How to stay outdoor active when you have children
This article uses some affiliate links for products that I love. This means that if you make a purchase through my links, I may earn an affiliate commission.
How to stay outdoor active when you have children
Life definitely changes after you have children. Multiday mountain hikes, ultramarathons and even simple strolls in the forest become much more challenging when you have to take care of one or more little ones. Luckily, there is some great gear out there to help you maintain an active lifestyle. Even if you’re changing nappies and playing with duplo most of the time.
In 2018 I became a father. While parenthood has been an incredible blessing in almost all ways, I have to admit it’s more challenging nowadays to find the time to do sports and be outdoor active. In this article I will zoom in on two products that have massively helped me to maintain my active lifestyle and discover some beautiful places in nature: a running buggy and a child carrier.
Running buggy
This is going to resemble a shameless product plug, but I can’t stress enough how happy I have been with this: buying a running buggy has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in the last few years. Since my daughter was about 6 months old, I have been able to go out running with her using the Thule Urban Glide. This has giving me such a feeling of freedom and so much opportunities to keep up my fitness, that it has really been invaluable. Now my daughter is two years old, I still regularly take her for a run and she still enjoys sitting in the buggy, watching the landscape pass by.
This lightweight Thule buggy isn’t just incredible for running, it’s also great for nature walks and normal daily use. The suspension is good and it’s definitely possible to go off-road with it. I have even been able to run some nice sandy trails with it, although – granted – I still wouldn’t take it up a mountain. I would recommend every active person to get one.
Child carrier
The second item that has revolutionized our outdoor life as parents is the Osprey Poco child carrier. We doubted for a long time before buying this one, but after we finally made the decision we regretted not getting it much earlier. The Osprey Poco is a very sturdy and versatile carrier. It includes a sunshade, raincover and some room for nappy’s and food. We often use it going on little hikes in the forest in the Netherlands, but it’s definitely sturdy and comfy enough for serious mountain hikes. We took our daughter up into the Lake District hills on a snowy February day in it. And I would also not hesitate to do a multiday trip with this backpack.
There are definitely some other good options out there for a running buggy and child carrier, but these two have really hit the mark for us and I would definitely recommend them. Next step is a child-friendly solution for on the bike.
