Now that the weather is getting better, i'm hoping to take Isaac walking outdoors more. He's been walking well for around 3 months. He loves walking out and about and we really don't do enough of it at the moment! So much easier to reach for the buggy or trike. When we do let him walk out and about (like today at the park!) he runs off in all directions at full speed leaving us chasing after him :lol: He doesn't want to hold hands, he just throws a wobbly as he's desperate to be free! He is a little explorer and very inquisitive, if he sees something hes interested in he's off! We've bought one of those little life backpacks with single rein which we tried on today but he kept trying to take it off. Think he's probably a bit young for it yet! So just wondering how your lo's are getting on walking outdoors? How often do you let them walk? and how do you keep them under control, does anyone use proper reins? Also really want to get him some wellies, he got his shoes covered in mud today!! He's a 4.5. Does anyone know if you can get half sizes wellies or just go up a size? Any recommendations where to get some cute ones? Can't wait to see him in his first pair of wellies! Thanks BIDdies! xx

Abby's been walking outside for a while now. She's not one for sitting in her pushchair for long periods to be honest.

At nursery they go outside every day, my parents walk her down to the highstreet once a week and we allow her to walk whenever we go out with her. She also has access to a number of gardens and loves going with Nana to throw corn for the chickens.

From a safety point of view it is essential that she will hold our hands. If she refuses she goes back in the pushchair temper-tantrum or not. We do allow her to run around of course but practice calling her back regulary for another bit of walking holding hands. I have owned dogs for a while and used the same technique with them - bit of freedom, call back, praised, walk at heel, freedom etc. :\) I have had a couple of issues with her running off the moment we get to the car and I have to let go to put bags etc in the car. Obviously this is extremely dangerous in a car park so she is now told to "hold onto the car". This works quite well although she does just hug the back tyre and gets a bit mucky. Not very hygenic but 1000x better than being hit by a car!

Abby does have reins but she learnt very quickly that if she leans into them then it's a ready made swing. My parents seem to use them much more successfully.

As for shoes I have some walking boots in a 4.5 and wellies in a 4. However Abby is still a tiny size 2 so is restricted to her cruising shoes. I can't believe she still hasn't grown out of the shoes I bought in October! You can definitely buy wellies in half sizes if you look around but I would go for the size 5 with thick socks as they will last a bit longer. It's not although they wear them all the time so I wouldn't worry about blisters etc. I love these:

http://www.cradleandall.co.uk/raincoats-wellies-c-6.html

The pirate ones are fantastic for a boy.

H xx

Skye sounds just like Isaac! She is so excited to be free that she gets all beside herself and can't help running all over the place LOL!

Tbh I tend to keep her in the buggy while I'm out and about in town on my own. I do have reins which we used to use more than we do now, and I know that my parents in law use them regularly on her to great effect. She also doesn't like holding our hand that much :roll:, and tries to shake my hand off herself, but has got better of late. I was a bit lax with her to start with when she first started to walk outside, and just loved to stand back and watch her so it's partially my own fault that she doesn't like to be controlled too much. Sometimes she even sits down in protest if I refuse to let go of her hand!! :lol: I do know insist that she holds my hand a lot more, and we make a game of it by swinging her between us etc sometimes. I will get her one of those Little Life rucksacks for maybe a year's time if I still feel she needs to be "reined in"!

We live right by the woods and Skye has had wellies for a couple of months now, along with a full body waterproof. She only has size 3 feet and I had real trouble finding any that small that were also light enough for her tiny legs! I got a cheap pair off eBay in the end for 99p!! I haven't bothered with half sizes, and she has so cheapies from Asda lined up in a size 4, pink glittery ones ;\)


Love the mental piccie of Abby having free time and then being called to heel H!!! :lol: x

we dont do much walking outside but when we do cariad is very good at holding hands.

the first time we took her out was last half term and it was a nightmare, carried her up to the park then put the reins on for her to walk home, as its on the main road all she wanted to do was chase the cars, not a good idea!!!!

the other week she walked from my MIL's house to the car and was fanstastic. we took her to the park yesterday and she was again fab, carried her across the main road then let her walk holding hands. once we go into the park she was allowed freedom as it is completely caged in so noway could she escape, we then walked home then carried her across the road again.

she has got some wellies that i bought when we had the snow the pink glittery ones from asda but she cant walk in them cos they dont bendat the ankle so she really struggles.

Love those wellies Helen, they're very funky! Just got a cheap pair off ebay but may have to splash out on some really funky wellies and matching raincoat next size up!

I think I will definitely have to train him up on hand holding!! He won't do it all maybe as he gets a bit older it will be a bit easier. We've only really taken him places like the park and beach where he can run safely. But it will be different walking near a road so definitely want to encourage him to hold hands. Thanks for the advice, funny how similar dogs and children are! :lol:

Think we will invest in some reins and try them out, always good to have them just in case! I love the idea of the Little Life backpacks but I think he really needs to be a bit older so we can get him all excited about carrying his big boy bag! He doesn't really know what it is at the moment and tries to pull it off.

Skye does sound very much like Isaac! We do give Isaac quite a bit of freedom so I think that's why he just goes loopy when out! I love his spirited/inquisitive personality and watching him explore when out and about. He hates being restricted in any way pushchair, highchair, carseat. :roll: We now have major tantrums getting into the carseat! He does love his trike though, so we use that quite a bit now.

Now we just need some sunshine so we can get out and about more! xx

Juju is NOT good at hand-holding. Might have to start the dog training, sounds good!

She has the reins at times but she does like to swing on them too and be really uncooperative about which direction we go in lol

She loves running about outside so we've been taking her to lots of parks and forests and letting her roam free as much as poss....which may have been a bad idea lol ...all that freedom and now she ain't ever gonna wanna give it up!