Takin an 18 month old for a ride

[thebri]

I am going to take my little guy for a 60 mile roundtrip ride on saturday. Santa brought him a load of gear including a Polaris closed face helmet, neck roll, FXR jacket and pants. He got hooked up! Anyway, I was just wondering what advice others have to keep it from turning into a disaster. I take my six and seven year old daughters all the time and they do great but am not sure how the little guy is gonna do. Any advice would be great!


Oh and by the way I borrowed a strap system that straps him to the from of me. Anybody ever use one?? Do they work?

 

[dragon12]

Lots of hand warmers, tek vest (if you can get one), candy (for encouragement), extra clothes, and a thermos full of warm spaghetti oh's. 60 miles seems like a long trip, better be prepared for a napper in your lap. Have fun, hope your little dude loves to ride like dad.

 

[zal]

Keep an eye on his feet, bring extra socks. He might not tell you when his feet are wet or cold until its too late or won't know the difference (he is 18 months). Frozen toes suck. And everything Dragon12 said. Especially the nap time.

 

[ArcticYogi]

Seems like a long ride for an 18 month old. Maybe some riding on the trails close to the vehicle wood be easier on the little guy. I have an 18 month old and I wouldn't take him for a 60 mile ride yet. I would be to worried about the hands and toes getting to cold. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[thebri]

I forgot to mention the tekvest. Santa brought one in January!The kid wears a 3T at 18 monthes. Can you say linebacker??

The trip is 30 miles each way. We ride in and have lunch at a nice lodge then back out. I thought he might fall asleep on the way out due to a full belly and being warm. Maybe I need to rethink the length of the trip.

 

[rmkboxer]

I would take my son on short rides, I am not sure about 60 miles. I am sure it will put him to sleep. just make sure he stays warm and he will be happy. I know from experience that if they are having fun they will not tell you they are cold until it is a painful cold on there hands and probably there feet also.

 

[vmaxfrank]

I've had my daughter on plenty of rides, both sled and atv from that age and younger (first ride was in a snuggly at 6 months). He will fall asleep so be ready. The helmet and neck roll is ok if he can handle the weight. Another option if you need it is a hockey helmet. They come with a face shield and are pretty light weight. Mine has a MX HJC and we struggle with goggles sometimes.

I use a sledpal harness and it works great. My daughter complains about the leg straps, so we don't use them too often, but I wish we did. The leg straps keeps the harness from choking her if I have to stand up for some reason. Luckily we haven't had that situation.

Pack a blanket or something to wrap him in when stopped or if he gets too cold. Also keep a close eye on exposed skin as mine tended not to complain about cold noses etc. I have to watch she doesn't get frostbite. The good news is that in front of you, they are protected from the wind pretty well.

I'm going to try mine in back of me on a 2 up seat for the first time this weekend. She is 5 1/2 and about 44" tall, so we'll see how she does. She may want back in front though as she likes working the gas. When she is strong enough, around 8 or 9, I'll put a throttle block on our old phazer and see how she does.

 

[tudizzle]

I took my four month old daughter on a snowmobile out to the cabin. It was groomed trail the whole way so it wasn't that bid of a deal, only a few miles. Put her in her infant car seat and then bungied her to the seat in my lap. She giggled goo'g and gawd the whole way in.

Just make sure the weather conditions are right for this real noob, don't be afraid to call it off if the conditions aren't just right

 

[AZ800]

We take our kids, 18 mo and 5 yrs on rides like that all the time this year, but have the enclosed sno coach to keep them warm.
Used to take our older boy, when he was 2 and 3yrs old, on the sleds w/ us. Had a harness to strap him to one of us and he was good for an hour or so, and then fall asleep. After a couple hrs, he wanted off the sled.
30 mi doesn't seem that far on a decent trail, but remember, you'll have to drive slower w/ the little one. Every bump feels twice as bad when watching the little ones get thrown around.
If the weather's nice, it may be do able, but seems a little long for a first ride.

 

[POLZIN]

Depends on the kid some would love every minute and others would be done halfway through . my son feel asleep the first time we went for a long ride. I kinda clamped his legs with mine and cruised if its a nice day should be fine.

 

[JDKZRT]

He's not going to be able to hold his head up with a full face helmet on for very long.
This could be uncomfortable for both of you.

