kids and 4x4 - what age ?

[MAT]

Hi guys , Just wanting some advise on how old babys/kids should be before taking them offroad ? i guess it depends on the enviroment, child car seats etc

When did you first take your kids out ???

I have a 4 month old.

[TJ]

Both our son and daughter were around 3.5 years of age. Just wanted to make sure they were capable of slightly understanding what was going on around them.

[Sadam_Husain]

I was 6 weeks old back in 1966 when my folks first strapped me on the back of their old austin river buggy to get into the bach in the bush. Dont think it did me any harm coz I'm still around and driving myself to the same place in the bush

I dont think seatbelts or baby seats had been invented back then

[rokhound]

Had my boy in the front of my first lux at 6mths old. As they get older (about 3-5 yrs) they can sometimes start to spin out about getting stuck, (don't know why, I was always getting stuck and who ever was with me would just pull us out and away we would go).
My boy is almost 14 now, and is making a reasonable rock spotter. his driving needs some work yet, but his camera skills, (still and vid) are bloody good for a kid his age.
Your kids have to be into it though, no point making them do something that scares them shitless.

[Leithfield]

Both our kids have been included in appropriate 4wd trips since a few months old. For babies, a very well designed car seat + neck support pillow are trip essentials. The kids simply love 4wding, and daughter (now 5) has been accompanying me on 'hard core' outings since age 4; she's at a stage where now she encourages me to tackle terrain I hesitate over myself: "Come on Dad you can do it ... it's not too deep" .. etc, etc.

[SMOKEY]

A Grandads point of view, as long as the young ones are well strapped in and supported and most of the car seats and capsules are very good at this, don't take the toughest options on tracks and keep the trip times down any age should be OK.
If on a trip or with a group let the trip leader know you have infants in the vehicle, it pays to show others with you how to get infant out of the seat/capsule in case of emergency . I took my four year old grandson on a recent weekend trip and found when he got tired and started to drop off his head and neck needed supporting but he had a ball, he had more fun playing with other young ones and building dams in the creeks than the actual four wheeling, but that's being a kid.
There's a family I meet at the Nelson night/day enduros who have about six plus kids ranging from 14 years down to 6 months and they do the whole enduro in a long wheel base Land Rover.

THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER,

FITZY.

[MAT]

Thanks for the advice guys, i think we will strap our daughter in and go on some nice gentle runs in the near future.

[red-devil]

As they get older (about 3-5 yrs) they can sometimes start to spin out about getting stuck,

the wife and i had our nethu out abou 6 months ago and is was a lttle spun out when we were stuck, I drove the truck out with the rear locker in but he was out of the truck as i was thinkin it may be a little ruff for him. he got back in and 2 min latter was laffing away again.

now my little lady, mmm we'll be going no short very easy trip at about 2 months, then well just add time to the lenght and just take the easy options when out with you lot, any ow there is bound to be shinys on most trip i'll be on.

Bring on the faimly trips and BBQs

Jono

[tallsam66]

With real yound kids you have to ensure there neck is very well supported.It would be very easy for a neck injure to occur even on modiratley rough ground.Babies cant even lift up there own head for some time.So be careful....last thing you want is a damaged child.

[fweddy]

With my nephews (been on rough stuff since quite young) they tend to just fall asleep regardless of how rough. A parent soon gets to know when a child is happy or not and with most 4x4ing there is more gentle bumps before bigger ones so just see how the kid is coping, they were designed with a dial to show pleasure (face) and an audible warning system (cry) if they are not enjoying themselves and normally these show up before there is any likely hood of injury.

[wjw]

The advice from a family friend, whos a doctor, said not until they can sit up and support then own head confortably and even then ensure the seat is tilted back so they cant fall forwards and brace their head so it doesnt flop around when they are asleep. so Charlie was 8 months old, first time, had seat tilted back with a rolled up towel round the sides of his head...

he loved it, although he slept through the bumpiest bits...

[casualman]

just remember it doesnt take much to roll on some tracks , ive seen a 4WD on its side (didn't know the people) and they had 3 kids in the back, we helped them out and get 4WD on its wheels, after seeing that I'd never take young kids out

[spanky]

personaly i would wait till about 1 just so they can support them selves a bit better , and then just take it easy. my kids are real keen on coming in the jeep but i just go down the river so when they have had enough it is a couple of mins and back home my boy is 5 and girl is 2.5 , my son doesnt like the noise when we get stuck but my girl wants to do more skids all the time , jusy dont freak them out and they will love it , plus it gives mummy a break .
vaughan