Walking to school- how far is too far for reception age?

[Swishyswashy]

My DC starts in reception in a couple of weeks at a school nearly 2 miles away. I also have a 2 year old and am pregnant with DC3. DC2 is then going to nursery about a mile from DC1. Is this going to be impossibly stressful on foot each day? I'm worried!

No bike for me as also have ds2 in tow, and ds1 seems either unable or unwilling to ride a bike!
Buses are not an option financially :(

Lots of people round here have one adult and two or three kids all on the same bike! Cycling would save you a huge amount of time each week.

How do you mean, snog? Genuine question!

I used to walk there, then pick them up in the car at the end of the day. It does depend on the child, but for my dd2 - who also has foot problems, though insoles are helping now - a mile was too far in Reception.

In Y1, she managed much better.

Either way, a snack when they come out makes a huge huge difference

Over a mile is going to be difficult, depending on your child

I too think it will be a total nightmare especially when it gets colder. I know some hardy souls think nothing of walking miles with toddlers, reception aged children and pregnant with twins and so on. But I wouldn't want to do it.

Another one saying look at driving some of the way there, park somewhere that there are usually space, and then walk the last bit.
Its going to be a lot of time walking for you.

flootshoot, you can do it various ways. Two is easy - trailer or alternatively for a reception age child + toddler the little one in a front mounted child seat, the other on a tagalong. I used to take dd + friend to school on a double tagalong until friend was 8 going on 9 as she wasn't a confident cyclist on her own. They had to walk part of the way home on the steepest part though as we had over 100m climb over the 2 miles!

Three is harder, but if you live somewhere flat you can do two dc in a trailer, then one on a child seat.

My two only have to walk to the end of our lane, about 50 metres - but we still seem to be late most mornings - arguments whether we take bikes or scooters seem to be the main cause.

I do think we're really lucky, but have to dodge school cars to get across the road. No lolly pop lady.

Secondary school will be a bus ride away - I'm not looking forward to that though.

Good luck to you!

Mine have always walked to school (but it is only about 5 minutes), but every since DS2 was in reception (aged 4) he and DS1 have scooted or latterly biked to swimming lessons once a week. That is just over a mile and there are no problems - rain / snow (well they would walk then!) cold. Both are very fit. They also do tennis in the other direction in all forms of weather, and amazingly, they don't complain!! Walking does take time, especially when DS2 isn't in the mood, so if you can move towards bikes in the future, that would be good. It is strongly encouraged at DSs primary school.

Get one of these
www.amazon.co.uk/Scoot-n-Pull-Red/dp/B005LGAFQC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377722368&sr=8-2&keywords=Scoot+n+pull

Mine just stand and steer on their scooter and I pull them along. You can put loop over your wrist on buggy handle.

Also invaluable for carrying scooter home on buggy if there is no scooter storage at school. Some schools have these clever bike / scooter racks, you just padlock them in.

You need some of these on bikes

dutchcargobike.com.au/2011/04/the-fr8s-have-arrived/

Ah, yes, the trusty scoot n pull!! Aside from the scooter probably the best thing I ever bought!!

Floot shoot. My dad took us to school on his bike. I sat on the saddle, my sister sat on the handlebars, and he put his foot on one pedal and scooted. We loved it, but I think it is not a practical suggestion for op.

Ah, OP, bless you, you sound like me two years ago...school over a mile in one direction, nursery another mile in the other direction, pram, pregnant, and by the time I got home it was almost time to leave again! Strong muscles, but so little time

six kids one bike!