7 ways to blend fun and exercise with stroller

Top ways to blend loads of fun (and some exercise) with your stroller. Taking your baby outdoors is not only good for the baby, but also for you as you get to breathe some fresh air and give some exercise to your legs.

However, it doesn’t have to be just a boring walk, you can get creative. You can stand on a hover-board while pushing the stroller, you can go for skating (or ice-skating, depending on the time of the year). You can go cycling, or attach a scooter behind the stroller and have some fun.

If you had an active lifestyle before becoming a mom, and wish to go back to a similar routine, these activities should inspire you to get moving.

A Lot of parents are already doing these activities.

Running with a Stroller

With a jogging stroller, you can go for long runs and have some great cardio exercise. Jogging strollers tend to be a bit heavier than standard strollers because they are sturdier, so you will need to get used to them. You can check out the best jogging strollers for runners.

Here are some useful tips on how to run faster using a jogging stroller.

Related: Useful stroller accessories for hands-free running

Exercise Attachments / Accessories for Stroller

Here are a few more options (physical activities) that you can indulge in using your stroller. You get fitness kits that come with various exercise bands that you can use to work out when you are out strolling. You also get elliptical sticks that attach to a stroller and help you engage in more intense workouts while you walk.

Check out the various Stroller Fitness Attachments for working out with the stroller.

Related: Stroller workouts that you can do using your stroller.

Cycling with Stroller

Go cycling with your stroller. While there are lots of options for kids (strollers that convert to bikes and vice versa), there are limited options for parents who wish to cycle along with pushing the stroller. You do have the option of cycling with your stroller, although its not a cheap option. Read more here.

You also get strollers (hybrid between strollers and trailers) with bike attachments that can be pushed manually like any jogging stroller or can be attached to the back of an adult bike. Read more here.

Rollerblading / Outdoor Skating with Stroller

Rollerblading / outdoor skating while pushing the stroller is another interesting activity; more and more parents are going rollerblading/skating with their baby in a stroller. Read more here.

Ski Attachments for Strollers

Ski attachments for your stroller. Changing from blades to wheels (and vice versa) can be done quickly. Read more here.

Ice Skating with Stroller

Ice skating while pushing the stroller. A lot of ice skating rinks are encouraging moms to use the rink during non-peak hours. Not only is it fun for the moms to ice-skate with the stroller, using the rink during non-peak hours ensures everybody in the rink is moving at a safe pace.

Stroller Scooter

I am sure lot of parents would love to ride a scooter that is attached to a stroller. Sadly, there aren’t many options available. There is a stroller attachment (from Bob) that lets you scoot with the stroller, and a uniquely designed stroller that transforms into scooter. Other than, no accessory/kit available for adults that converts a stroller into a scooter.

Skateboard with Stroller

It was only a matter of time before someone came up with a design where stroller could merge with the longboard (after all it just requires strapping a baby stroller to the front). European stroller designer Qunny has created a longboard with a stroller seat attached, named the longboard. Checkout the Skateboard Stroller (Longboard) as well as more DIY options.

Also Read: Cool Mom attaches skateboard to the stroller

Hoverboard with Stroller

Ride a hover board while pushing the stroller.

We have spotted so many parents taking their kids for a walk, pushing a pram – but not actually using their legs, but instead balancing on a hoverboard. Pushing a pram while rolling along on the battery-powered segway, started gaining popularity after several Hollywood A-listers were spotted doing that thing around LA. But please note that hoverboards are technically banned on the pavements in some countries as they are seen as ‘personal transporters’.

Take Stroller on Excursions

You can take the stroller to Disney parks, but make sure you go through Disney’s stroller policy. You can even take your stroller to the Zoo. You can even take a stroller for rent at these places, although you may not get a lot of choices.

Pram parades/races are organized in most cities around the world; these are family-friendly events in which you can also participate.

Here are some tips to keep your kids cool in Summer.

In case you’re looking for a new stroller, go through our Stroller Buying Guide.

Gear for family adventures & trips

Going out with your family is fun, be it for adventures or for some fun. But when you have children accompanying you, you need to be adequately prepared, especially baby gear.

While there are some efficient parents who can get by with the bare essentials, most other parents will require some gear to enjoy the adventures with kids. You will require the right gear for your outings with your little ones as, at times, even getting out of the house and into the car can be a process.

Here we take a look at a handful of useful products that you should consider buying for your family.

Chicco GoFit Booster Seat

Compared to car seats, a booster seat is less expensive and less bulky, which is especially relevant for family road trips. The GoFit Booster from Chicco is inexpensive and is small enough that you can easily stow it away when not in use. It is designed for kids from age four on up (40-110 pounds). It has double-layer foam padding and a contoured seat that make it comfy for your little passengers, even on long drives. Additional features include a belt-positioning strap, collapsible cup holders, and removable seat pad and armrest covers. There’s actually a carry handle, making it a convenient item for family road trips and vacations.

