How far will your 3 year old walk?

[Flummingbird]

Just that really...

If you're going out for a walk at the moment with your 3 year old how far do you expect them to go, and do they enjoy it or is it just a chore?

I can get about a mile with mine but she walks sooooo slowly and stops all the time. She doesn't enjoy it at all despite trying all sorts of different tactics.

Mine hated it absolutely hated it. Would walk like 10 minutes veeeeryyy sloooww
I still used the pushchair.. had a comment from one particular person about why we still use the push chair.. no surprise she lives the same distance as us from the preschool but was driving her child the whole journey were as mine walked some at least... the journey was 15 minutes adult walk or 30minutes little feet walk.

What helped was leavinh pleenty of time ans making a game of it like i spy or wjat colour is this car or distraction with songs or things we passed.. on bad days when im late and stressed i just strap them in and walk.. funnily enough theeen the dc wants to walk... 🤷‍♀️

Have you tried a pushchair?

We took our 3 year old near 4 to Disney World last year and used a cheap pushchair whilst there as she got tired so easily especially in hotter weather. Was a god send tbh as she also walks so slow

When DD was 3 she could walk 1.2 miles to nursery although on the way back I might end up carrying her a bit, would use the buggy if it was chucking it down with rain or very hot so I would say a mile or so is probably average

Mine will walk for about 3 miles which takes us an hour or so depending how often we stop. But we have dogs so walking them is not optional. Plus she doesn't do it every day maybe 4 times a week. I don't have a pushchair anymore but I didn't take it on dog walks.

Ds happily walked the 1.2 miles to nursery. By age 4.5 he'd happily walk 6 miles if we were out in the hills. I don't drive so all dc have walked to school from very young and are used to it.

Mine would walk a mile to town. She had a buggy boad for the way back but we din,t have a double pram.

Did can do the 1.6mile walk to nursery in the morning. Does take about 45mins though, and we have to get the bus back home in the evening when she’s knackered.

She’ll generally walk for an hour quite fast as long as we’re playing hide and seek, or she has to find something. If it’s walking to the shop she’ll walk about 2mm an hour and moan the whole time!

I read when mine were little that they could manage a mile for every year of their lives (obv once walking confidently) and based most ‘long’ walks on that. Sometimes they were more reluctant than others but seemed a reasonable expectation.

I know plenty of people still using pushchairs at 3 though so don’t stress if yours doesn’t enjoy it at the moment.
Very few children ime enjoy walking for the sake of it-you have to make it fun in little ways

She hasn't used a pushchair for a good year or more so I'd be loathe to buy another now. She's definitely a 2mm an hour girl, slower if she can possibly find a distraction. Oh well - maybe not a lot you can do!!

He's 4 now but would happily walk about 2h from age 3.5 as long as I bought water/snacks and it was somewhere interesting like the woods.

I think he was a labrador in a previous life

Mine turned 3 in march and I wear a Fitbit. If we reach 8k steps she's had enough.

Mine is nearly 3 and HATES to walk. Cycling and scooting are also on the list of things he can't be bothered to do.
So he can probably walk for around 7 mins before clamouring for the buggy or a carry.
Sigh.
Someone reassure me that it'll get better.

You’re not giving me much hope here people! Our 17mo has been confidently walking since 12m but has recently decided that she cannot walk across grass or other non smooth surfaces.

We live in a village in an AONB. Walks beautifully along the lane until we hit the footpath, then screams blue murder until carried. 25 minute tantrum about 200 yards into a field the other day. Wtf is that about?

I feel really lucky reading these posts. My 3yo will walk 6-7km though that requires probably 2 snack breaks and lunch. He's knackered afterwards.

His 2yo brother will do about 3km before needing a carry (usually coincides with nap time when we're walking), he'll go a bit further, maybe 1.5km after a long rest.

I have been training them from an early age though; our allotment is 3km away and we've always had to go every day due to having animals on it.