A Mom’s Guide To Choosing The Best Sit and Stand Stroller (2020 Guide)

In a perfect world, your toddler will walk obediently next to you as you push your other baby in their stroller.

But, let’s just say it’s not a perfect world!

Plus, it allows your older child to get lots of attention because they sit facing you, so you’re able to give them some “face time” and lots of conversation time, which they’re probably craving with the addition of their new sibling. 

A sit and stand stroller is best suited for parents who have young children close in age, but not necessarily close in milestones.

For example, your newborn will be completely content sitting in a stroller, but your toddler may not since they already mastered walking (and running).

It’s also ideal for parents who have toddlers that are super active.

They can choose to walk, ride, or stand; based on their energy level and mood. 

Easy to Maneuver

A sit and stand stroller is much easier to maneuver than a double stroller.

In general, double strollers are designed to be side by side, making them wide and difficult to fit through doors and to push overall.

A sit and stand stroller is much easier to push, navigate through a crowd, and see each of your children. 

Car Seat Connection

Many of the sit and stand stroller models also have a universal fit for car seat carriers, so it makes transporting your small baby to and from the car just that easy.

You don’t need to wake your sleeping baby by removing them from their seat, in order to place them in your stroller, or vice versa. 

Smart Organization

These strollers are also generally light in weight, sturdy, and safe. They boast harnesses and confined areas that keep standing children in place.

If you are also expecting twins, most sit and stands include two seats that can accommodate two car seats, and a sit or stand option, allowing for triple transport.

Another benefit of this style stroller is that it allows older toddlers freedom and flexibility of walking next to their parents (especially on a vacation or at an outdoor venue), but the ease of hopping on to ride for a bit when they can’t keep up or when they start to tire. 

While sit and stand strollers boast lots of benefits, they do have a few drawbacks.

Some parents feel that these strollers are best used on concrete, and can be difficult to push and maneuver on varied terrain.

Limited Space

It also doesn’t offer a ton of room for older children to sit. Space is limited to begin with, and these strollers are designed more for standing, and not so much sitting.

So, older kids’ legs can get tired or they may get cramped when seated for too long in such a small area.  

Lack of Sun Protection

Also, there lacks sun protection for the standing child.

A cover and canopy works well for small, seated babies, but it would be difficult to use a shade on a standing and squirmy toddler in the tandem section.

Close Quarters

Finally, close quarters doesn’t always work out well, all the time for everyone.

Your kids aren’t always going to get along, and a sit and stand stroller brings them together closely. At times, it may be a vehicle of peace, but other times a vehicle of war.

Just make sure you remove any kind of toy or strap that can be tossed at one another, and always encourage a pleasant and safe ride. Although, this is easier said than done!

Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying:

When shopping, make sure to look for the following features:

Still have some additional questions? You’re not alone.

Here are some other popular frequently asked questions by other parents like you!

Q: What is the difference between a sit and stand stroller and a double stroller?

A: A double stroller is for children of the same age, and who need to be seated at all times. A sit and stand stroller is more suited for a seated child and another child who prefers to be more on the go, and stand. 

Q: I’m pregnant with multiples and I already have a toddler. Can a sit and stand accommodate my needs?

A: Believe it or not, there are different models on the market that can accommodate twins, triplets, and even quadruplets. So, there’s a sit and stand for every type of family.

Q: If I splurge on a sit and stand, I wish to keep it for a long time. Am I able to get spare parts for it as needed?

A: There are always spare parts available. You can look online or take your stroller to a repair store to get it functioning and back in business.

Q: I want a sit and stand stroller, but I’m afraid they are too big and bulky. Are there smaller models?

A: There are a few sizes of models, but sit and stand strollers are much more streamlined and compact than double strollers. So, they can fold up and be lifted without using a lot of muscle.

Q: I love to exercise and wish to go running with my kids in tow. Is there a sit and stand that allows for outdoor jogging and exercise?

A: Yes, some models are made specifically for this purpose. They have a strong frame and all terrain wheels. Their overall design and style is streamlined and aerodynamic, so running or taking a brisk walk is always a possibility.

Q: How should I place my children in the stroller?

A: A general rule of thumb is to place kids 2 and under in the front seat, and kids 3-4 in the back of it. This way, if your child walks with you for a bit and needs a rest, they can easily utilize the standing feature or built in bench when they need a break. This also evens out the weight distribution while pushing the stroller around.

Q: How much should I expect to spend?

A: A sit to stand stroller runs anywhere from $100 up to $500 (give or take).

Q: Can I use my carseat on the stroller?

