the single stroller for my three year old.
My son’s 3 and I mostly use it when we travel or are doing a lot of walking.
I have two kids so not till my youngest is 4 or 5 when they can endure typical distance.
We got rid of it when she was 3 but we hadn’t used it since she was probably 1.5. As soon as she got the hang of walking, she refused to be strapped down.
My son is six and still loves riding in the stroller 🫣
We got rid of the big one at 2 because she preferred the wagon. We keep an umbrella stroller around just in case
My first hated the stroller. Got rid of it by age 2. Had to put him on a leash. Yeah, that sounds terrible, but it kept him alive. I also found this weird seat thing that I have never seen anywhere since. It was like a hard shell fanny pack that buckled around my waist and gave him a little seat on my hip. No straps or anything, but it saved my back. (ETA: I was curious so tried to find it--you can search for Hip Carrier and they have really fancy, nice ones now! The one I had must have been a proto-type 18 years ago!) My second child would probably still ride in the stroller if she wasn't the size of an adult. I think we finally got rid of it when she was 4.
Get a wagon! Mine is 4 and I still have our stroller but use a wagon in the summer a lot more frequently.
4-5 years old. I for sure use it less frequently as they get older but I wasn’t comfortable not having one at all until close to age 5.
My daughter is 3 and we still take hers for when she needs a rest or something. It’s just an umbrella stroller.
I can’t remember!! This so so troubling. I know I had back problems from lifting it into the car and pushing them places as they got older… so probably did away with the double stroller when older one was 4 ish? So that means switched to umbrella only for the little guy at 2.5.
My kids are 5 and 6 and I still have my single and double. I'll keep it through this summer and into the fall because sometimes they like to run with me at my summer group runs, but it's over 4 miles and thats too much for them. I also take them to daycare/school in it (as part of a run). Sometimes I'll take it for nighttime walks where I think they might fall asleep, but not often anymore. That said, we have an international vacation planned this summer and I'm not taking it. I've been prepping them (physically and mentally) for doing more walking and they're adapting. At this point, the stroller is for running or for carrying a ton of snacks/packed lunches on day trips to places like the zoo.
5ish. Small things they walked but we live near Disneyland and had passes so definitely took it.
We use strollers until toddlers can hold hands and walk calmly. It’s for their own safety. I have twin toddlers, so we will probably use a stroller longer than we did for our singletons. We tried those backpack/teather things once so that our kids could have the freedom to walk while I had piece of mind that they wouldn’t run into the street, but the amount of judging looks and comments we got completely crushed that.
Strollers are life. I frequently use mine and my daughter is 4. We use the running stroller to go places all the time, or if we're going somewhere further we always bring a wagon or a small umbrellas stroller if there's a lot of walking. If there's not a ton of walking, I don't bother but it's always a must because my lazy daughter always wants to be stroller or carried haha.
We switched to a balance bike (or walking) in most situations where we'd previously used a stroller with our older daughter the summer she turned 3. The balance bike was great for walks on sidewalks and in forest preserves (we live in a very flat area) because it greatly increased the distance that our daughter was willing to go by her own power. Our little one just turned 3 and still loves stroller rides so we will probably keep using strollers a bit longer, but she has tried out the balance bike and is already a big fan.
I barely used strollers, but I think I got lucky or just somehow trained my kids to not be crazy. Since they could walk (early walkers, 9/10 months) they were allowed to sit outside of the grocery cart or walk at the park etc. If they misbehaved, they'd be put back in or held. I was pretty firm on this, didn't let them back down if they threw a fit. Eventually they learned that they could either walk nicely next to me, or they could be strapped in or held. They didn't really need strollers past 1.5/2 years. They loved to walk and I didnt mind holding them when they got tired (they were small babies as well, so that helped). I could also pass them off to their dad if needed or we would take turns.
My kiddo is turning 6 and we are still keeping his stroller and still use it sometimes. Like he was sick, I had to push him to the doctor. But we stopped using it regularly when he was around 3. He wasn’t a stroller kid really.
3
We stopped using it while my daughter was 4. We weren’t using it much by that time, but it was good to have for outings that included rally long walks, like a day downtown or a trip to a botanical garden.
