With it staying light out later and the crazy warm weather we've been having, I'm dreaming of spring and summer! One thing I'd like to do this year is start taking a walk with the kids every night. They are 4 and 2 but still like the double stroller.
Do you take a nightly walk? If you do, do you do it before dinner or after dinner? Do your kids enjoy it? Both DH and I WOH so we only have from 5pm until bedtime to fit in dinner and family fun!
squash / 13208 posts
I have always wanted to do this but its just never happened!
Time just always got away from us!
coconut / 8472 posts
Yup, we do this regularly during spring and summer. We typically go after dinner.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Fun! When do the clocks change? That gives us more time!
persimmon / 1111 posts
We do it. We go before dinner. We also do a morning walk before breakfast. We do it year round, regardless of weather. It really helps with all of our moods. Plus, the only way to walk the dog is to take the toddler 
eggplant / 11716 posts
We do this a lot, even in winter. But we live in a walking-friendly area. A lot of the time, if the kids have finished dinner before Dh is home, I bundle them up and we go walk to meet the bus where he gets off. It's just about 5 blocks and they get to go in a little pedestrian tunnel that the city has put cool lights in, and we get to walk past the movie theater (they like to look at the animated movie posters). So it's super short but nice to get fresh air before bed.
persimmon / 1188 posts
We do this often in the nicer weather! I would like to do it now because I have gestational diabetes and it's been nice out, just still gets dark so quickly after I get home. We will definitely do it in the spring and summer. We all need the exercise and fresh air. even the dog gets bored of our yard I'm sure!
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I make this happen during the week by leveraging the time between getting home from work and dinner. It takes some planning, but last night, for example, we went to feed the ducks on the way home from school. I had cut up bread the night before and left it in my car. Then, when we got home, I changed, did 15 minutes of life admin and then we took a walk down to the school playground. We came home and I started dinner, which was frozen stuff out of the freezer (wontons and stir fry veggies).
persimmon / 1095 posts
We often do nightly walks with DD (15 months) and our dog. We have a one mile and two mile loop we do depending on time. We try to walk before dinner.
kiwi / 649 posts
We did this when I was growing up and we always went after dinner. When we were older we (the kids) would ride our bikes. Sometimes we got ice-cream from the little ice cream shop after our walk. It was the best. It is defiantly something I plan to do once I have my own kids.
honeydew / 7235 posts
I cannot wait for it to be warmer and lighter out later so we can start doing this again! We did this last summer after we got home from work and it was so nice. We would just walk from our house to the playground and back.... or go to the beach and walk there! Even better!
pear / 1642 posts
Right now I take the kids and dog out a couple times a week. I've been solo parenting during the week, so it's hectic! But as of next week DH is going to be home in the evenings again, so I really want to implement this before it gets too hot outside to enjoy it.
nectarine / 2262 posts
I would love to do this but it's so challenging with 18mo DS. He doesn't want to ride in the stroller. Wants to walk/run - but then only run into the road, so when I stop him, he goes limp and starts screaming. Or we spend 15 minutes picking up sticks, trying to get into people's bushes, etc. Not much of a walk for us, lol.
persimmon / 1050 posts
We have a 25 mile walking path right next to us, so we take DS out on it most nights. Its right next to a golf course so he likes to bounce his golf balls he's found on the path. During the winter we do it before dinner (while it's still light out) and after dinner the rest of the year. We collect sticks, rocks & pinecones while walking.
pomegranate / 3272 posts
I want to start doing this but it's been difficult with 7 pm bedtimes considering we don't get home until 5:45 and then we still need to eat dinner. I think once the boys get a little older and bed times are later, we'll be able to do this. We also have a 60 mile trail right by our house and I hate that we don't use it enough.
nectarine / 2460 posts
We do this in the spring and summer. I love it because its great to get out and get some exercise and I noticed it helps me eat less too. We usually go right after dinner and I'm less likely to overindulge if I know I'm about to go walking.
pomegranate / 3895 posts
We go after dinner on the trail by our house to listen for owls. It's my favorite part of the time change / warmer weather.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
We do it after dinner, usually 6-6:30pm once its warm enough. My girls start their bedtime around 7pm. So its tight, but we get a once around the "block" in. DD1 (3.5) often takes her tricycle...and right now I am still wearing DD2...
We find it helps them get out the last little bit of energy before settling in to bedtime...
