Stroller or Wagon for 5+ children

Hi. Im looking for some advice on what type of stroller or wagon to buy. I have 5 possibly six children and I would prefer them all to be pushed by me as they tend to wander. I need something that will fit on a city bus as that is how I do field trips.

I've been looking at this wagon http://www.a-winther.com/pages/turtl...s/6-seater.php but have been unable to find somewhere in Canada that sells it.

What does everyone else do? Currently I have the 2 babies in a double stroller, my son walks beside me loudly crying that they are in HIS stroller, the 3 year old walks in front of the stroller very slowly so I run into him (i can not get him to stay to the side or walk faster! URGH!) and the 2 year old girl walks.. well... beside me, behind me, stops, runs to catch up, slows down, stops.. you get the picture haha. I'll soon be taking on a 3rd baby (part time on opposite days from my other part time baby) but just in case I have them all I want something that fits everyone easily.

Thanks!

Wow that is a really cool wagon. But $1800? I wish! I personally love my choo choo wagon...http://www.sears.ca/product/step-2-c...16-21111-21111. I currently have 4 pods...but you can add more. I have the radio flyer clip on umbrellas for shade. I love that it pulls & maneuvers so easily. It's also a great advertisement:)

Ya - that is cool!

I started out with the Lil Haulers Wagon - which was awesome pulled smoothly and depending on that age of my crew and time of year I could fit 5 sitting cross legged in it - it was squishy to do that in the winter though .... however to be honest having the OPTION for everyone to ride created the issue with everyone WANTING to ride despite being perfectly capable of walking - so I sold mine cause it killed my back to be pulling the weight of 5 children some who were over 2 and had capable legs ;)

http://www.toywagons.com/wagonframe.html

So now since I only ever have 2 children under two years of age so only need a double stroller - everyone else is expected to walk if they want to go fun places ... more often than not I only use the single umbrella stroller because now instead of everyone wanting to 'ride' cause it was viewed as 'special' to sit in the wagon with everyone now everyone WANTS to walk because it is seen as a right of passage in my program to be 'big enough' to get out of the stroller - which really saves my back and well 'walking and exercise' is better for them too ... my crew can walk 4 km to and from the library, OEYC and neighborhood parks EASY and without complaint - although ironically many cannot walk from my front door to the car for their parents at pick up :rolleyes:

I've seen something like that for sale on used Ottawa I think ... It might have been kijiji though

Used Ottawa has a 6 seater that needs a bit of love but it's cheap.

I know a lady that had the 4 seater turtlebus and used it for transporting kindergarten kids. Her idea was it kept the little ones dry and she could walk quickly and get there and back since it was only a half day program she didn't want to waste time with kids dawdling on the way back or it was closing in on time to turn around as soon as they got home.

I have the smitty's little haulers wagon - make sure you look for the larger size ones and loved how it pulled but still wore a wrist brace when doing it. I could seat everyone in it and used the walking harnesses to put on them, wound the reins through the bars and clipped them in so they had to stay seated and it held smaller ones upright when needed. When others walked we could fit a small rubbermaid bin at the front of it for taking stuff to the park. We used it on outings with my special needs child till she was about 8 and she still fit fine - love that wagon. Now as far as taking it on the bus not so sure.

With that many little ones you might need to rethink your outings for a big in the sense of are they really getting enough out of the outing itself to warrant the inherent dangers of that many on a bus you can't hold onto. I have seen kids go flying because the adult wasn't right there and that scares me.

I have the foundations 4 seat stroller and it folds up a big and would be no wider than a double stroller so that would probably be your best best for on the bus as the driver is used to seeing the large jogger type strollers used on the bus.

The wagon would fit all 6 and be great for local things like the park.

Has anyone taken a runaboaut on the city bus? If that is an option that would be a good way to go. Expensive like the turtlebus though. I doubt they would let the 6 seater on the bus as it would block the aisle and take up both handicap spots on some buses meaning if someone in a wheelchair wanted to get on you could be asked to leave since you can't fold it up and you can't block the aisle. If this is for bus outings then check first before sinking that much money into one.

i have the choo choo wagon too. I purchased 3 pods new, then I found a fourth pod at once upon a child really cheap! If you wait for a good online sale at sears you can get them really reasonable.

Dreamalittledream... do you have the clip on umbrella's? I've been looking for a shade solution, but can't find anything that attaches properly.

Thanks everyone! I'm really like the choo choo wagon but I dont think it would fit on the bus well. Once I thought about it some more I decided that a 4 seat stroller would actually be enough. Anyone know of any besides the Foundations one? A quick google only produced that stroller and I just want to do some comparsions. I'm thinking I don`t care how slow the 3 year old is, he can walk. He`s too old and hes kind of heavy. With 2 part time children coming on opposing days a 4 seater will work fine for the other children. Plus my son who whines about people in `his` stroller can walk, he just wont some days. If I get 2 walking harnesses for my son and the 3 year old, then put 3 in the stroller and have an empty seat for those days he whines.

The buses here have fold up seats in the front for handicapped, strollers, walkers etc. There are 2 per bus so blocking the aisle shouldn`t be an issue. Our field trips are usually to the public library and I really do think that even the younger ones get something from these trips. The babies are actually 14 mos and 17 mos so not really babies per say.