 

[bcheli]

I have taken my little guy around the yard , and he is 2 now , and from experiences skiing with him this year, they dont allways know how to tell you they are cold , he was having an awesome day in the Kids center , they have lots of big foam animals and he was skiing and crashing into them and never missed a beat , then he realized his hands were cold and we had a melt down on our hands. Just keep a close watch on the hands and feet , and dont push them to far, Remember He isnt quite 2 yet and its going to be a couple years before he is winning sno cross races .

Most of all Have fun with your Littile guy.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

started riding ours at 14 months...60+ miles...ducttape their bibs to their boots so the boots wont fall off and the bibs wont slide up and expose skin...use the harness on them..straps them right to you so if you have to bail off the machine the kid goes with you..also we had problems with goggles and regular sheild fogging ..so we went to bigger helmet with electric sheilds...and put stocking hats on under the helmet...also collett communicators so you can chat with them..big difference..have them hang on to the mountain bar..works great..good luck..remember they get bored easy and its boring if they cant see or get cold..also put handwarmers in their boots...good luck and have fun

 

[bullitt]

We have been taking our daughter since she was 7 months, she is three now and has graduated to a harness system that keeps her behind mom. I need to come up with some kind of foot rest system on the sled for her though. Our son is 18 months as well, he rides in a hikers backpack, built for carrying kids. Keeping the kids behind us has always been our preference.
Our daughter rides with a enclosed helmet at all times now, we started with a open moto style for short periods of time and slowly extended the time, to allow for her to build up her neck muscles. This is based upon advise given by the family doctor and a chiro.
At present my son rides with ski goggles and a scarf to cover any exposed areas.
Still working on the keeping his hands warm thing though.

 

[Oregongirl]

My daughter started riding with us about 14 months old. We used a harness religiously. Stapped tight enough for comfort, but secure enough in case you ever have to bail off the sled or even shift your weight suddenly. I found that strapped in front and sitting below the windshield she never got cold, but we always choose good weather days to bring her with us. More likely than not, she fell asleep before the day was over. The problem with that was bobble-head! She'd slump onto one arm, and then I'd be trying to ride and hold her up....not a comfortable ride on a good trail, much less one that is whooped out.

At ten, she can take it or leave it. Had her on an 89 Phazer last year. The throttle and the brakes on the older equipment are hard for little hands, and she is still too small (to my way of thinking) for any of the new, bigger models. We are just going to wait a couple of years to put her on her own sled again.

 

[weetee]

My wife and I took the boys all the time when they were young. I found the key was short trips, (5 miles in max), set up base camp with a fire at a good sleigh riding hill, we're not far from the truck if something happens, roast hot dogs, dad climbs a few hills, and we get back before it gets cold. Good Times!

 

[thebri]

Thank you for all of your input!! I think that taping the boots to the bibs is awesome. I never considered that issue and would have struggled to find a full roll of electrical tape in a sled.

I have found with my older girls that i have to wear my tekvest with them because even their bobble head makes my chest sore by the end of the day. I dont think they would go if I asked them to ride on the back.

Hopefully all goes well!! We are looking to make the in and out trip in about an hour depending on trail condition. You add an hour for lunch and the three hour trip will be over. I bet my little buddy will sleep for a solid day afterwards!!

 

[Jeff C]

Bring some hand warmers along and two extra socks to put the hand warmers in (If needed). Stop half way out and on the way back and slip off his boots and check his feet. If they are cold slip one of the hand warmers inside the extra sock and place in his boot (s). Once and awhile those hand warmers can get juuust a bit too hot without theinsulating value of the sock.


When you get to the restaurant, see if they have a stove or heater that you can dry out his boot liners. Bring an pair of tennies for him to wear inside the restaurant while the boot liners are drying out. By the time you leave the liners are dry not getting even more damp due to him wearing the boots inside the restaurant during the hour you are there.

I say go for it and have a great time!!

Like the others have said, your little guy will fall asleep, probably on the way back, and his head will be a huge bobble head doll.........

 

[02prox440]

Sounds like a good old time for the little guy.......just make sure he stays warm......have a fun and safe trip

 

[Kong]

8 grandkids, 2 sons... riding since very early. Watch that bobble head. Look at the size of that little neck. It can seriouly be damaged. All good advice here, just wish you took him on a shorter break-in ride. He doesn't have his hands on electric heater so take plenty of hand warmers and put toe-toasties in his boots. Kids cannot regenerate their body heat once they loose it.