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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Do you think a mile too far to walk to school for a four year old?

58 replies

boxofshells · 02/09/2014 19:54

Got to apply for schools for dd. Favoured school is a mile away - do you think that is too far to expect a four (nearly five) year old to walk, not just am when full of breakfast but pm when tired. Not alone, obviously.

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Timeforabiscuit · 02/09/2014 19:56

No, a mile is what my daughters do and its been fine, a bit slow at times - but actually really like the chance to natter with them.

Acolyte · 02/09/2014 19:57

We've done a mile each way. During reception she used to hop on a buggy board on the way home sometimes. She had only just turned 4 when she started school.

Lampy · 02/09/2014 19:58

I don't think so. My dd's nursery is just over a mile away and it's fine. Having her scooter really helps for when she is a bit tired.

Lampy · 02/09/2014 19:59

Forgot to say, dd is four

stargirl1701 · 02/09/2014 19:59

No.

PourquoiTuGachesTaVie · 02/09/2014 19:59

No not at all. It's a mile from our house to the train station and ds has been walking that with me since he was 2 and a half and we stopped using the buggy. Just don't expect it to be a quick walk!

tippytappywriter · 02/09/2014 20:21

Maybe take a snack to have on the walk home but a mile should be fine.

MehsMum · 02/09/2014 20:23

No. We did 1.25m when the DC were small. Could be slow, but it did them and me a lot of good. It was nice wind-down time on the way home. I used to drive when it rained

MizLizLemon · 02/09/2014 20:28

We walk a mile and have been doing so since reception. I noticed this summer when she was running around in the park with some of her class mates who are driven to school every day that she has far more stamina than them. The other children were out of breath and stopping but DD was still going, so there's a real advantage to a longish walk to school.

EnolaAlone · 02/09/2014 20:28

No, not too far. To start off with it took us 25 minutes, but now, 2 years later, we're down to 15 minutes. It is a nice amount of time for chatting about the day on the way home too.

Pancakeflipper · 02/09/2014 20:29

No. DS1 had to walk 1.5miles to nursery when 3yrs as baby brother got the buggy and I had no car. He managed fine.

teacherwith2kids · 02/09/2014 20:41

No, not too far.

The mile to pre-school [same site, only one in village] at 2.5 years old was a little taxing, especially when DD had to go up in the morning for her session, home for lunch, up and back to drop off DS after lunch for his session, then up and back again to pick him up ... but at school age it should be fine.

A scooter made it much more fun, though I appreciate that they can be tricky around crowded playgrounds and you may not want to carry it all the way there to bring her back.

beautifulgirls · 02/09/2014 20:42

No, but make sure she is doing plenty of walking in the build up to starting school so she is used to the exercise. DD3 has walked the school run with me (both directions) to take her older sisters to school since she was at least 3 and probably a bit before that. I have had good reason to get her active for health reasons but found that a scooter helps a lot with the trip. We don't go quite a mile to school, but easily do more than that with the round trip and she doesn't bat an eyelid about it. Now she will be stopping at school each day in reception instead!

Nowhere · 02/09/2014 20:44

No, not at all. Get a scooter and a decent waterproof coat for her.

eddiemairswife · 02/09/2014 21:52

The guidance is that up to 2 miles is reasonable for an under 8 to walk to school. This has been in place since the 1944 Education Act.

ILovePud · 02/09/2014 22:00

A bit grim when it's chucking it down but no I don't think that's too far generally, a daily walk like that is a great healthy habit to get the children used to as well.

threepiecesuite · 02/09/2014 22:21

We will walk 0.8 of a mile, downhill on the way and uphill on the way home. Wish it was the other way around!

ladybirdandsnails · 02/09/2014 22:37

Bike, balance bike or scooter. All used by loads at our school. Halves the time. 80 percent walk, bike or scoot

catkind · 02/09/2014 22:38

I wish we had a place that near, and no think a mile would be fine. Would use a scooter or a bike rather than walk though if at all possible.
At the end of the day she won't know any different and it'll be good for her.

NotCitrus · 02/09/2014 22:51

I've done this for the last year - with good waterproofs and a scooter it's fine and I've lost an excess dress size! And a banana and bottle of water.

steppemum · 02/09/2014 22:56

I think it is fine, I know a couple of people who walk that far.

I would suggest scooter/bike as a way of making the walk faster.
snack at pick-up time
really good coat/shoes/gloves etc

Kendodd · 02/09/2014 23:00

No.

In fact I would think it's actually a good thing.

MrsHathaway · 02/09/2014 23:00

I don't think it is unreasonable, no. Our school run is slightly under a mile and the 3yo manages it most days unless feeling lazy. By nearly-five his older brother certainly managed it every time.

Kendodd · 02/09/2014 23:01

I don't think they need a snack either.

Lovage · 03/09/2014 12:30

Totally depends on the child, I'd say. DS1 would have been fine, DS2 still struggles with our 1/2 mile at age nearly 6. If yours is generally a good walker now I'd say it'll be fine. If not, you might want to think about scooters (a great help to DS2) and bribes/treasure hunts/points of interest en route. But I certainly wouldn't reject a school on the basis of that distance if it's otherwise good.

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