How far can your 6 year old walk?

[KindergartenKop]

6 year old DS was very resistant to our fun filled walk this afternoon. Am I pushing him too hard? We walked 5.6 km. The park we walk in is probably 2km away so we have to go that far in order to get the nice bit and of the walk iyswim. I'm feeling a bit down because he was sad but I desperately want to walk more and go further! Argh terrible lockdown!

We have always walked miles with ours since they could walk really. They'd have pick ups when little if tired. 7 and 8 year olds can walk all day as long as plenty drinks and snacks. Our 3 year old has been able to do a local 4 mile hike for over a year, she's like a mountain goat! The key is rest when they need to, comfy footwear, drinks and snacks.

We're in a local walking group. We used to have a family who came on the walks (until they moved area) and their youngest child was 4 when they joined. The walks were always 5 - 6 miles (so 8 - 9 km) and the child managed the walks. They weren't a family who did a lot of walking but did like the great outdoors.

They can go all day if we take lots of snacks. In the summer both kids, then 4 and 7, managed Catbells from Keswick no problem. So that's what - eight miles or so? - with a fair amount of ascent, and a bit of a scramble to the top.

Try and get them to walk the 5 minutes to Asda, though, and they're not as keen...

Our 5 year old is very similar to others on here. A sunny, warm day with loads of sticks, stones, rivers and an ice-cream in the middle means he can go all day. He managed 5 km in the wind & snow today and whinged and cried the last km as his feet and fingers were cold.

We have a dog who will walk all day, and as a family we walk A LOT so he's used to it and loves going for a walk usually, but there are days when he won't do more than 10 mins!

It depends on what they’re used to, on a weekend we average 4/5 miles, I think the longest my five year old has walked is ten miles, but it was split in half as we walked to a different park.

We had a penguin halfway through! Will try Disneyland tomorrow and see if he's more positive

We take a LOT of exciting snacks and try to build in something of interest to dd on the route

Uphill shorter distance = on the flat longer distance

My DDs did Ben Vrackie last summer aged 7 and 4. That’s about 10k with a big ascent (for little legs!) halfway. Normally we go for about 6-8k. It depends. We did 4K in snow yesterday, some of it was hard going, there was a bitter wind but it was glorious. All of us had had enough by the time we got back to the car.
Loads of snacks, proper clothing and footwear and the ability to turn back if needed are essential.

Oh, it definitely depends what’s on offer!

At 5 and 7, walking upstairs is ‘exhausting’ if they’re not in the mood. But a 8km round trip involving a hot choc mid way is perfectly fine.

They can also cycle 10km with ease while husband and I run alongside.

They’re like dogs really eh, you should least carry a wee bag of treats 😅

I’m sure I read once on a trekking forum that children are supposed to be able to walk twice their age in km, and carry half their weight in kg. So a 5 year old should be able to walk 10km and carry 2.5 kg. Both of those sound plausible... presumably though at some point the formula breaks down as I wouldn’t expect a 30 year old to walk 60km

DC1-2 & 4 would have faltered above about 5km at 6yo.

DC3 could and did walk 7 miles at that age & still be full of beans.

It really depends. Mine have walked 6/7 miles in hills on good days with snacks and lots to see.

In the snow recently I swear it’s been a struggle to manage a couple of miles!

We have a 6yo. She can walk miles, but getting her out is sometimes challenging! Especially in the cold. I don't think the distance is the main issue tbh. They're bored and the weather is foul. I feel much the same 😭

5 or 6km is about her limit and she’d be starting to complain at that stage. She’s 6 but was very slow learning to walk and still does physio as her legs aren’t quite as strong as the average 6yr old.

We did 6.6km today in the sunshine
Much less painful!