Hi all!

In the fall I need to take my daughter to pre school, so will be transporting all of the kiddos (my two and three others.) My two will stay in their carseats in the middle captains chairs. I will put the other three in the far back row seat.

I have a Dodge Grand Caravan. Two will be rear facing and one forward, I have two one year olds and a three year old that will need to go back there. I would like to purchase the most cost effective seats, since I will be buying three (and a stroller) wondering if you have experience with three in a row, and brand names to recommend (regarding the fit of three in a row.)

Also, I need to purchase a stroller. Quad stroller I think- we will walk if it is nice. My 4 year old can walk and I will push the others. Options are one that has two seats side by side, and then the 1000 dollar runabout. I am not opposed to getting it, and know I will fit in the door better, but wondering if there are other major plusses for that much many. Do any of you have experience to share about quad strollers, specifically the runabout ones? I will never need to put it in a vehicle so that is not a concern.

Thanks!!!

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across the board, the ONLY seats that I know for sure that fit 3-across are the $$$$ Sunshine Kids Radians. You can google "3-across _(your van)_" to get more ideas and visit car-seat.org for a forum of knowledgeable folks who can help you. As for other seats, you're going to need to know the dimensions of the back bench seat and then look at the width of various seats--look for the ones that are the narrowest, and do the math to see if they will fit.

re:stroller, why a quad? what's wrong with a double for the 1 yos and the 3 and 4 yos walking?

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Thanks. Will google it.

I want the quad for a few reasons. One, I plan to do this awhile, and do not know the age of my future DCK's, so if the three year old were to leave for whatever reason and I got a nerwborn, I would need a quad. My 4 year old can walk, but I have 2 one year olds and a just two, plus the 3 year old.

Also, I do not do field trips and am not very comfortable taking them all out- I will need to cross a busy street, and do not feel 100% certain about the skills of the 3 year old who is not mine to listen and not run etc, so it is a safety concern for me.

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ah, gotcha. That makes sense.

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Thanks- I know I *could* just work with 3 year old and hope for the best but safety isn't worth the risk...whatever I can do to make my life easier I am gonna do with this-lol.

Anyone?? Stroller input??

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I have the Foundations Quad stroller and like it. It is really heavy to push, but I wasn't going to spend 1000 on the runabout and this was really the only other choice. I wanted the ABC Adventure Buggy Quad, but it was too expensive too.

http://www.gobubbago.com.au/index.ph...7c3fb5b51d521a

With the Foundation Quad, the worst part is that you have to squeeze a bar the entire time you are pushing the stroller. If you let go of the bar, the wheels lock. It's really hard to push this way, so I disabled this feature. It still has the ability to lock the wheels like a regular stroller, so I do that when we stop.

As for the carseats, go to car-seat.org like the pp said. You'll get lots of specific advice for your car and situation.

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Thank you, lperry!!

ETA- can you get that stroller through doorways? (Church/school)? Thanks.

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Quads are way more than tripples. Can you buy a tripple and just use these for the older walking kids:

http://www.amazon.com/Safety-1st-Bab.../dp/B000XPV4CK

Read this thread: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showth...ht=tot-a-longs

and click on my link: http://www.nanshouse.com/apps/photos...lbumid=7213977

You can see in this album how I place the tot-a-longs on the kids and the stroller.

This is a Jmason tripple stroller. They don't make them anymore but if you can find a used one you will love it. They are built like a tank and easy to push.

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I was worried about that too! I have never had a problem in public place even if is just a single door. I can't fit it through the door of my house though.

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Nanny- thank you!! I think I am leaning toward doing that. Have never seen the little straps before- that is good! Then they can learn but still safer.With a triple at least I can keep it forever- I will only take 3 kids, even when mine are in school, so it works. And I own a double (and single) already.

Lperry-thanks.

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Also, NannyDe, love your website! I am also very specific about policies and families, as are a lot of you. My parents are both from Des Moines -have spent a lot of holidays there.