A: If you want to use your infant car seat carrier in conjunction with your stroller, be aware if the model you select will accommodate your seat. Some sit and stands can work as a universal base, while others fit only one brand and style. To maximize your investment, choose a model that will work with your car travel system.

Once you find the sit and stand stroller of your dreams, be sure to furnish it with some useful accessories. They can include:

You can't go wrong with the Baby Trend Sit N Stand Ultra Tandem (click here to check the price on Amazon), which tops our list.

As far as specifications go, this particular stroller is 21.5”W x 49”L x 43”H, weighing in at about seventeen pounds, and it can hold two children of up to fifty pounds each.

The Ultra Tandem incorporates two different seating options, which may make it easier when a change is needed.

There are two seats and a rear platform for standing, and you can put the smaller or older child in the front or the back, depending on need or preference, which could prove to be helpful when a child needs special attention, or you just want to switch things up a little bit.

When it comes to accessories, the Sit N Stand does have some perks.

You receive a covered parent tray which has two cup holders, and there are an additional two cup holders that can be removed and reattached as you like and a single cup holder that stays attached.

In addition to this, you also get a removable canopy which will shade the baby from the sun. It also has a pretty decent sized storage area to put everything you may need for the day.

Putting this stroller together is simple: you unfold it out of the box, and it’s nearly complete already. All you need to do is snap on the canopy, wheels, and accessories.

Most of the time, this is very easy to do, but a real push may be required if something is a bit snug.

From there, you’re good to go. And putting it back away when done is a breeze, too.

You push a single time, and it’s back into a storage size and ready to hide away until needed again.

Safety is clearly important for Baby Trend because they have done well in this arena.

You get the shade, as mentioned earlier, which can be great to keep the harmful sun off of your child. Also, the harness is a five-point, which is excellent.

You aren’t going to have to worry about your child getting out without your consent. They will be safe and comfortable as they enjoy the ride around town.

Now, while this does come with a nice sized storage area, it does have a downfall.

When both kids are sitting in the device, it’s very hard to get to the storage basket. You may have to move the child in the back for a short time in order to access all of your things.

But once you do, there’s plenty of room for every bit of it. It might be the perfect answer for carrying extra clothes, diapers, snacks, and so much more.

In addition, you can find a small pocket on the back of the seat to put a couple of little things. All in all, there’s no real reason you won’t have enough space with the Sit N Stand.

The brake for this stroller is foot operated, and that seems to work quite well.

You can quickly get to the controls if you need to stop the stroller abruptly. When it comes to movement, this stroller is very nice.

It goes around corners smoothly, and the handlebar fits the hands quite well. It pushes pretty quickly, in all honesty.

You may find yourself with sore muscles if this is your first double stroller purchase, but that will go away pretty quickly.

The Ultra Tandem comes with a parent tray for storage of your essential items. You can put your phone or wallet there to have it easily accessible.

It also features extra cup holders, so you will never have to do without. In addition, a sun shade is there to protect your child from the sun.

If your child is rambunctious and energetic, this is a great stroller. You can put the baby in front or back and allow the big child to use the other option.

If they want to stand, the board on the back makes that flawless to achieve.

You can also allow the bigger kid to walk or run around outside of the stroller, but with many other options, your child will never feel stifled.

They can sleep in the back, stand up to check out the scenery, and run along beside you as needed.

All in all, the Sit N Stand is an excellent choice of stroller for anyone out there with a little one and their sibling.

The Graco RoomFor2 Click Connect Stand and Ride Stroller (click here to check the price on Amazon) is another great choice.

This stroller is designed to hold two children of up to fifty pounds each. The dimensions are 34.6”W x 20.8” L x 40.1” H, and it weighs in at just over twenty-seven pounds.

Unlike the Baby Trend, this one has only one design for seating choices.

The older child can sit or stand in the back of the stroller, while the infant sits in the front seat.

Unfortunately, when a car seat is in use, some larger children don’t have room to sit in the back, but they can still choose to stand and rest if they need a break from walking.

The RoomFor2 does come with accessories to make your life and the life of your children easier.

It comes complete with two trays, one for the parent and one for the child in front. The front tray even adjusts and moves, which makes it pretty easy to get the first child in and out of the stroller.

Cup holders are no sweat either, with plenty available for mom or dad and the rest of the gang.

On top of that, you do get a decent sun shade for the front child, but this doesn’t reach to the back.

The RoomFor2 is relatively easy to put together, requiring no tools at all. It all snaps together and is fairly intuitive to do. 

You attach the wheels, child’s tray, parent’s tray, canopy, and any other accessories you might have. From there, you can head out the door.

