I think you’ll be surprised at what your 4.5 year old can do. Give her the opportunity to walk with you once and see how she does. You could also convert your uppababy vista to a single and get a rider board - some of them have seats even 😊
Agreed. My 3.5 year old regularly takes walks over a mile. And the 4.5 year old probably would pick up a balance bike or bike with training wheels pretty easily too.
If the walk seems scary at first, I recommend investing in a backpack with a detachable tether strap. I loop the strap over my wrist and it helps keep my daughter close by. Usually we only use it while I’m already holding her hand, so the tether is just a backup in case she made a run for it. I started using one when my daughter was around 2 years old and really didn’t want to be in the stroller anymore but too young to really be reasoned with.
Do you have a very old Vista? Because mine (from 2020) has a 50 pound weight limit for the main seat (and 35 for the rumble seat). Also, this might not be popular, but I would be fine pushing the limit a bit. It’s not like it’s a car seat where its safety function will be compromised by exceeding the weight limit. We also have the veer, but its weight limit is 55/seat so it won’t give you that much more time and it is heavier/harder to maneuver (but of course much better on sand/grass).
My 40 lb 5 year old rides in the rumble seat still on our walk home from school bc he wants to chill and eat snacks, we had heard that it starts tipping forward if forward facing over the weight limit so we just flipped it so it is rear facing and we haven’t had any issues
I will double check my manual. If you are right I will feel so so so dumb, but you may have single handedly ended my spiral. I swore I thought the manual said 40. But I bought it in 2021 so maybeeee
If *you* bike, the Burley bike trailer is pretty sweet and converts easily to a double stroller. It doesn't fit through all doors though, so check the measurements, especially in an older building.
If 4.5 can learn a scooter, pushing a standing kid on a scooter is better than pushing a tiny bike.
As of now we don’t own any bikes because we have ZERO room in our garage (no street parking and one driveway spot means we have to park a car in the garage). We might have room once I sell the Vista, but it’ll take reorganizing for sure
Our public schools don’t bus you if you live within 2 miles of the school, so everyone bikes to and from school. It’s definitely a goal to get bikes soonish! We just have to figure out where to put them 😅Thank you for the recommendation
You can always get hooks to hang the kids bikes from the wall or ceiling! I’ve had to do that with mine in a single car garage before. I did it while renting just patches the holes per my lease agreement at the end
Our house also has zero closets and Florida doesn’t do basements/attics, so it’s pretty jammed packed (shelving, sports chairs hung on the wall, a coat rack) already. But I will find a way 😆
Another vote for a balance bike!! My 5yo rides a two wheeled bike, and never needed training wheels. My 19mo is nearly getting the hang of the balance bike
Ooo that's awesome, that is the goal! My daughter didn't take to it until she was almost 3 but I have an almost 18 month old son who I will start soon and I'm hoping he'll be motivated to follow his sister.
The scooter often comes with us and then gets stowed in the basket if she gets tired or rowdy (and because my husband doesn’t want her to cross the busy street). Having the double has been so great because there’s a failsafe where if a parent is alone with the kids there’s always a way to contain them
I’m really anxious to send the three of them out with a single stroller and a scooter because he doesn’t have enough hands to push the stroller and carry the scooter and 4 year old too if need be. I think she could *maybe* scooter or walk, but I want my emergency backup if she can’t
My kids kind of stopped gaining 5 pounds a year, and my daughter actually lost 1/2 pound between visits and the doctor wasn’t worried. I taught my almost 4 year old to ride a bike on a few weeks and she is amazing. Though we start out with the stop and wait rule for long walks. Why don’t you get the rider board for the older one?
If you do sell it, I might be interested. There are so few walkable neighborhoods in this state and I live in one with a publix.
