The Best Stroller for a Preschooler and a Baby? Ours Even Has Room for the Dog
Our neighborhood walks have become a family affair.
There's my 10-month-old.
My preschooler.
Our pug.
And me, somehow trying to keep everyone moving in roughly the same direction.
Thankfully, we found a stroller that works for all of us.
We love our Austlen Entourage.
My 10-month-old loves riding up front. My preschooler loves the Sit + Stand. And our pug?
He's claimed his own favorite spot in the lower basket.
Now, instead of trying to convince everyone to keep walking, walks around the neighborhood are so much fun.
My Preschooler Doesn't Need Another Baby Seat
This is probably my favorite thing about our setup.
My preschooler is at that funny in-between age.
Big enough to want independence.
Not quite big enough to walk everywhere without eventually hearing, "I'm tired."
That's exactly why the Sit + Stand works so well for us.
There's an integrated Platform Rider when my preschooler wants to stand and a Jump Seat when it's time to sit down.
And getting on and off doesn't require my help every time.
If there's something interesting up ahead?
Hop off and walk.
Little legs getting tired?
Hop back on.
Want to stand and see what's going on?
There's a spot for that, too.
For this stage, that flexibility makes much more sense for us than treating my preschooler like another baby.
Meanwhile, My 10-Month-Old Gets a Real Stroller Seat
My younger child needs something completely different.
At 10 months old, the Entourage Primary Seat gives my baby a traditional stroller seat up front.
And it's not something we're about to outgrow.
The Primary Seat is rated from birth all the way to 65 pounds, with multiple recline positions and a large canopy.
That combination is a big part of why I think of the Entourage as our best stroller for a preschooler and a baby.
It doesn't ask two kids at completely different developmental stages to ride the same way.
My baby gets the stroller seat.
My preschooler gets more independence.
And somehow, they're both happy.
And Then There's the Pug
I wasn't necessarily stroller shopping for the dog.
But apparently our pug had other plans.
The Entourage's lower storage area is enormous, and our pug loves having a spot down there while we walk around the neighborhood.
It holds up to 70 pounds, so it's designed to handle substantial cargo.
For us, having that generous lower area has also created a convenient spot where our little four-legged family member likes to settle during our walks.
And I have to admit, seeing all three of them happily riding along is pretty adorable.
Baby up front.
Preschooler riding behind.
Pug down below.
Everyone has a spot.
That's what makes it our best stroller for dogs, too.
The Funny Thing Is, This Isn't Even a Traditional Double
When I pictured the best double, I used to picture two stroller seats.
One child in front.
One child behind.
And that's certainly an option with the Entourage. We can remove the Sit + Stand and use the optional Second Seat when we want two traditional stroller seats.
But right now?
Our preschooler loves the Sit + Stand.
And I've realized that the best stroller for two kids isn't necessarily the one that gives both children identical seats.
It's the one that gives each child what they need.
For us, that's the Primary Seat plus the Sit + Stand.
Single, Double, Sit + Stand...and Back Again
The other reason I love this stroller is that our current setup doesn't have to be our setup forever.
The Entourage's patented frame expands and retracts depending on what we need.
We can use it as a single.
We can add the Second Seat and make it a traditional double.
Or we can use the Sit + Stand like we're doing now.
That's why best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller describes it so well.
We're currently in the preschooler-and-baby chapter.
A few years from now, my preschooler won't need a ride anymore.
When that happens, we can remove the Sit + Stand, retract the frame and keep using the Entourage as a single for our younger child.
We're not stuck pushing around a permanent double after we stop needing one.
The Sit + Stand Has Plenty of Growing Room, Too
Thankfully, we're not in a hurry to get there.
The Sit + Stand is rated up to 75 pounds, so there's plenty of longevity for our older child.
That's especially important with a preschooler.
A child can be perfectly capable of walking most of the time and still need a break during a long day at the zoo, on vacation or even during a longer neighborhood adventure.
With the Entourage, I don't have to choose between bringing a full traditional seat my preschooler may barely use or having nowhere to ride when those little legs finally give up.
The Sit + Stand gives us that middle ground.
And Yes, There's Still Room for Our Stuff
Our pug may have claimed part of the lower area during neighborhood walks, but storage is one of the Entourage's biggest strengths.
The lower storage area holds up to 70 pounds, while the included Market Tote adds another 30 pounds of removable storage.
That's up to 100 pounds of dedicated cargo capacity, with the stroller supporting up to 200 pounds of kids + cargo when appropriately configured.
So on outings when our lower storage isn't occupied by a very content pug, there's room for diaper bags, groceries, sports gear, coolers and other bulky family necessities.
That's another thing I appreciate about this stroller.
It isn't designed for an imaginary outing where I leave the house with two children and nothing else.
Why It's the Best Stroller for Our Whole Crew
Here's what makes the Entourage our best stroller for a preschooler and a baby, best double, best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller and, unexpectedly, our best stroller for dogs:
- Primary Seat rated from birth to 65 lbs, giving our 10-month-old a traditional stroller seat with years of use ahead
- A true Sit AND Stand, with a Jump Seat for sitting and integrated Platform Rider for standing
- 75-lb Sit + Stand capacity, giving our preschooler plenty of room to grow
- Independent access, so our preschooler can easily step on and off during our walks
- Optional Second Seat, giving us two traditional stroller seats when that configuration makes more sense
- 70-lb lower storage capacity, with plenty of useful space for family gear, and, on our neighborhood walks, our pug
- Included 30-lb Market Tote, giving us additional removable storage when needed
- Up to 200-lb kids + cargo capacity, designed for families carrying much more than one small child
- Expandable and retractable frame, giving us more room when we need it and less stroller when we don't
- Sit + Stand stays attached when folding, so our preschooler's riding setup doesn't become another loose accessory to load
- A path back to a single, allowing the stroller to keep adapting after our preschooler completely outgrows riding
Walks Are Fun Again
That's really the best part.
There isn't anything particularly complicated about what we wanted to do.
We wanted to take a walk around the neighborhood.
But anyone with two kids and a dog knows that even something that simple can turn into a production.
Now my 10-month-old happily rides in the front seat.
My preschooler can stand, sit, walk, then inevitably decide to ride again.
Our pug settles into his favorite spot below.
And I get to walk.
No negotiating over who's tired.
No worrying about whether my preschooler will make it all the way home.
Just all of us, out together.
We bought the Entourage because we needed a stroller for two kids.
Somehow, we ended up with one that works for the whole family.
And judging by how much everyone loves their spot?
I think our neighborhood walks just got a lot more popular.
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