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Original poster

30 min walk to nursery?

58 replies

CCrowe · 21/05/2026 11:52

Hello,

Anyone done a 30 minute walk to and from nursery with a 3 year old? We might not get into our first choice nursery and our second favourite option is 30 minutes walk. We have a family car and my husband drives so he could drop the littler guy in the morning sometimes or pick him up in emergencies but I don't drive (I'll never be able to drive for physical ability reasons).

I love to walk and usually walk at least an hour a day anyway but right now our currently 2 year old boy is tricky to walk with - he loves to walk but also loves to wander off and see things and is very strong and heavy to carry! Did you find by 3 your kids were easier to walk with? How did it go if you had this kind of commute in all weathers? Thinking we might buddy up with someone else for lifts in exchange for other help but not a guarantee that will work out...

Our other option is a closer nursery that doesn't have as good a reputation and doesn't have trees and green space around it, the outdoor play is by a road. Still potentially a good option and 16 mins walk from our house...just weighing up our choices here, know we're lucky to have the choice.

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Bubblebathbefore8 · 22/05/2026 07:03

Can your DH do drop off or pick up each day?
Then pushchair/trike etc for other.

As per PP my DC at that age wouldn’t have coped well with that walk each way, you mention winter weather, how about hot weather? Trying to get my DC to a holiday club on foot when temperatures hit 30c and my car was off the road was awful.

is the nursery on a bus route?

OldCrohn · 22/05/2026 07:10

Remember it's double the journey for you. So there and back. There and back. So almost an hour's walking twice a day. Absolutely miserable in the autumn and winter. Nursery might not have somewhere for your pram so you might have to walk it back empty too which is a ballache.

housepaidoff · 22/05/2026 07:13

It’ll be fine. Walking is good for you!

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Goodmorningeveryone26 · 22/05/2026 07:20

CCrowe · 21/05/2026 12:53

Thanks for all the replies!

Yeah, he's not always keen to get in the pram at this age but I think it could be done with the right snack and toy! Did you find pram refusal was an issue?

I guess there is still the weather / icy days to handle but on a full icy / snowy day I think the nursery would probably be off anyway - we are in a snowy area and the schools tend to close on very rough days.

Sounds daft but I guess for his first year there he'll be 3 then turning 4 and I had 4 in my head as a bit of a cut off point for the pram - did folk find it OK using a buggy for early months as a 4 year old?

Do whatever you and your child need and what works. Don’t have arbitrary buggy cut offs. One of mine was out of the buggy and onto a scooter at 2.5. The other was in a buggy fkr after school journey until 4.5 as he was utterly shattered by the day

Doveyouknow · 22/05/2026 08:04

We did this. We tended to use a balance bike or scooter for him and it was fine. It probably helped a good chunk of the route was through a park. Also we are in London so the weather is rarely that bad. I also think using a buggy is fine if he finds it tiring.

Bubblewrapart · 22/05/2026 09:35

Think it massively depends on your child. My eldest I could easily walk/scoot/cycle to/from nursery/childminder (both about 25 minutes at adult pace but always took us more like 40) and wouldn't even contemplate taking the buggy etc as a backup. The youngest, no way. Would always take the buggy and eventually got a cargo bike to speed things up so we weren't walking in all weathers with a cranky child.

Tiredalwaystired · 22/05/2026 13:41

Not sure if you’re one and done but if there is a number two child anywhere in the picture before nursery is done and dusted then don’t forget to add that scenario into the picture before you decide!

Mere1 · 23/05/2026 07:43

CCrowe · 21/05/2026 11:52

Hello,

Anyone done a 30 minute walk to and from nursery with a 3 year old? We might not get into our first choice nursery and our second favourite option is 30 minutes walk. We have a family car and my husband drives so he could drop the littler guy in the morning sometimes or pick him up in emergencies but I don't drive (I'll never be able to drive for physical ability reasons).

I love to walk and usually walk at least an hour a day anyway but right now our currently 2 year old boy is tricky to walk with - he loves to walk but also loves to wander off and see things and is very strong and heavy to carry! Did you find by 3 your kids were easier to walk with? How did it go if you had this kind of commute in all weathers? Thinking we might buddy up with someone else for lifts in exchange for other help but not a guarantee that will work out...

Our other option is a closer nursery that doesn't have as good a reputation and doesn't have trees and green space around it, the outdoor play is by a road. Still potentially a good option and 16 mins walk from our house...just weighing up our choices here, know we're lucky to have the choice.

I used to take my 3 year old grandson that distance, in all weathers. It was fine tho, in rain, we used the buggy. I’m 73.

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