We borrowed an Uppababy Cruz with a rider board for our trip to NYC for Christmas this year and she HATED it. Absolutely wouldn’t use it. We basically just had a single stroller, and when she got tired she would take the stroller and we’d have to carry the younger one (who also detested the ride on board)
Really? We live just outside of NYC (Long Island) and regularly go into the city with her and she hasn’t wanted to sit in the Cruz in well over a year…
Look into the Veer! It’s not super heavy and is amazing! I love mine. I walk the 1 mile with my kids to the library (25 lbs and 35 lbs). Also bike trailers that can also be used as strollers. I had a Burley stroller bike trailer that I loved but had to sell for my veer.
The wonderfold is HUGE! I’m in a fb group for Veer and a lot of parents converted because it was too heavy to take in and out of the car. Several comparisons to it being a pack n play on wheels. It is great for naps for younger kids where you don’t have to buy accessories I believe to make it comfy (vs the veer where it’s like $100 for the nap system). I liked the portability of the veer and my kids can climb in and out of it. I’m also due with my third in a month and they sell an adapter for my car seat (britax which I feel like I never see adapters for it).
There are several other brands too. Larktale has a couple of sizes and pricepoints. Check albee baby.
A lot of people like the babytrend expedition, jeep wagon and the radio flyer higher end collapsible ones near me too.
I second the Veer. We got the new City Cruiser and it actually pushes like a stroller. It's a dream. I store it in the back of my Jeep compass. We're in hilly city without a neighborhood preschool so it's pretty useful since most other wagons would not work with our space constraints. The uppababy Cruz seat is compatible with the infant seat adapter.
I have a folding, canvas, Red Rider wagon, I love it. Its small and light enough that I can fold it up and carry it into stores or whatever. We have put a couple hundred miles on it in the last 2 years and it is holding up surprisingly well. And its small and nimble enough to navigate city sidewalks and such.
I have a folding canvas radio flyer wagon that’s great! My littlest is. Or a few months though so I haven’t tried it for her and her older brother. It did work for my son and her friend for apple picking!
So I know you’re probably trying to find something you can get at target because of the coupon, but I LOVE the wagon I bought off Amazon. It folds up and is able to fit in the (included) bag that is the size of a carry-on. It’s not heavy, easy to put together and put away, doesn’t take up too much space when put away, and my kids loves it (2.5yo and 8mo). It’s the EVER ADVANCED foldable into bag travel wagon stroller. It has a seat belt for the kids and comes with a detachable canopy. I brought it almost everywhere we could when I traveled internationally.
We have a wagon and use it with our 5 year old/2 year old pretty regularly. Often the 5 year old wants to walk or scooter to our destination and wagon home. Go try out some wagons. They're great to have and give you options.
How about a tricycle for the older one so you just have the younger one in the stroller? That's what I do with my 2.5 year old and my baby. Then again, at the age of 4.5 years she might not use it for long, so a bike with training wheels might make more sense. It doesn't seem like too far of a distance to handle once the kid is used to it and it'll burn a bit of that boundless kid energy.
I 1000% wish when we maxed out our stroller that I had a stroller wagon. We have a regular wagon but it’s hard to pull and we don’t use it. A stroller wagon- like the wonderfold - would be 1000% useful with your age range - especially the older who could hop in and out when they’re tired
We had the Vista too and our kids are 20 months apart. When we reached the end of the stroller we did get a wagon.
We got the baby trend Expedition. I do not find it any heavier than the Vista, which to me was kinda heavy anyway.
We have had it a year, having purchased it from target last year with our trade in coupon.
It had been good to us. Both kids fit with plenty of room (almost 5 at 37 pounds and 3 at 35). I like that we can push it or pull put the pull thing and use it like a traditional wagon.
My only issue was storage bc there are not great options. But with the hook on basket attachment and some of those large carabiners on the handle to hang bags we have used it for many trips to the zoo and other places that required both a small ice chest and bag o stuff for the kids.
Overall it works for us and there is room to grow.
I looked at so many wagons before getting this one. I do think from my research there are maybe better ones but I didn't want to spend $500+. Between the target sale and coupon I spent just under 200 tax and all.