There are numerous safety features with the RoomFor2 Click Connect.

First, you get a five-point harness on the front seat, which is better than the conventional three-point that’s expected on this type of item.

The back seat features a harness as well, this time a three-point that works with the padded bench.

For a standing child, there are riding handles to prevent any nasty spills happening.

There is also a brake mechanism that is easy to use, which is great when something crucial occurs while out running errands.

The storage basket for this stroller is quite large, which is nice if you like to be prepared for anything.

It's not always the easiest to get to the storage, but that’s where the parent tray comes in. This comes with the stroller and can hold the most important things you use on a daily basis.

Toss your keys and phones there and leave smaller less-used items in the storage container underneath. This will make things easier and more convenient as you go through your day.

Graco’s RoomFor2 offers a two-step set of brakes. Two-step brakes have levels on the wheels that must be engaged to lock each one.

This allows you a certain degree of autonomy when deciding whether you need to lock the device or only lock a single wheel entirely.

As far as movement goes, this stroller does a good job. It’s not particularly great on uneven turf but on sidewalks and other typical materials, it’s no problem to push and steer it where you want it to go.

There does seem to be a bit of a space premium when it comes to the back seat.

If the front seat is pushed all the way back or reclined, there can be difficulty finding room for the back seat rider. Of course, this doesn’t apply if the child is happy to stand or walk at your side.

However, if you have some grumpy children along with you, this might be a hard one to get past. The size of the children will come into play with this and whether it fits your need.

The RoomFor2 is ideal for those with two children, one a bit older than the other.

The big sibling can stand on a platform or use the jump seat to take a rest. The younger child can recline and nap or enjoy the ride.

Another sit and stand stroller that a lot of moms swear by is the Joovy Caboose Graphite Stand-On Tandem Stroller (click here to check the price on Amazon).

The Caboose Graphite weighs in at twenty-eight pounds, with dimensions of 37W x 21.5L x 41.5H; it can hold up to ninety pounds, with forty-five pounds in the front seat and forty-five in the back.

You have some options when it comes to arranging the children in a comfortable manner: the child in front has three different positions for reclining, and the child in back can sit or stand looking forward or backwards, depending on preference.

Accessories are sparse on this one, unfortunately.

You will receive a canopy that is really nice: it's big and covers a large area, so your child won’t get a sunburn or risk sun in the eyes while napping.

However, it doesn't include a parent’s organizer or cup holders, which is a bit odd.

Most of the large enterprises include cup holders at the very least. That said, it’s not as big of a deal as it could be. You’re just going to have to purchase these things separately.

The Caboose Graphite is very easy to put together, and assembling it doesn't require a whole lot of time. In addition, break down is just as easy.

There’s no worrying about taking things apart and putting it back together. Once you get things snapped on and ready, you can leave them that way.

Folding it back up is simple, and it honestly takes up very little room!

Safety is paramount when it comes to your children and Joovy seems to know and respect that.

You get sealed bearing wheels which will keep the ride smooth for your little tots, and make it easier for you to push around.

And the aforementioned sun shade is big enough to cover both of your children when sitting.

The included harnesses for both the back and front also can give you peace of mind that your kids are buckled in and safe!

The attached storage basket is a pretty reasonable size, although it is difficult to get to it quickly. You’ll need to get a parent’s organizer if you want some additional access for convenience.

Unfortunately, Joovy doesn’t offer that with the stroller.

If you know that you’ll need one, you may want to look into it at the same time as you choose the stroller.

That said, the under seat basket holds plenty, so if you don’t mind it being somewhat inaccessible, you may be just fine.

Brakes on this stroller are of the linked variety. This only means the rear brakes are connected, making it easier to stop on a dime.

A single step will stop you and the children if something runs out in front of you, or some other emergency calls for it.

Don’t worry about having to hit two different steps or levers, just click on one, and you’ll be good to go.

Something interesting about this particular piece is that if your children are a little closer to the same age, you can purchase the Caboose rear seat which is meant to turn the rear area into a front-facing reclining seat.

You can keep both babies or children comfortable and still get everything done that you need too.

In addition, while you may have to buy most of your own accessories, you can ensure everything is to your taste if that’s something that plagues you.

Another impressive offering from Graco is the Ready2Grow Click Connect (click here to check the price on Amazon).

The Ready2Grow is a bit heavier than others reviewed here, coming in at thirty-three pounds, while dimensions measure 44”L x 24”W x41” H.

One of the biggest selling points of the Click Connect is that it has twelve different riding options for babies!

This is certainly a big deal and will make it easy to make changes and ensure you and the children are comfortable and happy on your walks.