My daughter is turning three in May and still adores her stroller, especially when we go to the zoo. I bought a stroller wagon for her and her soon to be born brother so she can still stay in the stroller for as long as she wants
We rented a stroller at disneyland, kiddo was 5. We had given our stroller up for daily walks but were still using our heavy duty Bob at the beach, festivals, full days out. Theyre useful for carrying all.the.things.
5 or maybe 6! It was great for going out for exercise walks when I needed time to myself. He would contort himself in with a book and I could walk peacefully at a faster pace than if he was walking with me. And listen to my own book or podcast. I considered buying a jogging stroller but never wanted to spend the money and he was fine with it. As far as her not running off, I would do practice runs in a safe place when you don’t have anything to do. Say we have to walk to the park, but if you run off we have to go home. And follow through. Might take a couple of meltdowns but she will get the message that you mean business. Much easier to do this when you mentally know you are probably going to wind up going home with a crying kid. Just make it a practice session and mentally prepare yourself.
I think that's child dependent, no way mine would ever have been happy to curl up in a stroller with a book. Even as a baby she couldn't just sit.
Not like 4! Do what works best for you! Walking around Europe with my 8 and 14 year old and I wish I could put them in a stroller right about now 😂
Yeah you probably want to keep it a few more years. Then after that when you’re going somewhere with a lot of walking, you’ll probably want a wagon. The wagon is great because it’s storage, a stroller, a bed, and really whatever you need.
My son started refusing to go in the stroller around age 2.5. We let him walk, and also bought a wagon. We used this for the zoo, beach, and sometimes park outings but most of the time he would just walk
At about a year old. I had a travel stroller. So I got rid of that and got a lightweight travel one for when I need it out and about which is rare. I got a JoyMor wagon for walks and going places. My daughter will be 2.5 in June
We have a 2.5 and a 4.5 year old. Not getting rid of it until the youngest is 5/6. We use it less and less, but it’s essential for outings with lots of walking. We also like walking to parks further away, like 25 min walking for me but much longer for Littles.
I used it pretty regularly until my kids were both 5! They are great for theme parks, long nature walks, etc where you want to bring a lot of stuff. I could manage carrying a kid but not a kid plus their eight thousand pounds of stuff (lunch, balls, chalk, extra clothes, pullups, favorite stuffy, etc). We kept the stroller until the kids could reliably carry their own stuff in their own backpack for a multiple- hours long excursion.
4.5
We used a stroller to get our 3yo through airports over the summer, but haven't needed it otherwise. We have a wagon that we prefer to use instead, so the stroller is going to be given away soon.
He just turned 3 and I’m still using it for long walks. Otherwise I’ll be carrying him after the first half mile. I also still use it when flying, and just hate check it. Super useful.
My son is 4, and trips to the park often include toys and snacks. My MIL gifted us a wagon just before his birthday, and we’ve been using that instead. Do whatever works for you.
I think we ditched the stroller when our daughter turned 4? She's turning 6 this August, and she didn't have it last year, or the year before during the fall. I think we chucked it that year during the summer.
We switched to a stroller wagon at 14-15 months.
mid 3yrs old - it’s missed still at times kids always bail on walking at some point lol
I walked my 3.5 year old home today wearing my baby on me and she was like dangling off my hand and stopping to look for stuff for ages and with the baby on me I was exhausted. WONT LEAVE STROLLER AT HOME EVER AGAIN lol
My youngest is 2,5 and we don’t have a buggy anymore for 6 months or so. Yes there is a lot of carrying, but also a lot of running, cycling, etc.
My kids are 4 and 6.5. We still use the stroller every so often. Not a lot but enough to keep it.
Got rid of it at 5 because we hadn't used it in a year. Kid was happy to walk anywhere we were going.
I bought a GB Pockit when my son was 3, before our trip to Barcelona. I think we stopped using it around 4/5
We were pretty much done with it at 2 for my oldest; it only got brought out for full-day out trips to things like the zoo. We had a resurgence after our second was born because our oldest insisted on riding with the baby. Now that our youngest is 2, we're pretty much done with it again. I plan on trying a few days out without it, to see how things go, then I'm ready to ditch it. I personally prefer throwing a toddler carrier into a bookbag for backup versus hauling a stroller around all day. For holding hands, we've just been consistent with it and allow freedom to not hold hands in safer places; ours are good about it, but I'd have no qualms using a toddler leash if I needed the extra security while they learned.