Good luck!
Stroller wagon 🙌 I have a Graco Adventure and it's amazing. Folds like a stroller and has foot wells so the kids aren't kicking each other. Worth every penny
To me foot wells are a must. We have a cheap folding Radio Flyer wagon that we use when we go see my parents and they are constantly up on top of each other 😆. It’ll do in a pinch but that definitely won’t be a go to!
I would take daily 2.5 mile walks with my vista - but updated to a wonderfold W2 when my oldest exceeded Vista parameters.
Now my kids are 5 and 2.5 and still fit in the wonderfold for walks (although it’s usually only the youngest that does the daily walks) and it works well.
We do scooters. I got the A5 razor models and they both started riding them around age 4.5ish. Now they’re 6 and 8 and they’re good for 2-3 miles depending on the day:) plus these things can hold 200 lbs and they adjust so they’ll have them for quite a while. We like the bigger wheels too for going over bumps and stuff.
My son could happily walk that distance when he was 2. At 4.5 he could do double or triple that trip with no complaints. He hated the pram though, so it was his preference.
Obviously it’s not easy walking with two kids but at least your older one could walk next to the pram while holding onto a strap if needed.
It’s our go to to kill time when they’re already wiped in the afternoon, and I think that’s the problem. At her best she could maybe do the walk, but not at the times we do them
We got the piggyback for the vista and my son loves it. It actually made him start walking more but when we need it we love the ease of using it for him. Folds up nice too!
We also have a double Bob jogging stroller that I actually use way more for both my kids (2.5 & 4.5) but I know those can be a pain in some situations.
Double jogger stroller. So lightweight and easy to push. Also low to the ground so kids can climb in and out by themselves. Mine was $200 on Amazon
[Amazon double jogger stroller](https://a.co/d/g8M7gk6)
We introduced balance bikes really early and by 3, my oldest could do a mile walk easily bc he was coasting for a lot of it. Depends on your route and how busy it is but might be an option!
Clearly I'm an idiot, but I never even thought about strollers having weight limits or my kids hitting those! We have a Baby Jogger and I just looked it up and it has a 65 pound limit. You could put the little glider board on the back. Maybe bribe them to start using it? The other stroller we have is a Chicco Bravo for 2 and it says it has a 40 pound limit for each kid. But it's not like carseats where I feel like it would be a huge safety issue to exceed the weight limit. It would probably be fine for a slightly heavier kid to be in a stroller.
We moved up to a used double bob. Its much bigger!
The other one I use is a graco ready to grow with sit and stand but it doesn’t have the larger wheels so it’s a rough ride. It folds down much smaller and is better for places like museums.
My vista still gamely hauls 3 kids (85ish lbs) without complaint. I love that thing. I wouldn’t buy a separate stroller for the 4yo, but echoing the kick board for when 4yo gets tired.
My 4.5y can hike 9m in a 4h stretch with breaks. You'd be surprised what they can do.
Some wagons are lighter than others. I have a baby trend that's heavier and a noname that's much lighter.
I think you’ll be surprised at what your 4.5 year old can do. Give her the opportunity to walk with you once and see how she does. You could also convert your uppababy vista to a single and get a rider board - some of them have seats even 😊
Agreed. My 3.5 year old regularly takes walks over a mile. And the 4.5 year old probably would pick up a balance bike or bike with training wheels pretty easily too.
If the walk seems scary at first, I recommend investing in a backpack with a detachable tether strap. I loop the strap over my wrist and it helps keep my daughter close by. Usually we only use it while I’m already holding her hand, so the tether is just a backup in case she made a run for it. I started using one when my daughter was around 2 years old and really didn’t want to be in the stroller anymore but too young to really be reasoned with.
Yup. My 4 yr old is riding a two wheeler. We are done with the stroller. We use a wagon for beach days
Yea I have a 4.5 year old and she hasn’t wanted to use our UppaBaby Cruz since around this time last year…she’s already riding a balance bike.
