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

Dd was a very reluctant walker until about 6. She couldn't/wouldn't have gone 1.3 miles twice a day in reception. We live on a national trail, hike often and spend lots of time outside so i felt very much the outlier watching other children walk that far and definitely wouldn't have been judging you - I'd have been looking for tips!

This is how we got into pokemon go as a family, too encourage my then 3 year old to keep going!

My middle son has just started reception and I’ve seen several children arriving in a pushchair, hopping out and going into school!

We’ve moved closer now but when my eldest started school we walked 1.2 miles there every day no problem but he had been walking just as far to the school nursery for a year beforehand.

This is astounding! I think the general guideline is that a ‘normally’ developing child should be able to walk a mile for every year of their life, until 7 when all bets are off. We took our nearly 4 year old and our 6.5 year old to the Alps this summer on a hiking holiday. One of the hikes accidentally ended up being 10km/6 miles. Both managed it absolutely fine with a few stories and games, and plenty of snacks - though little one was obviously tired by the end. Our children are capable of so much more than we think!

It's fine.
Decent shoes and nit carrying a bunch of junk.

It's not too far per se.

It probably is too far for her to be relied on not to be a pain in the arse when she's tired after a long day on a wet November Wednesday, so I'd invest in a buggy board.

A one-off hike is completely different from a twice daily walk.

Yep, it's not so much the distance as the trudge. Because the relevant question OP needs to ask isn't whether her 4 year old/a typical 4 year old is physically capable of a 1.3 mile walk. It's whether there's a sufficiently realistic chance of them being a pain in the arse on this 1.3 mile walk that it would make sense to look at options to make life easier eg buggy board.

Yes, of course it’s different. For one thing it’s much, much shorter. We are a walking family, and the now 6 year old did a couple of miles, similar route (e.g. boring pavements, no playgrounds) daily all through the COVID times aged 3.5. If they get into the habit, it just happens - we haven’t had a pram since smaller one was 2.5. The OPs child is clearly perfectly capable, and it’s working well, so how could it possibly be unreasonable?

Junior park run is 1.2 miles at our park and our 4 year old 'runs' this. Then goes to play in the park etc.

You know how far your child can walk. Take no notice of your friend. I think it's fine! If they get tired on the way home piggy back! 😊

Tbh I would take the scooter to speed it up abit!

If you can do this with your child, it's excellent and I'll tell you why.

My mother made me walk everywhere, not allowed in a buggy like the other kids.

And here I am at age 36 with a BMI of 19 and several marathons under my belt. I'm a natural walker/runner and even with no training I rocked up to a marathon 2 years ago and did it in 4 hours and 20 minutes.

Humans are meant to walk - she'll let you know when she's tired, you're doing great for her future health (I'm still enjoying the rewards all these years later) 🙂

If she’s used to it, then fine! It will be good for her.

I think it's quite far, especially twice a day. Most councils will run buses for primary kids over a mile.

The weather and speed play a part too. Good weather when you have plenty time do go at her pace great. Rotten weather or when your having to rush her, it's probably not ideal

I do wonder how many people commenting "it's fine" on this thread either drive their kids to school or have a walk of over 20 minutes. Ours is pushing 30 minutes at kid pace with a hill in the middle (down on the way, up coming back). I have an extremely strong, active and tall 5yo by anyone's standards and still they're struggling a bit by Thursday.

I think most people commenting have once done a walk with a child that age and don't understand the reality of doing it twice a day every weekday.

One person even claimed their 20 month old could do it!

If you're happy and have the time and your DD is happy then it is nobody else's business really and obviously it's good for you both. However, I do agree with those who have said you might want a plan B for the Winter though. Walking in the current weather whilst the term is still young sounds really nice, but by the time you get towards the end of term and she's ready for the holidays plus it's dark, cold and possibly wet both ways, it might be a bit of a different proposition. But I'm sure it will become obvious if your DD isn't coping.

My son used to walk just over a mile to do fun things at that age, even further on occasions the longest walk/balance bike cycle I got recorded was just over 8 miles, at 7 he is happy to do long walks of a few miles to do fun things like it's nothing

I'd recommend some decent waterproofs (actually waterproof, not just water resistant) and wellies for the winter. Last year, my DC did end up wearing waterproof trousers and wellies a lot of the time as I didn't want them sitting in soaked clothes all day at school.

I think that the end of your sentence applies to 90% of the questions asked on MN, it amazes me that some people can get dressed in the morning without ask for the opinion of others!

I think it’s great. I currently cycle my toddler to nursery a slightly longer distance, but once older fully intend on walking/scooter/balance bike etc. just so it becomes part of normal life style. The older kids are lazy and complain having to walk even 10 mins to the shops!

My older DC’s went to a primary school far away from home (similar distance to yours) and they always managed the walk even at reception age but it wasn’t often pleasurable at all. The worst times were when it was belting it down or absolutely freezing, we had some extremely miserable walks over the years but didn’t have a choice. I didn’t choose the school, it was the only one with space for them.

Now younger DS is starting primary school he’s going to the one on the end of the street and I’m thrilled about it. I’m a very active person so walking doesn’t phase me but honestly, walking that sort of distance with a knackered kid in the rain is miserable.

Best thing you can do for a child's movement is make walking daily a routine.

DD has just started school this week and I tried to get her to walk a similar distance home after her first half day. It’s so much not the distance that’s the issue, it’s the fact that 2/3 of the journey is up a fairly steep hill (up on way home, down on way to school) which is too steep to scoot all the way up/ down. I ended up giving her a piggyback for the last bit! Does anyone have any tips for dealing with hills??

Her dad took her down on the back of his bike this morning , then on two of the other days in the week we’ll have the two year old with us so may well end up using a buggy board, and another two days will have had to go in the car to drop the younger one at nursery. So we’ll
walk when we can but it’ll be a mixture.