The Ready2Grow can hold two car seats for small babies but has many other options.

You can have the baby in front or back, the child seated or standing, and various other options.

Expected accessories are available for the Click Connect LX, which is a perk. It come with trays for parent and child, sun canopy, and tons of cup holders for you and the kids to stay hydrated no matter how long you are out.

The canopy is available for both the front and back, but these are removable so you can take them off when they are not required.

The assembly of this product is relatively easy for the average parent. You will need to install axles and wheels, the standing platform, footrest, canopy, trays, and storage basket. In addition, if you choose to use a rear seat, that will need to be installed as well.

In terms of safety, the Ready2Grow has one-step brakes that are going to be safer than many alternatives.

The actual structure of the device is well-done and will leave you less worried about the safety of your children.

The included harnesses are also very nice for that air of security and one more step towards being sure that you are buying something that is appropriate for your kids.

The included storage is fairly nice, bigger than some other options. In addition, you get the trays that allow you to hold the small items you may need more often.

It’s not overly hard to get to the under stroller storage area, but it can take a moment that you may not want to repeat over and over all day long.

The convenience of the parent’s tray makes that a bit more palatable when you do need to use the large storage basket under the children.

As mentioned above, this does have one-step brakes which cause both wheels to stop in tandem.

This is a safe method of stopping and something people tend to look for with their little ones.

As far as pushing it around, it may not be as easy as some of the alternatives that are available out there. It can be a little large and hard to wield, which could lead to some frustration.

On top of that, the handlebars are a bit shorter than normal which makes for some uncomfortable situations for select parents.

Another excellent innovation for this stroller is the Face Time rear seat.

You can see and interact with your baby as you walk, giving you more special time with the children. You can enjoy talking and playing with your children even while busy and dealing with the real world.

Between that and the twelve riding options, you get a lot of cool perks with this stroller. They’ve done something new, and it does work for a lot of people.

Our second offering from Joovy is the Caboose Ultralight Graphite Stroller (click here to check the price on Amazon), which is very lightweight, easy to store, and ideal for corners and other adverse situations.

It has an upgraded frame that is very light, and features have been improved from the original. A lot is going for the Ultralight, and the weight is only the beginning of it.

Speaking of the weight, this stroller clocks in at twenty-two pounds. The dimensions are 37”L x 21.5”W x 41.5”H, and it can handle the weight of up to ninety pounds between the two seats provided.

The Joovy Ultralight tries to do what everyone else is doing with an emphasis on doing it even better. You get lighter, easier to maneuver, and simple to use than many other options out there.

The seat options are minimal here, but that doesn’t mean they don’t do the job.

A car seat pops into the front seat quickly with a standing bar and seat in the back for the bigger child to use, as needed.

It’s certainly roomy enough for both of the brood, which some may be worried about when looking for a stroller that is smaller and lighter than is typical.

If you have two small children there is an option, for an addition cost, to have two car seat adapters so both can ride in their seats in comfort.

This Joovy does come with some needed accessories. It has a big canopy that covers both the rear and front children as they sit in the two seats.

At no additional charge, you also get a quality parent organizer. It will easily hold your keys, phone, and up to two beverages at once.

You can also purchase a rain cover, but that is a separate purchase from the actual stroller.

Assembly of the Caboose Ultralight is relatively simple and requires no tools or extra materials. You’ll be installing wheels, trays, and canopy but none of it is hard to do.

Safety is paramount, and Joovy brings professional straps and buckles to both the front and back seat. In addition, the stand-on platform is built-in so as to be safer than one that must be assembled.

The sealed bearing wheels also ensure some measure of safety by giving a quiet stroll that you and your kids might actually enjoy. 

The included storage is built under the back seat, as is typical. It is somewhat hard to access due to its positioning but no more so than other storage baskets.

When you consider that along with the parent’s tray, you should have a decent amount of space.

You can toss a diaper bag or purse in the bottom area and keep your keys and phone in the tray so you can get to it easily.

There are other strollers out there with more features and more accessories, but this stroller is there for you to get things done and do it quickly.

If you don’t want to slow down, even while baby and toddler are in tow, this is a great option that may work for you and your family.

A sit and stand stroller was a game changer once I had my second child.

While life got a little busier and a lot more chaotic, I always felt more prepared and organized when both of my kiddos were in their stroller.

Not only did I know they were safely seated, I liked that I could see them both, get to and from places with ease, and it didn’t feel like I was pushing around a small bus.

Consider some of the features discussed and shop for a stroller that will best meet your family’s needs and lifestyle!