How long can a 4 year old walk to school?

[Jumzy]

New to scotland and to the weather. My kids have never walked to school and are new to the cold weather. I wanted to ask if its feasible for a 4 year old to walk 20 minutes to school? Not sure how cold it gets......

@Jumzy

Oh thanks for the answers. Its 0.8miles to walk

Ours is 0.4mi but I consider it a very short easy walk and we could definitely have managed 0.8 (and many at our school do) from p1.

The youngest they can start school here is 4 year and 6 month. But half of the children born January to February and quite a lot of those born in December are deferred, so they start at 5 1/2 instead.

Just so you know that’s an option.

My ds walked that daily and loved it, so much to chat about on the way, allowed an hour for the journey so I wasn't stressed and we could stop to admire a flower. Always went into school bright eyed and bushy tailed, wakes you up ready for learning a treat. We also took his balance bike but then I'd have to run. Great way to start the day and to this day he does not find it odd to be expected to walk somewhere unlike some like I know who freak out if a journey on foot is suggested no matter how small. 4 is the perfect age to start.

Yes a 4 year old should be able to manage a 20 minute walk to school and back. Scooter can make things easier. Get good wet weather gear and decent shoes.

Definitely manageable. My 4 year old does the mile and then back so 2 miles twice a day to his siblings school and has down since he was 3 (I pushed him in a pram before that). He usually goes on a very lightweight balance bike. I carry it on the really steep bits. I've actually applied for a school further away for him for September. You just need good outdoor gear for all year round weather.

Totally doable! And easy... we live half a mile from school and takes us 10mins tops to and from school.

Yes our school is a 20 minute walk away and my DD has been doing the walk since she turned 3, we walked her brother 20mins to school then 20mins back home twice a day and she very quickly got used to it.

We walk one hilly mile to playschool and the same hilly mile home. 4 and 3 y old. 30 mins.
Northerly also! We have walked in gales, snow and ice.

I leave earlier and allow extra time ( 10 mins) for them to randomly stop if needed, as they like it better that way, and its less stressful for me!

If your child can't walk 0.8 miles to primary school I'd be worried! I'm shocked at how many of my neighbours drive the mile to our local primary school. It must take them longer to faff about with parking than it would to just walk door to door. Don't primary schools in Scotland do the "daily mile" run/walk?

My 4yo (north east England so similar weather) walks to school, it's a 15 minute walk for an adult, we allow a good half hour to stop and examine every stick, stone, passing dog, etc.

We walked 20 mins from nursery upwards

It's not the North Pole though. A jacket, gloves, scarf and hat. Sorted

Mine walks 1 mile.

Get him walking it's great for both of you !
My son did it from 3.5 and we regularly walk everywhere now . As others said , take a scooter as well .

Walking to school = fine. Walking home? A different matter...they're tired and hungry so I'd take plenty of snacks (for outside the playground, we had a friend who used to basically demand all ds1's till I clocked it and gave them to him when we were on our own). Anyway. And something you can push/help them with, like a bike or scooter.

My ds2 is v much not a walker but we will definitely be trying in September

Agree with PP that the walk home takes significantly longer than the walk to school. We have a half hour walk to school because we go via nursery to drop the little one off, then on the way home from school it’s a ten minute walk for an adult but takes at least half an hour usually. They stop, walk backwards, pick up sticks, climb on rocks. Drives me mad

Scooter. Can get ones with seats, ones with a strap to pull them along.

I think it will partly depend on the child. We're in the north of England, mine had a walk of 0.9 miles to school. The eldest (who was an autumn baby) was fine for the walk to school but was horrendously behaved on the walk home because she was tired. Her little sister was newly 3 when her sister started school walked the whole way to school and back twice a day happily. But I had a newborn as well so we were having fairly lazy days at home in between the walks.

You'll need a good coat and wellies if you're on the west coast though!

Thank you mums! would get the boots and jackets and all :)

Hi need some advice my son is 4 and we recently moved so his old school is an hour walk away not sure if he will cope with the walk every morning and the way back especially when winter comes it's going to be a lot more difficult. Any advice would be helpful tried looking into other schools but they have no places left for reception I'm lost about what to do

Bike with trailer seat?

but really you need to start your own thread because when this comes up in the active threads list people will see the op (from 2 years ago) not your question buried in the thread so your question will be lost and you won't get the answers you're looking for.

My 4 year old walks 0.8 miles to nursery daily but you do need to ensure they are in appropriate clothing in the winter. Layers of clothes, waterproof jacket, wellies, gloves and hats are essential in the winter.