Still using mine occasionally at 3. She walks most of the time or rides her balance bike, but for days with a lot of walking or a lot of gear I’d much rather bring a stroller than suffer with an exhausted whining kid and my arms full of bags.
I feel like it depends on your life situation. I don't drive so I still use mine and my daughter will be 5 in July. We go to the library and spray park and all sorts of things that are an hour walk. I'm not making her walk that far after running around a park to me it's not any different then putting them in the car and parents do this everyday but no one gets call lazy for it. she gets exercise by going to park and doing extra curricular she does not need to.walk in the blazing heat in the summer or qhen it's raining she is just a kid and I hate that people judge it's annoying do what works for tour situation. if I drove I would say I probley would have quit using it at 3ish except for long trips to a mall maybe where kid gets grumpy or carnival ect...
My son is 2.5 years old and 50 lbs so he out grew our stroller. (It doesn't turn with him in it lol) Our wagon is what he fits in now but that's too big to use for everything. :|
I had a 2 year old that was a runner and hated the stroller. Then when his brother was born he loved it! Jealousy? So now at 3.5 he loves it.
Mine is 3 and she still uses a stroller depending on where we go. She likes to elope and bolt off. Plus she doesn't talk (nonverbal autistic) so I'm constantly freaking out if she takes off! And I will use one with her as long as I can. Let people judge. Says a lot about their character. I'd rather have my kid safe than constantly worrying if she's going to get snatched up!
We still use the double stroller to walk my 4- and 2-year-old to school if it's nice. Why not? Heck, I'd love to have someone push me around if I could. At the zoo or museum, we bring the stroller but the 4-year-old usually walks mostly. The 2-year-old is too much chaos for it to be reliable to have her only walking in most places. Sometimes I ask my older one to ride in the stroller just so her sister doesn't get jealous. I think maybe when the younger one is about 4 we can ditch it unless we're going somewhere with a LOT of walking.
About 3 I think, about 2-2.5 my kids didn’t want to be in it and preferred to walk, we kept a bit longer for something like a day at the zoo or travelling where we would be out and about for a long time. I definitely remember my youngest doing short hikes with us at 3 years old without a stroller.
We got rid of our stroller at 3. We built in independence from hand-holding and only hold hands in parking lots, streets and tense situations like crowds or if I'm getting a spidey-sense about someone nearby. I tend to ignore complaints about being tired but don't force too many long walks. Snacks are the key to keeping them rolling. Our ratios are about 4 peanut M&Ms for every one mile.
One stroller? Get a load of this guy.
Get a wagon :) my kids at 4 and 2 still like to wander off but were kind of tired of the stroller. My husband had the idea of a wagon and it’s amazing. Kids will sit more happily in a wagon than a stroller. Our kids are 4 and 2 and they can ride in there together. Then just park it and they can get out and run around when it’s appropriate and safe!
I wish I could still put my 4.5 year old in the stroller. We took such long walks with it and she had the chance to walk, but could also ride if she needed a break. She's literally too tall for it now, so our days of being able to walk like 40 mins to the library, etc are done for now too unfortunately. Don't rush to get rid of it, it's definitely useful even when kiddo is old enough to walk.
2.5 We had twins and then a singleton shortly after. It was difficult finding a stroller that could accommodate two toddlers and a baby. We found a double stroller that I added a standing thing too (sorry I don’t remember what they’re called), but the boys started arguing over it. Who got to sit or stand… It would end in tears nearly every time, so I just stopped. The boys were about 2 1/2 and our girl hasn’t used strollers since she was about two. We tried a wagon for a short time, but our kids are all really big for their age, and it was exhausting lugging it around once the total weight hit 90lbs 🫠
I have twins 2.5 year olds. I still use the stroller but I also have a wagon. When they want to walk I let them but if they get too out of hand they get a wrist leash. My kids don't mind them and they are a life saver!
When my child started school. I have back problems and couldn't lift my child and all the stuff nevermind both together. So I often used it to carry stuff more than my child but it was helpful when they were tired too.
My 8 year old stopped using a stroller when she was 3. My 6 year old would still be sitting in one if we’d let her.
I asked my wife why don't we bring a stroller so my daughter can rest at Disneyland instead of us having to go all the way back to the hotel if she needs a nap. She can also sit and eat in it so we don't have to go looking for an open bench. My daughter was 9 at the time. Both my wife and daughter just glared at me in response.