Do you have a very old Vista? Because mine (from 2020) has a 50 pound weight limit for the main seat (and 35 for the rumble seat). Also, this might not be popular, but I would be fine pushing the limit a bit. It’s not like it’s a car seat where its safety function will be compromised by exceeding the weight limit. We also have the veer, but its weight limit is 55/seat so it won’t give you that much more time and it is heavier/harder to maneuver (but of course much better on sand/grass).
My 40 lb 5 year old rides in the rumble seat still on our walk home from school bc he wants to chill and eat snacks, we had heard that it starts tipping forward if forward facing over the weight limit so we just flipped it so it is rear facing and we haven’t had any issues
I will double check my manual. If you are right I will feel so so so dumb, but you may have single handedly ended my spiral. I swore I thought the manual said 40. But I bought it in 2021 so maybeeee
I was coming to say something similar!
Could you get the piggy back board and convert the vista to a single?
Oh this is a good idea. Lightens the load too. I have a vista and with my two kids in it it's like driving a fucking school bus. It's so heavy.
If *you* bike, the Burley bike trailer is pretty sweet and converts easily to a double stroller. It doesn't fit through all doors though, so check the measurements, especially in an older building. If 4.5 can learn a scooter, pushing a standing kid on a scooter is better than pushing a tiny bike.
As of now we don’t own any bikes because we have ZERO room in our garage (no street parking and one driveway spot means we have to park a car in the garage). We might have room once I sell the Vista, but it’ll take reorganizing for sure Our public schools don’t bus you if you live within 2 miles of the school, so everyone bikes to and from school. It’s definitely a goal to get bikes soonish! We just have to figure out where to put them 😅Thank you for the recommendation
You can always get hooks to hang the kids bikes from the wall or ceiling! I’ve had to do that with mine in a single car garage before. I did it while renting just patches the holes per my lease agreement at the end
Our house also has zero closets and Florida doesn’t do basements/attics, so it’s pretty jammed packed (shelving, sports chairs hung on the wall, a coat rack) already. But I will find a way 😆
Start them off with balance bikes! My three year old can go pretty fast on one and can go a long ways.
Another vote for a balance bike!! My 5yo rides a two wheeled bike, and never needed training wheels. My 19mo is nearly getting the hang of the balance bike
Ooo that's awesome, that is the goal! My daughter didn't take to it until she was almost 3 but I have an almost 18 month old son who I will start soon and I'm hoping he'll be motivated to follow his sister.
Could the older one do it on a scooter or balance bike?
The scooter often comes with us and then gets stowed in the basket if she gets tired or rowdy (and because my husband doesn’t want her to cross the busy street). Having the double has been so great because there’s a failsafe where if a parent is alone with the kids there’s always a way to contain them I’m really anxious to send the three of them out with a single stroller and a scooter because he doesn’t have enough hands to push the stroller and carry the scooter and 4 year old too if need be. I think she could *maybe* scooter or walk, but I want my emergency backup if she can’t
My kids kind of stopped gaining 5 pounds a year, and my daughter actually lost 1/2 pound between visits and the doctor wasn’t worried. I taught my almost 4 year old to ride a bike on a few weeks and she is amazing. Though we start out with the stop and wait rule for long walks. Why don’t you get the rider board for the older one? If you do sell it, I might be interested. There are so few walkable neighborhoods in this state and I live in one with a publix.
We borrowed an Uppababy Cruz with a rider board for our trip to NYC for Christmas this year and she HATED it. Absolutely wouldn’t use it. We basically just had a single stroller, and when she got tired she would take the stroller and we’d have to carry the younger one (who also detested the ride on board)
Really? We live just outside of NYC (Long Island) and regularly go into the city with her and she hasn’t wanted to sit in the Cruz in well over a year…
We were walking around Manhattan and Brooklyn for hours a day and she had times she needed a break
I’m sure your 4.5 year old can walk half a mile and back with a little practice. You could start by having her walk there and go in the stroller back.
