To think a 40 minute walk to school nursery is manageable?

[Heckythump1]

We are looking at pre-schools for September for an almost 4 year old. (We've just found out we have to move in a few weeks) we have a few choices but our favourite on paper is a school nursery 40 minutes walk away. Neither of us drive so we will have to walk whatever the weather, although there are buses for some of the journey.
We are visiting all options in the next week or so.
Am I being daft wanting to send them to a better place further away or should I send her to a closer one that I don't like as much?

We walk everywhere it's doable - but some children like mine do get very tried from nursery/school which make it much less pleasant experience. Then it's also doing it at end of school day with shit weather.

I think you’d find it’s tough in first few weeks and you’ll bloody hate it by Christmas – however if you planning on driving fairly soon it’s still doable.

I wouldn't consider it if there are other options. Why make life difficult?

I wouldn't do it unless my driving lessons were already booked and I had funds ready to go for a car asap. It sounds like an ordeal on an average day, let alone without DC having to do it wearing silly dress up on book days or lugging flimsy DIY school projects, PE kits, the school bear etc around.

For heavens sake it's a walk children should be capable of doing

A forty minute walk where you're not rushing home or to nursery is very different from a 40 minute walk in the dark and rain/snow/wind after a full day at nursery (which also includes a 40 minute walk to get there)!

I’d do it. Get in the practice if you need to to make sure your child has the necessary walking fitness, and have all the right clothes (incl waterproof trousers, bag cover, boots - tbh for that much walking I’d put them in walking boots rather than unsupportive wellies).

I don’t drive. My DC’s nursery was 25 mins walk away, so less distance but he did long days (9-10 hours) and walked. For non driving families this is just functional fitness. I’ve always really treasured time spent walking with my DC - including mundane journeys to school through the pissing rain as much as long leisurely wanders just for fun. Its easy conversation time.

Me and my brother did this as kids, with mum of course. Doable.

Be aware that your upcoming move and new living arrangements may draw suspicion and be questioned in terms of school catchment issues.

It’s not just a 40 minute walk - it’s a commute. The same route, day in day out, twice a day for the child, four times for the adult. That gets boring pretty quickly, you have to do it whether you like it or not.

yes.

When we first got here it was torrential rain for weeks. I was doing 20 min walk to school few minutes wait then 15 min before older ones came out in KS2 which was about 5 minutes late and then 20 minutes back.
I often had to wring my clothes out they were so wet - nearly an hour outside it torrential rain it wasn't much fun. Though what I really hate is the icy weather.

Correct gear helps – decent coat and boots but kids aren’t always great company at end of day when they are tired. It’s doable but I’d look at alternatives and consider how long you’d be doing it for.

ada

People are still talking like it's a trek across the globe rather than something that's remotely do able.

When we were kids we would walk everywhere without a second thought we also started school full time straight away. Going to the park after school, playing for hours outside after school was very much the norm. Kids dont really do that now. They are driven every where.

It may seem.like alot being on one chunk like that but kids now come.home and have to get on with homework or come home and play fortnight or xbox and arent as active.

So even a 1.5 mile walk twice a day is still alot less in the way of exercise that kids used to get we just see it as alot because we are now used to being driven door to door. Even if they live locally.

No .definitely not

And theres often even tablets/consoles in nurseries and pre schools now. They dont always spend that much time.outsode doing stuff. Theres lots of sitting down activities like crafts and painting and reading sessions etc.

Evaharknessrose whys that?
Even if it does, i've no need to worry as it's our genuine situation, we aren't moving to get her into a specific school.
Plus catchment areas aren't really an issue in this area as far as i'm aware.

For those suggesting waterproofs and good boots for the walk, fine if you have a nice heated cloakroom in the school to dry everything out, but many schools don't so the return journey will see the child kitted out is soaking wet coat, damp shoes, wet gloves, wet everything.
A 40 minute walk with a keen child is not a problem, but if it is raining sideways, a tired wet, cold child is not a happy one.

Of course it's doable, but it's an added stress, and imo, an unnecessary one.

I don't drive and I love walking but ohh I love that my sons nursery is 10 houses down, I can't imagine having to spend 160 minutes a day doing school drop off/pick ups.
I used to walk 2 miles to school and 2 miles back but that was in high school with friends not with my mum shouting 'hurry up' continually behind me that would of been miserable for both of us.

People are still talking like it's a trek across the globe rather than something that's remotely do able.

It might be doable but that doesn't mean it'll be fun or a good way to spend 90 minutes a day (or 180 minutes if you're the OP whose going to have to do it all twice over).

Not everyone wants to spend nearly three hours a day in winter trudging along in the pissing rain and cold. As someone who has to walk the dog come rain or shine, doing it in the wet, cold and the dark gets old pretty damn quickly!

I certainly wouldn't want to drag my three year old out in that kind of weather twice a day for a good 4 four months of the year. English winter evenings are often cold, damp and miserable - especially when you have to walk with a tired and grumpy three year old!

Also stripping layers of wet clothes, changing shoes etc off a grumpy 4 yo / putting them all one again will add extra time to it.
I'm dreading doing 20 minutes each way this winter with a 4 yo and heavily pregnant / with a newborn - another consideration op of you're thinking of another one. Thankfully we can use the pushchair and bus but it's still bloody miserable either end

I do 20mins and wouldn’t do further personally. In winter with a tired little one 40mins would be hard.

No, definitely not. Way too far

Not everyone wants to spend nearly three hours a day in winter trudging along in the pissing rain and cold they do on MN 😂😂☔☔

I think it's doable but I wouldn't do it due to the hill day in and day out, especially when it's windy, rainy, snowy. If it was flat, I'd consider that much more but I think you said half of it was uphill, which is much more tiring for a small child.

We do a 20 minute walk to nursery (40 minute round trip for me) but the mileage is actually pretty short - my older kid just takes forever as he's forever stopping and asking questions about things or jumping on and off stop.

Are you likely to get pregnant again? It's much more annoying with two in tow!

On and off stuff*

I’d be considering it from a friendship angle. Are most of her classmates also likely to live a 40 minute walk away, possibly more if they are at the other side of school to you? Play dates can be arranged when she’s younger but as she gets older would you be happy to have her walking to a friend’s house? Is the route a safe one? As she gets older it matters more that she’s able to meet up with friends independently and spontaneously without everything being prearranged.

ok so I do this it's a 1.4 like walk as you can cut over field and into estate it would be 2 miles in the car as you have to go the long way around. Me and my little boy are used to walking this far. When he started nursery we walked it just slowly and relaxed took us about 35 mins on the way home it always took longer as he wanted to play/ stop ECT th is was fine as it was summer. I did invest in a scooter strap so if he wanted to scoot and got tired I could pull him. I would get one of these to be honest. Once he starred school in Sept I started to get the metro ( this means going out of out way and leaving earlier to get the train we need ) but I didn't want him to be tired sometimes we scooted with the strap on in case but since his birthday when he got a bike he rides I hurry beside him as although I do ride with him on tracks ECT I'm not confident on busy roads with us both on a bike. the journey is shorter and if I cycled would be much shorter. If you are used to walking, have an option such as scooter strap, cheap buggy ECT and good waterproofs plus a way to get there if it's terrible weather ( bus ) I think you will be fine. I'm going to learn to drive later this year bit I honestly don't believe we will always drive.

Also what about illness? They’re always unwell when using these settings- you really want to be dragging a child full of cold all that way and then expect them to have a full day being busy and wanting to walk home?

Nah not for me...