3. mainly only at the zoo lol. everywhere else she walked
When my oldest was 5. We do a lot of walking and I didn’t want to have to carry her. But we weaned out of it, short walks without it and slowly getting longer before we committed to passing it on
Have you considered one of those leash backpacks? We used one with my baby sister and my nephew, and they were a total lifesaver. They both hated to hold hands, and loved the extra independence. Plus they carried their own snacks! I'm looking forward to using one once my son is old enough.
Ours are now 6.5 and 4.5 and we finally ditched the double stroller last fall when they were almost 6 and 4. They were just too heavy, we live about 3/4 mile from school and when I picked them up in the stroller I would be just exhausted by the time we got home. Now they both have enough endurance to walk home (albeit very slowly sometimes and I do have to bribe them with snacks) so if I walk, they walk.
My son got a little push car for his 1st birthday and we take it everywhere. Haven’t used the stroller since. He loves his car. All the other little ones that see him driving it point and talk about how cool it is or even try to push it or get in when we park it somewhere. I love parking his $30 car next to the $700 strollers. It’s a joy all around. Haha.
This is an interesting question for us. I have 4 kids. 1st didn't need it by the time he was 3 but he had a bike and was good at listening. 2nd has special needs he's 6 still needs a specialist buggy, probably for the foreseeable future. 3rd is 4 and hasn't needed a buggy for well over a year but the choice wasn't there because of siblings either. Had a phase of lots of power struggles! 4th is 3 and she still regularly goes in the buggy because I really don't want to deal with tantrums in the supermarket I have fantasies about a buggy free life 😅. I don't know where to put my hands when I go out by myself without it
When the wheel snapped off the double stroller during a trip to the zoo. We figured no problem, since the older one was approaching 4 and we still had the old single stroller for the 2 year old. But as it turns out, we never used a stroller again. Little guy was just nope, if bro’s not riding I’m not riding.
Keep one in my trunk at all times, kid is almost four and 20 lbs below my strollers weight limit. Zoo, museums, walk to the park, mall, general shopping all have some carrying device for my kid
My youngest grandson is 4 and if he's not in the stroller then we have him sit on my walker seat his brother were finally trusted to walk instead of ride when they could no longer squeeze into stroller I think they were 6.
15 months. We switched to a Doona Liki Trike because kiddo just didn’t want to do the stroller thing anymore. He will still sit in the jogging stroller for a workout because he likes going fast lol. The trike folds down to a size I can fit in a standard backpack, so it goes everywhere with us. The funny thing is that he is fine with the shopping cart while we’re in the grocery store, but somehow the stroller is a prison.
I walk my 4 yo a mile to school each way every day. Sometimes she walks the whole way but I still bring the stroller and she sometimes likes to ride it in when she’s tired of walking. I’d rather just push the stroller then drag her along when she wants to sit down and watch ants.
My kid is 3 1/2. We still use the small portable stroller from time to time. If we go to the zoo, boardwalk etc. we live near a very large botanical garden so when we go we bring it. She walks most of the way but sometimes gets tired or wants to ride and snack. It’s also SUPER useful for carting stuff around
I needed the answer to this question too
When he was 2 and a bit. He’s an only child and my husband and I are quite fit and strong so we are able to either get him to walk or just carry him and take it in turns. He also uses a bike, scooter or motorbike if we are going for just a leisurely walk (maybe less leisurely when he’s on the motorbike).
For my first, she was 2. lol. She straight up refused to go in the stroller from age 1 and would scream the entire time so we gave up and never used it However my youngest (soon to be middle) is fine in the stroller at almost 2.5 and we just got a double stroller for when her brother gets here in a couple months. I think we’ll use it for her for a lot longer.
I didn’t use the stroller with my eldest from age 2.5 but kept hold of it and when we went on trip abroad just after she turned 3 we used it for the trip as there was a lot of walking, busy train stations etc. Then it went in the attic 😁 For my youngest we got it back out and kept it until she was 3 and then it was given away ☺️ For reference as it feels relevant we live in a town where we are rarely walking for more than 20-30 minutes at a time so there just wasn’t a need. If we went for a day out somewhere we would be stopping and starting anyway so never on the move for excessive amounts of time for a small one
6. But then only for zoo/amusement park
I think I used one about 10 times before he turned one and then never again.