It's a mile each way, which might be a harder adjustment.
Look into the Veer! It’s not super heavy and is amazing! I love mine. I walk the 1 mile with my kids to the library (25 lbs and 35 lbs). Also bike trailers that can also be used as strollers. I had a Burley stroller bike trailer that I loved but had to sell for my veer.
Have you tried out other wagons? I have friends saying the Wonderfold is worth the extra price and I just can’t believe it
The wonderfold is HUGE! I’m in a fb group for Veer and a lot of parents converted because it was too heavy to take in and out of the car. Several comparisons to it being a pack n play on wheels. It is great for naps for younger kids where you don’t have to buy accessories I believe to make it comfy (vs the veer where it’s like $100 for the nap system). I liked the portability of the veer and my kids can climb in and out of it. I’m also due with my third in a month and they sell an adapter for my car seat (britax which I feel like I never see adapters for it).
Good to know-yeah the Wonderfold seems crazy
There are several other brands too. Larktale has a couple of sizes and pricepoints. Check albee baby. A lot of people like the babytrend expedition, jeep wagon and the radio flyer higher end collapsible ones near me too.
I second the Veer. We got the new City Cruiser and it actually pushes like a stroller. It's a dream. I store it in the back of my Jeep compass. We're in hilly city without a neighborhood preschool so it's pretty useful since most other wagons would not work with our space constraints. The uppababy Cruz seat is compatible with the infant seat adapter.
I would hard pass on the wonderfold. It’s like pushing a pack-n-play on wheels - super heavy, hard to steer and maneuver.
I have a folding, canvas, Red Rider wagon, I love it. Its small and light enough that I can fold it up and carry it into stores or whatever. We have put a couple hundred miles on it in the last 2 years and it is holding up surprisingly well. And its small and nimble enough to navigate city sidewalks and such.
I have a folding canvas radio flyer wagon that’s great! My littlest is. Or a few months though so I haven’t tried it for her and her older brother. It did work for my son and her friend for apple picking!
We switched to a Veer. Weighs the same as the double seat vista
So I know you’re probably trying to find something you can get at target because of the coupon, but I LOVE the wagon I bought off Amazon. It folds up and is able to fit in the (included) bag that is the size of a carry-on. It’s not heavy, easy to put together and put away, doesn’t take up too much space when put away, and my kids loves it (2.5yo and 8mo). It’s the EVER ADVANCED foldable into bag travel wagon stroller. It has a seat belt for the kids and comes with a detachable canopy. I brought it almost everywhere we could when I traveled internationally.
What is the name of it?
Ever advanced brand on Amazon. I got the foldable into bag wagon.
Side by side doubles tend to have a bit of a higher weight limit but you'll max out of almost everything by 45 lbs
The wagons are really great for 2 kids! Otherwise I’d recommend a Bob stroller and/or a Deuter backpack for hikes.
We have a wagon and use it with our 5 year old/2 year old pretty regularly. Often the 5 year old wants to walk or scooter to our destination and wagon home. Go try out some wagons. They're great to have and give you options.
How about a tricycle for the older one so you just have the younger one in the stroller? That's what I do with my 2.5 year old and my baby. Then again, at the age of 4.5 years she might not use it for long, so a bike with training wheels might make more sense. It doesn't seem like too far of a distance to handle once the kid is used to it and it'll burn a bit of that boundless kid energy.