• Buy on Amazon

Sierra Designs Backcountry Quilt 15

Sleeping bags are great for most situations, but sometimes it’s nice to have something a little more versatile. For one thing, it can be difficult to regulate your temperature once you’re zipped into your bag. And younger kids sometimes don’t do well in the tight confines of a mummy bag.

Enter the Backcountry Quilt 15. It’s the latest addition to Sierra Designs’ collection of unique alternatives to the traditional sleeping bag. Although it’s more of a quilt than mummy bag, it can still keep you warm on spring nights when the temperature dips below freezing.

• Buy on Amazon

The Backcountry Quilt 15 is extra long, so it can comfortably accommodate sleepers of nearly every size. There are insulated hand pockets in the corners that make it easy to snug the bag up to prevent drafts. There’s even a hood to insulate your head on the coldest of nights. With the quilt’s 700FP DriDown, it’s rated to 15 degrees and weighs less than 2 pounds.

See Kai Run Johnny Shoes

When you’re out and about, it can be tricky keeping shoes on your little ones. Toddlers simply love tossing their shoes, whether they’re slip-ons or Velcro. See Kai Run shoes are known for their impressive “stay-on-ability.” The Johnny has a sturdy hook-and-loop strap that secures the shoes in place and is difficult for a child to remove on their own.

While these shoes stay snug on little feet, they also have a larger than average toe box, which allows for comfortable movement. It’s especially nice for larger toddlers with rapidly growing feet. You should note that they fit true to size.

• Buy on Amazon

These shoes have a padded collar and tongue, which reduces the pressure on your child’s feet. This ensures they’ll remain comfortable even with extended use. There’s also a full leather lining and insole to increase comfort and breathability. And the rubber outsole is super flexible for better traction.

Lightweight Stroller

When it comes to bringing a stroller on family vacations, it’s great when all you need to do is throw an umbrella stroller in the trunk. Umbrella strollers are so lightweight and compact that they’re never a hassle. But when you’ve got little ones, sometimes you need a more versatile stroller. Ask anyone who’s pushed an umbrella stroller around Disneyland for an entire day and they’ll tell you all about it.

You get lightweight, versatile and comfortable strollers with clever features to make it more convenient for parents.

Thule Multisport Trailers

Thule products usually stand out because of their precision components. They’re lean, mean machines. This is unsurprising, considering the company was born in Sweden, which is known for its efficient design techniques.

The Chariot multisport trailers are perfect for year-round family adventures. It can be used for biking, jogging and strolling, and the VersaWing system makes it easy to quickly convert the trailer for each activity. The components are actually stored onboard the whole time.

The trailer can also be outfitted with skis, though it’s not quite as seamless as the functions described above. If you’re a winter diehard and don’t mind the added effort, it may be worth checking into.

Is there any other baby gear/product that should be here? What are your favorite products for family trips? Let us know in the comments.

Are you allowed to push a stroller on a cycling lane?

A mother of three young children says she was pushing one of her children in a stroller, while her mother was pushing another one of the children beside her in another stroller; the third child was riding her bicycle beside them when they were approached by an angry woman on a bicycle.

“This lady comes barrelling down the street and she was like, ‘Move out of the way, move out of the way, don’t you know this is a bike trail, stroller can’t be on here’. She then starts mouthing off, and I don’t want to even repeat the words. She was really vulgar with me. I was completely blown away,” Hainer recalls.

Hainer said she told the woman she didn’t see any signs saying she couldn’t push her child in a stroller while her other child was on a bicycle. Besides, there was more than enough room for her to pass us without (using) vulgar (language).

Hainer said they used the cycling lane because she didn’t want to trek along the boardwalk with two strollers and a bicycle.

A spokeswoman (from City of Charlottetown’s parks and recreation department) said the city encourages youngsters to use the cycling lane. However, while walking on the lane is discouraged, she says that the mother was fully within her right to walk next to her daughter on a bicycle.

Wrap Up

While becoming a mom is a great experience, most moms fail to regain the same body composition they had before pregnancy. Most of them have more fat than ever before, and their muscles are not as toned as they used to be.

You still may not find time to hit the gym and begin the workouts, but you can always make use of the time that you spend outdoors with the baby in the stroller.

You don’t have to do anything extreme right away, there are so several light exercises that you can do using the stroller, or you can even get involved in some fun activity such as skating if that makes you happy.

Whatever, you do, just make sure you spend time outdoors, do some stretching, walk and get some fresh air.