Too far for 4 year old to walk?

[Thejoyfulstar]

Sorry, this is so mundane. Feel free to just do the poll if you don't want to reply (it's super boring!)

My 4 year old goes to a club after school (the club requires the kids to be quite active). She will be 5 in a few months.

It's a 25 minute walk from our house (and of course 25 minutes back). I'm trying to get at least 10,000 steps in a day to help with losing baby weight and this seems like a good opportunity to get my steps in.

I have a baby who will be in the pram, so can't stick my 4 year old in a buggy or anything like that. I tried the 'ride on' attachment before, and it really hurt my back as I don't have arms like Inspector Gadget. DD would just have to walk alongside me. The walk itself is lovely: a straight road along a long row of leafy trees. The weather where I live is currently beautiful.

I can't help but feel guilty that it's too far for a 4 year old to walk. On the other hand, we are trying to promote a healthy, active lifestyle for our kids. I would just drive if the concensus was that the walk is too long for little legs as its only 5 minutes by car.

So,
YABU: it's unfair to make a 4 year old walk for 1 hour in total
YANBU: this is fine for a 4 year old

When I started school many many years ago I walked much further than that to and from school, so I don't think it is too far. Try it and see how she responds.

I can't believe 20% of people think it's too far!

It'll be fine, no reason a 4 year old shouldn't be walking that. Start good habits young OP you'll be glad you did later on.

I helped on a school trip recently that involved a 30 min walk each way for 8 year olds, up a steepish hill on the second leg. I was staggered by the moaning from some of the children about how their legs hurt, they couldn't breathe, couldn't they get a coach etc, who clearly had never been expected to walk anywhere before.

I think setting expectations young that walking a decent distance is totally normal is definitely a good thing.

@RandomQuest yes my DD isn't like my very active DS who relishes long walks and cycles etc. She likes chilling out and a slower pace of life, like myself actually. I'm trying to be more active and get the kids involved and create a whole family attitude of enjoying exercise. I've definitely been doubting how much is appropriate, as I wasn't encouraged to be active as a child! I'll see how she gets on and have DH on standby if she struggles.

My two year old DD walks miles sometimes. However, I wouldn't try it on the way back from an activity because your child may be (understandably) tired from it!

Could you walk there, then you walk back and then drive to pick her up? Or do you wait at the activity?

And this is why schools have issues with parking. Because people who live in easy walking distance, drive.

My daughter is 5 and has been happy to take an hour's walk since she was 3. She'll be fine.

@Toddlerteaplease to be fair, a lot of parents drop their kids off on the way to work and it could be tricky to walk back home for the car and make it to work on time.

My friend had this issue and used this type of buggy:

foryourlittleone.com/products/hauck-runner-stroller-blackneon-yellow

She put a box with three sides with a thin Moses mattress cut to size in the bottom, it's a deep holder and safe. Secure the box to the buggy if needed. Baby gets wrapped up and popped in the underneath bit. Take the canopy off and the older one sits in the buggy.

Not ideal, but protects your back and gets them both home.

I thought her idea was genius.
I remember being shocked the first time I saw it in use, then I thought this really worked.

At 4, I still didn't know that DS1 was hypermobile with dyspraxia and ASD. He could walk but it was a gamble, and I agree that the package of activity through the day matters.

It is good to encourage functional walking, but it does need to be done in a practical way. I did still use things like slings as back-up for tired little legs. Balance bikes and scooters are good for speeding things up.

Stamina does grow quickly at this age and I've found it best to fudge through it according to the child's need. There's no shame if children do need a boost to get them through for a while and it's not an indication of future fitness/ activity level.

That's no problem.
My 2 year old walks 20-25 mins to nearest park. Runs round for 1-2 hours then walks home.
Have baby in sling/pushchair so she has to walk.
She usually likes to have a snack on walk back.

Usually has a nap shortly after coming home, my newly turned 5 year old obviously doesn't need a nap after and still bouncing the rest of the day.

I wouldn't think twice about this.

@wonkygorgeous wow! My brain is processing this very inventive strategy!

@BogRollBOGOF yes I agree, and will play it by ear over the next few weeks.

@Thejoyfulstar I almost wrote, apart from people dropping their kids off on the way to work!