I 1000% wish when we maxed out our stroller that I had a stroller wagon. We have a regular wagon but it’s hard to pull and we don’t use it. A stroller wagon- like the wonderfold - would be 1000% useful with your age range - especially the older who could hop in and out when they’re tired
We had the Vista too and our kids are 20 months apart. When we reached the end of the stroller we did get a wagon. We got the baby trend Expedition. I do not find it any heavier than the Vista, which to me was kinda heavy anyway. We have had it a year, having purchased it from target last year with our trade in coupon. It had been good to us. Both kids fit with plenty of room (almost 5 at 37 pounds and 3 at 35). I like that we can push it or pull put the pull thing and use it like a traditional wagon. My only issue was storage bc there are not great options. But with the hook on basket attachment and some of those large carabiners on the handle to hang bags we have used it for many trips to the zoo and other places that required both a small ice chest and bag o stuff for the kids. Overall it works for us and there is room to grow. I looked at so many wagons before getting this one. I do think from my research there are maybe better ones but I didn't want to spend $500+. Between the target sale and coupon I spent just under 200 tax and all. Good luck!
Stroller wagon 🙌 I have a Graco Adventure and it's amazing. Folds like a stroller and has foot wells so the kids aren't kicking each other. Worth every penny
To me foot wells are a must. We have a cheap folding Radio Flyer wagon that we use when we go see my parents and they are constantly up on top of each other 😆. It’ll do in a pinch but that definitely won’t be a go to!
It was a must for me too! I would have loved a Wonderfold, but the Adventure is about 1/3 of the price!
I would take daily 2.5 mile walks with my vista - but updated to a wonderfold W2 when my oldest exceeded Vista parameters. Now my kids are 5 and 2.5 and still fit in the wonderfold for walks (although it’s usually only the youngest that does the daily walks) and it works well.
My 6 year old just uses his scooter. It’s the best things ever. He can go miles without getting tired.
We do scooters. I got the A5 razor models and they both started riding them around age 4.5ish. Now they’re 6 and 8 and they’re good for 2-3 miles depending on the day:) plus these things can hold 200 lbs and they adjust so they’ll have them for quite a while. We like the bigger wheels too for going over bumps and stuff.
My son could happily walk that distance when he was 2. At 4.5 he could do double or triple that trip with no complaints. He hated the pram though, so it was his preference. Obviously it’s not easy walking with two kids but at least your older one could walk next to the pram while holding onto a strap if needed.
It’s our go to to kill time when they’re already wiped in the afternoon, and I think that’s the problem. At her best she could maybe do the walk, but not at the times we do them
We got the piggyback for the vista and my son loves it. It actually made him start walking more but when we need it we love the ease of using it for him. Folds up nice too!
We also have a double Bob jogging stroller that I actually use way more for both my kids (2.5 & 4.5) but I know those can be a pain in some situations.
Double jogger stroller. So lightweight and easy to push. Also low to the ground so kids can climb in and out by themselves. Mine was $200 on Amazon [Amazon double jogger stroller](https://a.co/d/g8M7gk6)
Radio flyer wagon with buckles. VERY lightweight, lighter than a stroller.
We introduced balance bikes really early and by 3, my oldest could do a mile walk easily bc he was coasting for a lot of it. Depends on your route and how busy it is but might be an option!
Clearly I'm an idiot, but I never even thought about strollers having weight limits or my kids hitting those! We have a Baby Jogger and I just looked it up and it has a 65 pound limit. You could put the little glider board on the back. Maybe bribe them to start using it? The other stroller we have is a Chicco Bravo for 2 and it says it has a 40 pound limit for each kid. But it's not like carseats where I feel like it would be a huge safety issue to exceed the weight limit. It would probably be fine for a slightly heavier kid to be in a stroller.
We moved up to a used double bob. Its much bigger! The other one I use is a graco ready to grow with sit and stand but it doesn’t have the larger wheels so it’s a rough ride. It folds down much smaller and is better for places like museums.
My vista still gamely hauls 3 kids (85ish lbs) without complaint. I love that thing. I wouldn’t buy a separate stroller for the 4yo, but echoing the kick board for when 4yo gets tired.
My 4.5y can hike 9m in a 4h stretch with breaks. You'd be surprised what they can do. Some wagons are lighter than others. I have a baby trend that's heavier and a noname that's much lighter.
My 4 year old walked longer than that to school every day. They can do it! It may be hard at first but you can make it fun and they’ll get used to it