What I would really like to do is get the stroller for bus trips and the choo choo wagon for walks in the neighbourhood and to the park. But thats just because I think it;s so cool! haha. Its not a very practical solution however. :)

I have a 4 seater runabout stroller. It is the best thing I have invested in and yes, it was a bit expensive but I saved since last year to get it and it has been totally worth it. they also have a 5 and 6 seat stroller. You have to order them online from the states. I had debated on getting the 6 seat but figured that my children would probably outgrow it pretty soon so I'd only need to worry about the very little ones going into it and I knew that in the future I would prefer to charge more and take in less so I went with the 4. Its worth the money for the sanity!
Oh, and I had debated on the turtle bus too....it was between that one and the one I got. Didn't go with the turtle bus just because I saw that they have the safety break built into it where you have to squeeze or press down on the handle bar in order for the stroller to go. I had tried this on a 4 seat stroller from another company and really wasn't crazy about having to squeeze that the whole time I was walking while pushing 4-6 kids (I actually went and tested it out at a daycare that was close by). THis daycare stroller was the cheapest option multiple stroller I had foudn and debated on as well, which was actually really good for the money, but like I said, I'm picky and wanted something where I didn't have to squeeze the break. This more affordable one is called the Foundations stroller. A 4 seater from this line will cost about $500. It's sturdy and pretty well made and it folds down so that was nice, where the other ones don't. But it is pretty heavy. I'd say if you're planning to do this for a while, then definitely get a runabout. But if you are only doing it for a few years then the Foundations one is totally worth the quick investment. Hope that helps!

The foundations stroller has that have to squeeze handle and I hate it as it makes for a tense ride for me as I basically have to have my arms tense the whole time instead of relaxed. I tied it to the handlebar so there is no brake now but we don't walk in areas with lots of hills anyways. Most strollers don't have a brake like this so it was something I wasn't used to anyways.

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Originally Posted by playfelt

The foundations stroller has that have to squeeze handle and I hate it as it makes for a tense ride for me as I basically have to have my arms tense the whole time instead of relaxed. I tied it to the handlebar so there is no brake now but we don't walk in areas with lots of hills anyways. Most strollers don't have a brake like this so it was something I wasn't used to anyways.

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I hate that about my foundations quad too. I use two big clips to keep the brake down. ;)

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Originally Posted by apples and bananas

i have the choo choo wagon too. I purchased 3 pods new, then I found a fourth pod at once upon a child really cheap! If you wait for a good online sale at sears you can get them really reasonable.

Dreamalittledream... do you have the clip on umbrella's? I've been looking for a shade solution, but can't find anything that attaches properly.

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. Hello! Lucky you finding the extra pod cheaply...i would love one more...holding out for a deal;) Yes, I have the radio flyer clip ons. Got them on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Flyer-UA.../dp/B00002MZ8A Not sure where to get them in Canada? Here is the link to a pic of the choo choo with the umbrellas on (so you get an idea of coverage).http://themasontripletsplusone.blogs...hoo-wagon.html

I have a 4 seater runabout stroller for sale. I am in Nepean just outside Ottawa .....if you are interested. I am closing this month to work outside the home and I loved this stroller and the freedom it gave us .

I have a six seater Bye Bye Buggy which is a lot like the wagon you linked to, but I really don't think it would work on the bus as it would block the aisle and also it is very heavy and I wouldn't want to try to get it on or off the bus! It works for me, but it is heavy and quite a bit of work to push up hills. I wouldn't want a wagon as I think it would be harder on the shoulders to be pulling all that weight. As for getting the 3 year old to walk beside...when I use my double stroller and the bigger kids walk, they all have to have their hands on the side of the stroller at all times. Maybe you can make a rule like that so that he is always beside the stroller and also safer.

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Originally Posted by ECE53

I have a 4 seater runabout stroller for sale. I am in Nepean just outside Ottawa .....if you are interested. I am closing this month to work outside the home and I loved this stroller and the freedom it gave us .

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I fonly it was a five seater. I would love to sell my foundations quad and get one for five.

Is your quad still up for sale ? What is your asking price, condtion of the stroller? Smoke free/pet free home ?

Yes my 4 seater runnabout is still available. I have an ad on used Ottawa, if you do a search. It is in great condition. Come with sun shade, rear storage basket, rain/weather cover and solid tires that never go flat. I was asking 1200, but I would take 1000. I paid a little over 2000 for it. Message me or email me through used Ottawa if you are interested. We are a smoke free pet free home.

Ouch , lol no thank you . I will buy the foundations quad new . Thanks again for answering.

Here is what we bought for our community. I think they ship everywhere in Canada and product is made in Canada. After 2 years, our wagon is still like new. It is made of plastic and the colors are still not fading at all. The kids love the "choo choo train" look :p .

I think they make 4-6-8 and 10 child strollers.

http://www.miniwagon.ca/

I have a foundations triple that has the seats in front of each other-found it very used but very cheap, so it was a good deal!
My only concern about the quad is fitting through the bus doorway...once you get it to the wheelchair/stroller section in the front with the seats that fold up you'll be fine, but it's so wide, I don't know that you could maneuver it through the door and past the driver ok.

I take the bus with my own kids all the time, but I don't take the daycare kids, as I don't trust them all to handle it atm, and the stroller issue-the triple would be too long to be able to maneuver on, I think. Also, we live in a small city with many bus "regulars" who detest strollers of all kinds-I've been criticized and yelled at for having a single stroller on the bus when my youngest was only a few months old. The drivers don't seem to like strollers much either, and certainly didn't step in when I was being told by other passengers to fold up my stroller even though there was no need to, so I wouldn't risk the potential problems by bringing a bigger stroller on the bus. I've seen a few people with wagons drag them on, and honestly, I can see why people get annoyed with a bigger wagon; everyone else has to squeeze by them to find a seat, and it's such an event getting on and off. I wouldn't take more than a double stroller on the bus, but that's just me and my VERY conservative city!