I'll be the only one I guess, but that would be too far after a long day at school for my ds 5.5yo. He does sport at school and we do use the bus home, but there is a 10 minute walk after the bus as well and he is just exhausted by the time we get home. We do activities after school but we drive there. I know he won't be getting the full benefit after a 25 minute walk. On a weekend he can easily do the 25min and longer walk anywhere, it's just after a school day I would feel bad to push him that much. A good shout about the scooter op. If the walk there is safe without too much traffic then that's a good option.

@MarJau26 that's why I'm having some doubts, as she will have done a full day in school and then an active club. I'm going to see how we get on with some form of wheely back up!

It's totally doable at their pace, not always at yours though - and if you're trying to be more active that can be frustrating. If I was pushed for time or going further than 30/40 mins I used to put the weenie one in the sling, the 4 yr old on the buggy board and the middlin' one in the buggy... Could you try babe in sling and buggy for a tired one on the way home?
Looking back whilst it was physically knackering, it was mentally undemanding and free entertainment for the kids IYSWIM. We also had had lots of good chats on the way, particularly to and from school where it was valuable decompression time.

A little under a mile each way is fine for a child of almost 5. My Dgs's walk with their parents and by 5 both could walk 5 miles with a few rest breaks. It is excellent to get them walking whilst young. It will strengthen their muscles. Good to do when nice weather but if raining walk there with child, walk home then drive to collect. Walking along, picking daisy's, skipping, a little break when you feed baby sounds lovely.

It's fine, we've been walking that distance to and from school every day since pre-school without any issues. Will she have eaten since lunch time? If not take a drink and a snack just in case.

MN is so funny about this - there was a thread a while ago where most people seemed to feel that it was outrageous that the OP's partner wasn't getting up early at the weekend to drive her to the station so that she could avoid the horror of a 15 min walk which was exhausting ahead of sitting on a train but a 4 year old is expected to do 25 mins and then a physical class!

My children weren’t particularly sporty and didn’t have a huge amount of stamina at that age but a 25 minute walk was zero problem and done several times a week. It was about that to nursery and school so that was done daily, it was about that to the supermarket and we’d be carrying the shopping home about twice a week, it was 20 minutes to the train station at the beginning and end of every day out. It was 35 minutes to gymnastics and nearly 45 mins to swimming, both done weekly.

its honestly a short walk away. Minutes not hours.

We hardly use our car in London so often have this issue. My 4 year old moans a lot about walking! I would tend to have her on scooter and 2yo in buggy and then if she gets really complainy I put 2yo in sling on my back and 4yo in buggy. I used the sling pretty quickly and almost exclusively after both my sections. If you’re experiencing any pain using one I would recommend a carrying consultant who can see if there’s any way to get it usable for you. It’s been so useful for us the last 2 years

I don't drive so unless my OH can drive them, my children have always had to walk everywhere. I always plan plenty of extra time for the long walks (its 5km to DS's nursery so if we're walking we leave an hour and a half before we have to be there so if he wants a rest and a sit down he can, or if he wants to stop and play for a change he can). Scooter/bikes are good if you have a child that likes them (DD did so it was scooter or bike for her but DS does not so its only walking with him unless there's snow for the sledge to drag him on).
Her stamina will build up so the walk will get easier/quicker over time. I'm trying to build my son's stamina back up again now as we haven't been doing long walks lately.

We do something similar for one of my DC’s activities (she’s 5). We leave plenty of time so we can stop and look at the ducks or whatever, and have a sit down and a snack en route. It might take a couple of weeks to build up stamina if you’re not used to much walking (so expect moaning/dawdling) but if you listen to my mum it used to be the norm for kids to walk several miles to school come rain or shine. And car/public transport isn’t an option for us so we just dress for the weather!

@bunanarama I used the sling all the time with my other 2 but for some reason my back feels very weak after having DC 3 12 weeks ago. I can 'wear' her for about 5 minutes before it starts hurting. Was hoping these walks would help develop my overall strength (my stamina has been increasing surprisingly quickly) so I will try again. Good advice about a sling consultant. I actually know of one!

ds at that age could walk miles it wouldn’t have bothered him but using the scooter really tired him out he never got the hang of it

we played I spy or similar games that passed the time

see how it goes

I would recommend doing some exercises and stretches for core strength as well so that the weakness in your back doesn't cause more problems with your body trying to compensate for it.