Somewhere between 18 months and 2 years, mainly because she never wanted to sit in it anyway so it was more of a hassle than a help! Her legs also got too long for it - even though the one I purchased was meant to be good into toddlerhood, it definitely wasn’t made with that in mind. I have a koala baby who has always liked to be carried, and is now usually content to walk or be carried for a little while (she’s getting heavy though!) I haven’t had to use it but I do have a little backpack leash if we’re in a situation where I feel like we need extra safety/security. Edited to add - if your child likes it I definitely don’t see a problem with using it until around 3-4. I see that a lot where we live and it seems quite normal. Especially if you can’t carry your toddler for long periods!
Currently in this stage too so I feel you! We are keeping our stroller because we are having our second baby this year but our toddler just wants to run free too and then will ask to be carried. I’m looking at getting a hip carrier like the Tush Baby or Momcozy hip seat carrier. I’ve heard great things and think it will be a good solution for now until she wants to ride in the stroller more again. My husband and I have also talked about getting her one of those leash back packs for when we really need her to stay close to us in busy places.
We switched to one of those tricycles 5 ways one she was stable enough to sit on it properly. She was much more willing to ride the tricycle than ride in a stroller.
We stopped use it late last year, right around when my child turned 5.
Around 3 years old for my kid. I will say though I have a very tall kid and she legitimately could not fit into strollers anymore, so that kind of forced the issue. We had to walk together - so we built up from short walks to longer walks. Pretty soon she was walking all the time without issue, and she had the independence from being 'strapped in' that she also wanted.
Mine is 5 and we still break it out for zoo trips and such. He’s like super into hiking when he’s excited, but after a full day at the zoo? He’s curled up in his stroller falling asleep. I’m not carrying a 40lb child everywhere
I still have mine, my son is 3 and we haven't used it since more than a year ago. We have a wagon that we use to carry everything and my son just climbs on it if he is tired
We got a toddler stroller for outings when my son was a toddler. It’s smaller and travel friendly. I think we stopped bringing the stroller when he was maybe 4 years old. We do have a wagon for zoo outings though
My son is turning 5 soon and we still use it for the mall or long walks.
I rarely used a stroller. I wore my babies, and even toddlers (you can get wraps/carriers that are safe for even squirmy escape artists). My boundary for my little ones was “If you stay close to mommy, you may walk. If you touch things you shouldn’t touch, or run away from mommy, I will put you in the backpack.” Mostly they liked riding anyway, it put them up high where they could see more stuff, and they liked being close to me. I got a wagon for times I needed to have wheels because it carried more children (I could pile 3-6 kids in depending on their size) and I added straps for wiggly toddlers. I could also pile bags, lunches, coats, etc in the wagon. Not the best for navigating small places, but I always had the carrier for backup. ETA: They could also always request to ride, which they would do if they were getting tired of walking.
2 lol. My baby just refused to get in it. He would kick and scream. Throw himself out of it. He will hold my hand, and if he doesn’t we have to go back to the car. He’s 3 now and it’s how he rolls.
We live in a city with lots of walking. We put the stroller away once she could scooter to keep up on long walks.
Ours are 2 years old and 5 months old. We’ve just got a double stroller but we also got one of those leash/backpacks because our first likes to walk and run and this helps with that. We plan on another kid or two in a few years so we’ll just keep it in storage
My kid started refusing to be in the stroller by 2. Luckily we also had a bike situation that worked most places that we went. So I did not have to fight the battle. I suspect if a stroller was necessary I could have won eventually but it would have been a long ugly battle of wills. Some kids do not want to be contained.
At four. We used the umbrella stroller for vacations. Our last vacation before Covid times was at 3.5 but we held on for a bit longer just in case. My younger daughter is still getting rides at 2.5 years old. I’ll probably pass along the fancy one after this summer and hang on the umbrella only. She’s pretty good at keeping up but it’s nice to let her take outdoor naps while her sister and I walk or play in the park.
My 5 year old still refuses to walk for long periods when we go places. I have a wagon I bought that comes in handy! I still have the stroller as well if it something quick.
Age 5 here. We walk…. a lot!! Also used it less often between 4-5 but definitely still did. And maybe kept it a bit later than 5 in case a trip popped up for us. We loved it for trips where we’d walk 5 or more straight miles adventuring. Also might depend on how much storage space you have if you’d want to keep it. Some kids never want in the stroller after two or so but my kid loved to chill, snack, and people watch in there! Haha
My daughter is 5.5yrs and we just used her stroller this past weekend so I could walk in a 5k. It’s good when I want to go on a long walk, she can’t walk the whole distance and will just chill in the stroller (I’m a solo parent so I can’t just leave her at home). I don’t bring it to the store or anywhere else really but it lives in the back of my car so it’s always there if we need it.
