Skateboard on a stroller

Whether you call them skateboards, buggy boards or stroller boards, they sound like a good option for extending the use of a stroller. You attach a wheeled board to the back of the stroller, and the older child can stand on it while the baby rides in the stroller proper. Certainly, it’s cheaper than replacing a single stroller with a double stroller.

Since we had our second child, three weeks ago now, we needed to do something to allow both kids to be transported by a single adult. Although being on leave at the moment, it’s not yet a big deal, but since that’ll end soon, we thought we’d give a skateboard a try.

We have a 3-wheeler stroller (Swallow Beema Q model) which we are very happy with, and used a lot during our first child’s early months for walks around the neighborhood and at the shops. The sales assistant at the baby store recommended the Lascal BuggyBoard Maxi as a skateboard that would fit our stroller. But now that we have fitted it and put it into use, I don’t think I’d recommend it at all.

For others that are looking to fit a buggy board to your Beema Q, I think you’ll be disappointed, based on our experiences. You can see some of the issues in the above photos, but I’ll summarise the pros and cons here. I hope this helps others who are considering this option.

Advantages

  • Older child can be carried short distances on the stroller without needing to be picked up, enabling one adult to undertake short trips with two children.
  • Fits securely and can be clipped in and out with ease.
  • Can handle bumpy footpaths.

Disadvantages

  • Brake is obstructed, preventing use while older child is on board, and otherwise requires operation by hand rather than usual operation by foot.
  • Older child can step off at any time, and needs to be watched (which is certainly not unique to this particular skateboard).
  • When older child steps off, their weight is temporarily held by the top-back of the stroller (where they would hang on), causing the front wheel to lift.
  • There isn’t really enough space to accommodate the height of the child on the skateboard. Luckily ours is not tall, so it will serve us for a few months, but others may need to consider this.

So, while we may occasionally use it, I think putting the younger child in a baby carrier (such as an Ergo or BabyBjorn) with the older one in an umbrella stroller will be the more typical arrangement.

6 thoughts on “Skateboard on a stroller”

  1. We have a Beema Q (although the very similar model that comes in green/orange trim) and that same skateboard and have been using it continuously for 2 years now. Our first is 4 years old and he still enjoys it – in fact as they grow up they become tall enough to see over the top of the pram.

    I agree about the brake, it can be a pain and the lifting front wheel can happen but it’s never been a problem for us. Maybe it’s the way Mr 4 does or does not hold on when he’s getting up.

    My biggest problem with it is that I may not have the mounting angle 100% (limited by gaps between uprights and wheels) and, on a smooth service, the wheels don’t always auto-rotate properly. This makes reversing or doing tight turns a little annoying in shopping centres.

    BUT, that all said, it’s been a lifesaver.

  2. Joovy Caboose sit and stand solved our problem. H was too big for a toddler seat and we had various misgivings about a skateboard, which given your experience appear to be well founded, so we bought a sit and stand pram. P lies down or sits up, H can stand on a platform behind her (built into the original pram, therefore not interfering with brakes or balance) or sit on a seat with his back to her. Works a treat.

  3. I found that my newborn did not provide sufficient counterweight to keep the stroller balanced. I put her in the Baby Bjorn now while her brother sits in the stroller.

  4. @Kevin,

    I’m impressed that you got such a different result to us with the same equipment, and I’m wondering how you achieved it. Did you use it much with the stroller proper laid down flat? What tips do you have for encouraging your older one from jumping off mid-stroll?

  5. One advantage we may have in terms of keeping N on the skateboard is the “Boy” factor. He wants to be on there. Try and get him off! He’s now 4yo and he’s still enjoying it. He even helps clip it in and out.

    Looking at your photos, ours is an older design. The arms on yours are more curved and designed. Ours are a little more rectangular and boxy and have extension arms which we use. They flattens out the angle of attachment a bit. Looking at yours, I can’t see the join that ours has. But I can’t tell if our resultant arms are longer than yours or not.

    We used it with the back flat. Although, once you do that, the back pouch probably needs to be empty. We also fold the handle of the pram down a bit so it’s behind his head. Our Beema Q is the other design (the red/cream one is slightly different to the green & orange trim ones) and our handle bends further up. You could fold yours down to H’s shoulders. Makes pushing it by taller people a little harder :-)

  6. We were pretty lucky in the end – a friend of Kate’s gave their used double pram to us (an Amore Baby Triplex). It’s 66cm wide across the back wheels, versus 58cm on the old Beema Q, so it’s not too much of a penalty to pay for getting an extra seat in there.

    We haven’t gotten rid of the skateboard yet. It may still come into its own, when everyone’s a little older, and there’s less chance of the rider leaping off it at a distracted moment.

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