To think 1.3 miles isn't too far for a 4 year old to walk?

[LlamaFace19]

Hi all. DD started Reception this week. Her primary school is 1.3 miles away and we walk as I'm trying to become more active and this seems like a good way to get some steps in! It takes anywhere from 25-40 minutes depending on how much DD dawdles. She used to walk a mile to nursery. She manages the walk fine and actually seems to enjoy it as it's a good chance to natter! But I was recently talking to a friend who seemed horrified at the distance and said it was far too much of a trek for a 4 year old? I don't think it is, especially for DD who has been walking a mile to nursery since 3, but what do you think?

YANBU - It's fine
YABU - Too far

@Hufflepods I don’t think anyone would think that a 4YO couldn’t walk a mile/mile and a half, bloody hope not anyway as that would be ridiculous! More that starting school really takes it out of some kids and getting them to do ANYTHING afterwards might be a struggle. Mine was a complete disaster for the first HT and definitely would not have managed, despite regularly walking for miles at the weekend 🤣

My DD is 3.5. She can walk but she is very slow as we have to stop & admire every single leaf, stone, twig etc on the nursery run, so I put her in the pram. If I didn't do that I'd be wasting hours each day.

Well, we can all say it's fine and do-able and to be encouraged (it is!). My DC would be okay with that at 4, because they were used to it and generally tractable around walking.

We would also be DELUSIONAL to pretend that all 4 years olds would be okay with that, even if they physically could manage it. I have been on some godawful walks with children (including my own at times) who had to be coaxed/threatened/ bribed every step of the way. Not fun, and not uncommon either!

Let's just be realistic here, some kids can do it happily, others not so much!

Mine were walking over a mile to and from nursery from 2.5 (on the way to station so not driving). Absolutely fine.

People who drive everywhere are very quick to see any distance as too far. I know plenty of people who can barely believe I, a grown adult, would willingly walk 2 miles just to get somewhere!

I don’t think it’s too much for them to do, but I think it’s a lot for them to have done, if you know what I mean? So for them to have done it twice a day on top of all the play they’d do in school will be extremely tiring so I’d bear that in mind in the evening when they’re a bit cranky!

Each kid is different. My son has just gone into year one. We live quarter of a mile from school and in the summer term, he literally had no energy left to walk home; it was a real struggle for him even though we have always been big walkers. School is more taxing than nursery and there’s no naps, but each kid is different, as is every parent and their expectations.

It's too much on a hot day. You may also find that she flags as the term goes on or enjoys it less in the winter.

Same. This is one of the reasons childhood obesity is still such a problem.

I think it's a totally acceptable distance and a great way for you both to be active.
My DC are used to these distances as I don't drive.
I agree walks also encourage conversation, I get a lot of data from DCs during the walks to and from school. Walks can have a positive effect on mental health too. If my children are anxious about something, it's usually sorted by the time we get to school.
I can't see any downsides, apart from when children are overtired it's more challenging to get them to a destination by a certain time. But all the benefits outweigh that imo.

@Oioicaptain It's too much on a hot day. You may also find that she flags as the term goes on or enjoys it less in the winter.

So it's too much on a hot day, but its also too much during the winter, and it's probably too much later in the term, but it is also too much early in the term...

My children walked that distance too and from school since nursery because I didn't drive and dad worked away all week.
My youngest refused to use a pushchair from about 18 months so would do the journey twice a day to drop off and pick up older siblings.

If your DC can manage it then keep it up.

Your child is clearly fine so there's nothing wrong with it. Bit weird of the other mum to mention it to be honest.

I’m guessing those that say it can be too much etc have another option be it car or bus or whatever. If you don’t have another option then you just have to get on with it even if the child is a bit tired or the weather isn’t so good.

i agree with @Zodfa that some drivers can’t imagine walking anywhere. I noticed this DH when he learnt to drive that he is resistant to walk somewhere that previously he would have done without thinking about it.

Ours in 0.9 miles and they're 3.5
I'm not sure we'd ever make it home with their dawdling but physically they could manage half again I reckon. Until the weather turns shit.

Do you have an alternative? On really bad days it's 3 bus stops, pay for me and DS not the twins so just under £4

If she's managing it fine, it's not too far. It might be tougher going at the end of the day (especially towards the end of the week and at the end of term). A scooter is a good way to compromise - mine used to hold onto the handlebar with one hand and mine with the other and let me pull her when tired. I would recommend a snack in the playground or partway home, if she's flagging - lunch is often quite early in school, so they're ready for a snack at 3.
(The other problem is if the school decides that everyone doing a "daily mile" round the school field is a good start to the day, forgetting that some children may already have done theirs.)

Forget what your friend said

The real question is, is your daughter handling the walk okay?

If so, there's no issues

If she gets tired, you could look at using a scooter. Very popular at DD's school

I think it’s a really good thing to encourage walking to school as early as possible. My 4 year old walked just over a mile twice a day from the minute he started reception. We walk through sun, rain or snow! And he has never complained once. I’ll be doing the same with my 3.5yr old when he starts pre school next week although would have a lower threshold to use the buggy one way to start with until he gets used to the tiredness.
I think it has a massive impact on how they cope on days out etc, my eldest can walk for miles round theme parks etc with no complaints.

It's totally fine. It's good to form a walking habit from a young age (so they don't grow up thinking every small journey has to be done by car), good for muscle strength and coordination, great for the brain to get activated before being stuck in classroom all day. We took our 4 year old on a 6 mile walk at the weekend, stopped for a picnic half way, plenty of water to drink and just let them amble along.

My just five year old walks slightly further to school each day and takes about as long but I do usually pick up in the car as it takes longer on way home (hills/tired especially when I'm afterschool club) and can't really fit it in after work and keep reasonable dinner and bedtime. If she is fine I wouldn't worry though maybe bike or scooter might be good if she gets more tired as term goes on. A month in and we are all pretty tired of the school run!

Sounds fine, scooter or bike if it starts to get tiring for her. Its just a bit longer than the trip to nursery I did with DD when she was 3 and 4 and she was fine but definitely preferred to bike. Helped build up her stamina for when we moved and the journey doubled.

The trip to DS's nursery is about double that and I find that's a bit too far for him - he can do it occasionally but twice a day every day would exhaust him (and me, tbh, and I wouldn't have the time anyway. We go on my bike instead)

I'd find it more concerning that anyone would drag a nursery-age child out for a 3-mile round trip in this heat tbh.

1.4miles with 28inch long legs is a lot shorter than 12inch long legs.
🤪

Surely that depends on the distance... if a mile is too much for some 4yos after school, would you expect a 3yo to walk twice that distance to pick them up?

When DD was in preschool, some of her classmates would walk the mile to preschool fine, walk home again after 3 hrs fine... then be in stroller at the end of the day for the 2 mile round trip to pick up sibling. How is that contributing to the obesity crisis compared to the 3yo who did all three trips in the car?

Depends on the child. My dd hated walking but my dgd loves it.