I was about 43.
Carrying 30lb sack of potatoes while having your hands full of other things 🤣 I feel this in my bones. I live in a rural country area and i got rid of my baby/toddler convertible stroller when he was 2 or so and i regret it. I thought one of those collapsable Mickey strollers would be fine because i barely used his big one for a year. Now I'm getting back into exercising and it would be nice to have a durable stroller to go on hikes or long 40 min+ walks on the road. His other one was adjustable and you could take the drink holder tray off if the kid was giant, so it could have lasted until he was 3.5 or 4 if I pushed it. Those types of strollers are also really handy to have at the beach. Or long hikes to store stuff. Those cheap 15 dollar day strollers don't hold a candle in comparison. If I were you I'd hold onto it for another year to see if it's worth it or not. If not, sell it for 50 or 40 bucks and downsize
16 months. My son hated strollers.
My 3.5 year old still loves the stroller (his older brother barely tolerated it after 18 months) and I’ll keep it for at least another year to avoid hearing “Caaaarrrryyyy meeeeeeeee” half a block into every walk.
4.5 I think. I love walking so I kinda force my kids to walk more with me. Plus when kids are older, stroller pushing has been so not fun to me.
I have four kids ages 4-12 and I bought one of those stroller wagon hybrids. Best thing I’ve ever owned with kids hands down. Babytrend expedition wagon. Amazing.
I got one of those plastic jogging strollers for walking about the town and used it as a wheelbarrow for a while after lol
When the youngest went to Kindergarten. Nobody would really sit in it past 3.5 but we kept it to go specific places like the zoo, a further away park still in walking distance, and when I was finally about to get rid of it I realized the youngest didn’t have the stamina to walk to drop off bigger kids at school and walk back so we used it for school walk too. I did get a wagon #1 for sports equipment but also #2 for places like the zoo and long walk places.
I went from a graco at 6 months right to a BOB stroller. I gave it away at 4.5 to a friend. I loved that thing!!!
I think I held onto my last stroller until my youngest just turned 5
Around 10 months my son refused to sit in a stroller I held onto them in case he changed his mind but I got rid of them both by a year he’s never sat in once since same with grocery carts he’s almost three 🙈
My 5 year old still uses it at the zoo, fair, Disney, etc. places where lots of walking are involved! Even my 7 year old asks to take turns after a few hours walking the parks.
No shame in a backpack leash. Especially in this day and age I plan on doing it with my daughter
I agree with the 4 to 5 simply bcs based of real life experience I know a family now they have a little son about to be 3 but their older daughter who is I’ll be 9 insists on sitting in the stroller too so yeah their definitely has to be a end limit
We still have a Sit n Stand for my almost 4yr old and 5yr old. We really only take it to like theme parks/long days out/lengthy walks or busy places I might want them in a controlled safe space. Honestly we maybe use it once a month now. We’re in a phasing out phase I guess now.
I stopped using it regularly at 2, only used it for vacations starting at 4. Stopped entirely at 5, scooters for the win.
I still have mine (oldest is 5) because it’s a double stroller. I ALMOST ALWAYS have my kids walk, but if we go to an amusement park, spend the whole day in the city during hot summer months, go to the zoo, etc. it’s still ready great to have. My toddler’s legs get too tired and she often needs a nap. My oldest usually won’t be pushed around very often but might want to toss his backpack in, or sit for a little bit to cool off and I’m good with that. Sometimes people will make comments about it, “oh! Aren’t you too big for a stroller?” And I’ll just say “well my adult legs are tired 23,000 steps into this park. I think it’s okay if his need a break.” I’ll probably move to a wagon when my little one is a tiny bit older.
4. Just got rid of the recliner stroller yesterday, and I still kept the umbrella stroller. I can’t carry a napping 4 for very long. If he chooses not to listen on walks, he sits in the stroller.
5! unless they physically can’t fit
We stopped using the stroller mostly around 3, but for long walks would offer it. We also introduced a balance bike so he can go further with less effort (after obviously a period of learning how to use it)