Reader Request: Doll Stroller

Eagle-eyed reader diatribal asked about the doll stroller in one of our Fortamajig photos last week. We figure someone must really be on the prowl for a toy to notice something presented at such an odd angle and in such low lighting. Diatribal wrote:

What kind of doll stroller is that in one of the pictures? I am looking for a good stroller for my little one to put her dollies in... is that one good?

We received the stroller as a gift about a year and a half ago, and hadn't thought to blog about it. But diatribal got us thinking about just how well that doll stroller has served Z. It's probably one of her most-used toys of all time, ferrying dolls, stuffed animals, and other toys from her bedroom to the living room and back again. I wish it had an odometer.

Things we like about the stroller:

• Easy for an adult to fold up, but never does so accidentally like umbrella strollers can
  
• Compact when folded
• Retractable sun shade
• Carry compartment at bottom
• Sturdy
• Very lightweight

The one feature I can think of that is absent is wheels that turn. At nearly three, it's easy for her to raise up the front to turn it, and she does so without even really thinking about it. But when she was a bit younger it was harder for her to turn and she tended to travel in straight lines and then ask for help. I guess a stroller with front wheels that turned would have been easier then.

Z sat in it briefly at about 2 years/25 pounds when a relative invited her to let him push her around in it, and we were surprised that it did not break. Thankfully, she listened when we told her she shouldn't do that anymore. But that may give you a sense of its size and durability.

Collapsed, the stroller is quite compact.

So compact we can store it under Z's bed!

The stroller, with very minor cosmetic changes, is available on Amazon for about $40. Why they call it an "umbrella stroller," I have no idea. It does not collapse inward along a vertical center line, but folds in half from top to bottom, and is thus not as convenient to transport, which would suck in a real stroller but is not a concern for toddlers using a stroller at home. A solid plastic foot rest and solid bar handle (as opposed to twin upside-down "J" handles) are giveaways that a stroller is not an umbrella stroller.

It doesn't look like they have it in the hot pink with fluorescent green trim that we were given. We like the plaid!