May 24, 2020

Walking with kids!

Updated: Jun 4, 2020

I spoke recently about how I felt a little anxious about leaving the house with both girls alone since being in lock down. Feeling this way, for me, is unusual because prior to lock down I was already exploring with them alone and even when Marlie was a little newborn, I was out and about. Due to lock down I’ve got into a habit of only leaving the house when my partner was around and it stuck when he returned to work last week.

Since sharing how I felt and how I geared myself up to leave the house again, I’ve been asked to share some tips with you all.

Daisy turned 3 this May and Marlie is just over 3 months old.

It’s worth noting that we have a double buggy and Daisy will happily sit in the buggy if I need her to, otherwise she likes running ahead.

Tip One

Plan your adventure. Have a place in mind that you’d like to visit and write it down if this helps. Sometimes I will plan ahead and tell myself that I’ll visit, my local river on Thursday to make sure I do.

If I’m feeling particularly unmotivated or anxious about going I’ll tell a friend and hopefully they will want to know how we get on. Or pre-lock down I’d invite a friend so we could motivate each other.

Tip Two

Be organised. For me this also means getting in the right mind frame. I will tell myself the night before that I’ll get up and before breakfast I’ll jump straight in the shower. Having a mental plan helps me so much.

I’ll prepare all of our clothes the night before. I’ll prep the packed lunch or snacks and stick the buggy in the boot.

I’ll look at where to park.

Tip Three

I’ll make sure I take the baby carrier as well as the buggy. This way if Marlie cries or becomes unsettled in the buggy I can keep her nice and calm and happy in the carrier instead. This means I’ll have the energy and concentration to have fun with Daisy. If I were to become flustered or stressed that Marlie isn’t happy my mood will probably rub off on Daisy and I can almost guarantee she will need a little more attention because of it. It’s better to ensure they’re both having a nice trip out.

Tip Four

Don’t have high expectations. It’s nice to have a goal but be prepared for it not to go to plan. Or to be out way longer than expected.

The next few tips are for encouraging toddlers to walk if you don’t have a double buggy or your child is a little older.

Tip One

Share your end goal with your toddler. We are walking to that little forest or that river. And when we get there we can paddle in the water or collect sticks and make a den.

Make the walk fun, ask them what they can find along the way. Can you spot a yellow flower or a green leaf.

Tip Two

Keep your child involved prior. Ask them where they want to go or what they want to do when they’re out. I know Daisy will walk if she knows we are having a Picnic as this is her favourite at the moment.

Tip Three

Regular snack breaks! What toddler doesn’t love a snack. Take it easy and have little stops along the route. If you’re feeling fed up or the walk isn’t going to plan, check out your surroundings and see what fun you can have instead.

Prepare for it to not go to plan.

Tip Four

As parents, we are always putting our children first. Make sure you choose a walk that you will love. And then if it all goes to pot, hopefully you’ve had a nice day out too.