can your 5 year old walk 2 miles?

smileyface

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 12:18 pm

We were invited to a bar mitzvah in a shul that's two miles away, I'm going to get a babysitter for my baby and 3 year old, but I was wondering if you think my five year old would be able to walk or would it be too much for him? He goes to shul with my husband every week and would be upset if he cant go, but I wouldnt want to take him if hes just kvetching the whole way.

Isramom8

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 12:21 pm

Mine would ask to ride in his stroller. And I'd roll my eyes but let (if there was an eruv). (He is the youngest.)

tikva18

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 12:23 pm

my twins could - they just turned 6, but are small. At least I think they could. THey routinely walk 1 mi each way to my shul and back. One walked 1 1/2 to another shul just fine, but I brought the stroller because it was late at night and they were overtired.

mummy-bh

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 12:26 pm

you have to know your kid.
some of mine could have done it, some would have kvetched until I let them, and then kvetched the whole way as well.
One of my kids used to walk 2 miles every shabbos afternoon, at the age of 3, to visit my FIL o'h in his nursing home, and most weeks we all walked home again.

abby1776

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 12:41 pm

My 4 yo DD and 6 yo DS did that this past weekend - but there was a fair amount of kvetching.

yo'ma

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 1:12 pm

Also depends on the weather. I don't know what it's like by you now.

Rodent

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 1:45 pm

Our 5y2m old walks about that far and back on Shabbat just fine, barely a whinge at all. There is some uphill etc, it's not a flat route. It's warming up here so not sure that I'll allow him to do it in the middle of summer, there's really nowhere to get water along the way.

Our recently 4 year old walks there fine but has only gone for minha and gotten a ride home after Shabbat so not sure how he'd go both ways.

smileyface

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 1:48 pm

Thanks for all your replies, I think I'll give it a go.

Alef Bais

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 5:54 pm

Mine can't. I walk 2 miles almost every day to pick my almost-5-year-old up. On Sunday, when he doesn't have school but we have to pick his brother up, I take the double carriage. The one time I tried walking it with him and took a single carriage for my daughter, he ended up forcing his sister to walk part of the way and complained the rest of the way.

gold21

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 6:01 pm

NO WAY.

I guess he physically is capable of walking 2 miles B"H, but there is no way he could do it without becoming exhausted and cranky.

I would not even dream of trying to have him walk ONE mile straight.

gold21

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 6:04 pm

how can 3 year olds do it without becoming exhausted and cranky?

my 3 year old can go for like 3 blocks before he wants to go in the stroller!

even *I* can sometimes become exhausted and cranky Wink

when walking for too long.

(I mean, I go walking sometimes, but I have sneakers on, and a water-bottle, and I stop when I am tired.
on shabbos, there is no water bottle, probably no sneakers, and you cant just stop anywhere.)

5S5Sr7z3

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 6:09 pm

Yes, mine can. I usually walk 2 1/2 miles every shabbos in the summer to visit someone.

Chocoholic

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 8:08 pm

You can. But remember, you also have to walk back. He might eat a lot, get tired, grumpy or throw a tantrum).

BinahYeteirah

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 8:38 pm

My three-year-old walks a little over a mile to shul and back (after a rest at shul). I'd say he could even do two miles, but he might be tired on the way back. I would definitely try it with a five-year-old. It depends on the kid and if he will see this as a fun thing to do. If my kids are having fun, they will just walk and walk, assuming the weather isn't too extreme.

DrMom

Thu, Dec 01 2011, 8:56 pm

He definitely could, physically, but we would have to make sure there was a constant stream of interesting things to see/do/talk about to keep him from getting bored/cranky.

Sometimes we sing to keep him distracted if we need to make a long schlepp somewhere.

amother

Fri, Dec 02 2011, 12:38 am

Wow! I can't believe this thread! shock

My kids and I walk almost 2 miles to school (and back again) each day with no problem.

I have NEVER heard of a 5yo riding in a stroller unless they have severe physical disabilities!
We have strollers here for babies and toddlers, but usually by 2 - 2.5 kids get used to walking!

When my youngest was born, I bought a "buggy board" to attach to the stroller for my 23 month old to ride on when she got tired walking. But a FIVE YEAR OLD? There's no wonder so many kids are becoming obese Rolling Eyes

veganesther

Fri, Dec 02 2011, 3:19 am

no, my 5 year old could not have walked 2 miles to shul.

freidasima

Fri, Dec 02 2011, 4:12 am

My three year old grandson walks about 3-4 km a day regularly...