ETA- what is the age range you use the arm strap things with? Thanks.

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Aw thanks

Des Moines is a great town. Nice place to raise a kid that's for sure.

The weather.......... NOT so great.

Here's me in June, July, August, September, and the first couple of weeks of October

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I dont have any experience with strollers. But I used this when I had a group of 2-3 year olds. It worked great!

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo...%7CRR748~~.jsp

They also have this, which would work better for kids that want to run.

http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/...&Brand=&Price=

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Thanks for the links!! I have 3 little ones so do need a stroller. But good to keep in mind for the future!

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I'm having a carseat issue too. I'm having trouble finding carseats to fit 3 in a row in the 3rd row of my Toyota Sienna because it's not as wide as the 2nd row and because the seat-belt for the middle seat in the 3rd row comes down from above and a little behind the seat itself (roof area). I looked on carseat forum and it looks like I'll be dishing out $260 ea for the Britax Decathlon . I'll have to do it one by one I suppose and just start replacing my carseats as I get the new ones.

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I use a double stroller, baby wear the smallest and the olders hang on to one of those things that is a rope with a handle for every kid. We practice a lot to hang on that rope! I am just not strong enough to push 3 or 4 kids so whoever is walking learns the rope rules asap.

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I think I might get the Sunshine Radians. I think they are about 180??

And fro the stroller the triple with two of the wrist thingy's. (Thank you Nan for the link.) My walkers are 4 and JUST 3 - hope the 3 will do ok.

Thanks, all, this was very helpful!

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My kids start walking alongside the stroller about six months after they have started walking.

If the kid is froggy, low muscle tone, and/or clumsy then I hold off until they get more adept.

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I like the Walkadile but its $$$ and it only works for up to 6 kids. The other one we WILL be ordering...our kids are pretty good at staying together on field trips, but we just about wear ourselves out making sure everybody has their partner. I saw that on a training video a few weeks ago, and I was thnking about trying to make one...but at $25 we can just buy it. Thanks!

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I have transported three across in my Nissan Murano with a combination of $39.99 Costco convertible seat(s) from Target, a fairly narrow MicroCosy infant rear facing seat and booster seats with backs. Always a tight fit, but w/enough room to safely secure seatbelts. All three are shoulder belts which is a little trickier. I don't think you'll have any trouble finding a combination of car seats that will fit three across. What I had trouble with was finding a rear-facing convertible seat (the Costco one from Target did fit) that didn't butt up against the seat in front of it when in the rear-facing position. Because there should be space between the rear-facing seat and the seat in front, it took a few tries to find one that worked.

As far as the stroller, here was my solution...I purchased a used double stroller with a toddler jumpseat. If I have an infant, I wear the baby and put the youngest 2-3 in the stroller. I had a 2 year old at the time that was a pokey walker. Because I needed my hands to push and steer the stroller, I wasn't able to easily encourage the 2 year old to walk at our pace (which mind you, was quite leisurely). So I took a long silk scarf from our dress-up clothes and tied it to the side of the stroller. She keeps up because she is holding onto the scarf. I also don't have to worry too much because she won't fall behind or wander.

Sorry this is so long, but it worked really well for the entire school year and I'm quite proud of my child care train! That's a young 2 and toddler in the stroller. A young 2 in the jumpseat. I'm wearing an infant in a Baby Bjorn, and there is an older 2 year old walking holding on to the scarf. Finally I had one or two 4 year olds walking. They know the drill, so I never have trouble. On the sidewalk they get to run ahead to some sort of obstacle and stop until I get close and yell out the next obstacle. We crossed at a school crossing. We did this for a year while picking up my son from kindergarten. Whew!

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I have the six kid angels stroller. I have 4 walkers holding straps I attached to the stroller. It works for us.

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Wonderful- thank you all! I feel much less anxious about this. Hoping the transition to my daughter going to pre-k will not be as hard logistically as I think!!! Emotionally, that's another story.

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