Getting fitter – scooter in the park while kids cycle

I mentioned before that N seems to be professing a current yearning to be at home all the time.  I’m not sure that it’s home he likes so much, but more just being on the farm and spending all day with his dad doing ‘jobs’.  So I’m always trying to get a balance between getting out somewhere interesting and N not getting too narky and us being stuck at home.

This weekend N had had a busy Saturday, being out with a friend most of the day, so I didn’t want to head out too far, so he could be back in the afternoon and have some time on the farm.  Sunday dawned bright (and wintry cold), so I decided to offer the park as an option.

We have loads of space at home, a good sized garden, a massive drive, but not much space to go on scooters.  His bike is ok to go on the gravel drive, but in wet and cold weather, the park is the best choice.  Of course, mention the park to N and he’ll always want to go, so we packed up the car with his balance bike and my scooter.  We left the pedal bike at home but maybe next time we’ll take that for him to try out (plus allen key or wrench to remove the pedals if needs be).

I haven’t yet started doing proper exercise since starting my diet, so my theory was that taking the scooter might work the legs a bit, and we’d go faster and further than if we were just walking.

We parked at the reservoir end of the park, giving us the longest path option, and travelled alongside the river and within sight of the canal.

Annoyingly, N always wants what he doesn’t have, so quite frequently he wanted to take over on my scooter.  There’s no stopping him, even if it’s miles too big for him.

He would have stopped for a sit down and snack given half the chance, but I’d left the snacks in the car, because I only took my camera out with us, rather than my bag with the snacks in as well.  It gave me a good excuse to get him to keep going and prove that he doesn’t need to eat every chance he gets.  I’m thinking he takes after me with his grazing habit.

Even going out for a simple ride or walk creates a lot of questions from N.  Firstly we had to talk about graffiti.

He was most put out that people had written on the walls.  Supposedly they are ‘naughty people’, and he was even more incensed to see a bit of wall had been ‘punched’ out.  So I had to answer some questions about why people had made a hole in the wall and how it might have hurt them doing it.

There was also an explanation needed (several times) over why there was a bicycle picture painted on the path…and why on the return journey it was the other side!  Those signs that we see every day but as adults probably don’t think twice about.

We stopped over the bridge and took some silly photos.  N isn’t really that interested in taking pictures himself, but put a camera phone in front of him where he can see himself and he’s happy to take lots of selfies!

You can’t beat a good bridge for trip trapping over, and nosying through the gaps.

I have to admit to having an attempt at scooting on the skateboard ramps.  Tad slippy and way too scary for me.  I don’t know how the kids do it.  N stayed clear which was probably a good idea.

I think it was the first time we’ve ever seen the playground totally empty.  One family did turn up briefly, but by that stage N was ready to head back home.

On the journey back we stopped to have a quick look at the pond, and the board explaining the different animals and birds.  I’m not sure N got very excited about looking at kingfisher or great crested newt pictures…maybe he’s not quite ready to join the Wildlife Watch nature groups that I loved as a child.

There wasn’t a lot happening nature wise around the park.  We spotted a grey squirrel which N then started talking about red squirrels and the greys pushing them out.  Maybe he does take in more of what I tell him than I think he does.

All in all it was a lovely, if cold, morning out.  Nothing too strenuous (I was surprised that my thighs weren’t aching the next day, although we probably didn’t go that far).  It was just a nice relaxing ride and scoot before anyone other than dog walkers were up and out.

Do you cycle or scoot with your children, or prefer to walk?