1 hour 10 minutes total daily walk to school

[Itsneversimpleisit]

Is it a lot?

Twenty minutes there in the morning, twenty minutes home.
Twenty minutes there in the afternoon, twenty minutes walk back

With a 5 year old

Is it a lot or average?

I done it with a baby, 20 mins there to drop 7 year old off, 20 mins home, back again to drop 5 year old for 90 mins as for the first term the class was split, back home, back to school to pick the 5 year old up and then back home, finally off to school again and back home at last. Poor 18 month old spent his life in his pushchair. It was ok at the start of term in August but by the end in October was not fun in the north Of Scotland.

@Nanny0gg We do have a buggy but DS prefers to walk so I don’t bother with it. Occasionally he’ll ask to take his bike instead which is fine but that’s probably only maybe once a month!

He’s got a decent set of waterproofs and wellies and usually has far more energy than me on the walk home 😅

Taxi
Plenty of families don't have a spare car

It’s a bit less than what I do.. I can’t say it’s enjoyable as I work a physically active job alongside this and I don’t enjoy the walk or loose weight but I do have nicely toned legs..
make sure you have decent clothes for the weather - I like to take a hot drink for dd on the coldest of winter mornings and I bought her a water bottle that ties around her waist, double up as a hand warmer…

I think it's a very normal and healthy thing to do. Having said that, I think there are parts of the world (some suburbian parts of the US for example) where with that distance most people would drive, sadly - unless of course mobility related reasons etc.

I knew a Mum from school who was a SAHM who had a 9-11 min walk to school with her dc and drove them every single day rain or shine. Their tradition was the first and last day of school they walked. Never once in between. To make the story even more most of the family were athletes and the Mum posted almost daily on social media about the importance of exercise and using every opportunity you could to move your body and that we are shockingly raising a lazy generation of kids.

@Itloggedmeoutagain

Plenty of families can't afford taxis.

For me, it would depend on the walk.

If its by lots of traffic / pollution then I wouldn't be keen

If it's a pleasant walk I think it's a great length for that age

It’s completely normal - though people do also drive that distance if they then need to get straight to work after. Personally I walk and it’s good for the child to get into good habits.

OP, download a free step counter app. I used to hate doing "extra" walking, but now I'm obsessed with it. No idea why, I guess its like a little kid with a sticker chart maybe? 😂

Can you cycle sometimes to break the monotony? Personally I would take the dog for a bit of company on the solo part of the walk.

I had the same walk to and from my primary school, and it was fine. A lot of us did. I didn't have snacks on the walk home, either!

I walk a lot now, too. I don't tend to drive if it's under a mile and a half (obviously this does depend on how much time I have). It's perfectly normal to walk several miles a day!

Your child shouldn't be coming home midday. Get him a bicycle and a helmet?

I suggest teaching 5yo to scoot, with a pull strap for starters.

Sounds average to me. Our school is about the same distance.

I've been thinking about this. Walking to school and back 20min is totally fine for a child. Similar time that I walked to school. However as a parent I would hate doing that 4xday, 5 days a week. And it would be too much for me! I hate walking to the office and back and then again in the evening for my training. I do it as I would with the school run but I'd hate it. Cycling would make it slightly more tolerable. Or taking the dog.

I think it’s a fantastic amount of exercise for you both. As someone who doesn’t drive, I walk a lot and notice people who drive shocked that I walk to the local town which is only a mile away and they seem to think I’m a bit crazy. It’s really not that far but so good for you.

20min one way sounds v normal for primary.

Lots of people round here use scooters or balance bikes for primary age to go faster, you could try that (for your 5yo not you😂)

It's fine. We have kids in nursery who literally walk about from. 8 to 6 pm. They only sit 15 min at lunch 5 min at snack.

This man had to build an ENTIRE road with his bare hands to get his daughter to school:
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scot-who-built-island-road-30725795

yes proabably. as long as you do not compensate with a chocolate bar. (because I would be tempted. )

It gets easier if you do it regularly. and it is good for you and the kid.

Can take me 40 mins with 5 year old and only 20-25 for me to get home. Don't do both ways as home would take them 45-50 mins (massive hill) and not enough time/tired after school

Perfectly normal / average. They are walking one way in the morning and one way in the afternoon.
be lucky you have a school place within walking distance - I work in a school and as we recently expanded we are the only school with places. Constantly getting allocated children who live 2-3 miles away whose parents don’t drive, involving a lengthy bus trip into the centre of Manchester and back out again to school taking 1-1.5 hours one way!
I used to be a childminder and would do a 20 min walk there, back in the morning and there, back in the afternoon with toddlers, babies and multiple children. If a 2 year old can walk it your 5 year old can

Not a lot for an adult and 40 mins is not a lot for a 5 year old at all

Slightly above average but very manageable

For your 5year old its only 2 20minute walks a day. Should be fine.