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
We try to, the only caveat is mosquitos early evenings! That really prohibited on longer walks even with bug spray and what not.
pomegranate / 3113 posts
@T.H.O.U.: time change is March 12th.
I'm going to make a point to do this once it's light and a bit warmer. My DD doesn't go to sleep until at least 9, so maybe this would help tire her out earlier...
pomelo / 5220 posts
We don't do this but we do have a long walk home from daycare every night. My parents did nightly walks when I was a kid after dinner. I totally want to do that once my kids are older.
persimmon / 1322 posts
On average, we walk 5 nights out of seven. When my husband is working on a project that gets him home earlier, we walk every night. We love it. I grew up with nightly walks, so it's normal to me.
My 18 month old and I get home at 5, I get dinner going, my husband gets home at 5:45ish, takes a quick shower, and then we eat dinner. We try to be out of the house for walk time by 6:30 or 6:45. We get home around 7:30 or 7:45. Kiddo has a snack, and then gets ready for bed. She loves going on walks.
pomelo / 5678 posts
Yes! We love family walks! My favorite is golden hour. After dark is my LO's favorite, to look for bugs!!!!
nectarine / 2018 posts
We aim to do a family walk whenever the weather allows. DH has a bizarre schedule so sometimes we go in the morning and sometimes in the evening. We all love it - a little exercise, gets DD's energy out, and we work on colors, shapes, and letters as we walk. DD and I also go on walks a lot when DH is working. I'm looking forward to walking with DD tonight, it's currently 72 out in Massachusetts in February!!!
honeydew / 7463 posts
During spring/summer/fall we'll often walk to meet my husband at his office and we all walk home together. It's a nice 20 minute walk. We do this before dinner.
Once he's older and bedtime is a little later, it seems like it would be really nice to do after dinner! A couple times last summer we had super early dinner then walked to get ice cream or froyo and that would be so nice to do regularly.
pomegranate / 3858 posts
I wish...LO takes so long to eat supper and gets up early so needs an early bedtime.
persimmon / 1286 posts
We ddi this all through the first year (even when ot was 8 degrees!) at the witching hour. Now that it's getting nicer out again, we will start it back up. Usually go around 5, come home for bath, dinner for DS, and bed.
persimmon / 1316 posts
We do a morning or afternoon walk most days but I am so looking forward to spring/summer and it staying lighter later so we can do evening walks and play outside more after dinner.
pear / 1961 posts
Yep! In the spring/summer (once it's lighter later and at least a little bit warmer), we tend to go after dinner with DH and the dog too. We had a late-arriving winter this year, but spent 25-30min after school playing outside either at the school or at the park until November-ish. It gets hard once it's cold and dark at 430p, so we just hunker down for a bit then. We'll see next winter when they are all a bit older!
pomegranate / 3375 posts
Oddly, my parents made this a priority in the 80's/90's with me (just funny since nothing else about their parenting was very family/kid focused & friendly). I LOVED IT!! We are looking forward to doing this too.
pear / 1809 posts
I like this idea, and I really want to start doing it on a regular basis! I think we would do the walks after dinner, because we eat so early. Most days we eat dinner at 5pm
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
The last two weeks it's finally been above freezing temps and we've gone walking like 4-5 days a week! We go right after work to get the most out of the sunlight and warmth, since the sun is still setting by 6:30.
Then we go home and get dinner.
nectarine / 2242 posts
I am loving all of these responses!! We went for a walk Friday night because it was ridiculously warm here, and it was awesome. My 4 year old actually just walked and the 2 year old was half in the stroller half wanting me to carry him, so it was a great workout! I also took them for a super easy hike this weekend and they loved that too. I can't wait for warmer weather and lighter nights!
pear / 1510 posts
I would love to, but our stupid city doesn't have sidewalks. While we're in a residential neighborhood, I'm still not comfortable walking in the road with the kids. People park on the street as well, so it's not even like you can just hug the curb. It drives me INSANE because I would love to go for nightly walks.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@BlueWolverine: ugh!! That would totally bother me. It's actually something I watched for when house hunting. I didn't want to live on a street with no side walks or at least a generous shoulder and sidewalks within walking distance.
cherry / 196 posts
I have a dog and really try to do this as often as possible - good for dog, baby, and me. Before dinner is the only time I can get it in, my 8 month old is currently on such an early bedtime after switching to two naps. Plus she really expects bath and bed after dinner.
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