On average kids can walk half a mile per year of their age. For example, this means that a four-year-old could in theory walk 2 miles in one stint. Every child is different however, this calculation can give you a good estimate of what you can expect from your child.
Generally, when it comes to the length of time a child can walk it would depend on the terrain and the fitness level of the child. Experience tells me that a 3 – 5-year-old child is usually happy to walk for 30-60 mins. You can expect an older child to increase the length of time they can walk by 30 minutes for each additional year.
How Many Miles Can a Child Walk?
Children can on a whole walk for around half a mile per year of age before they will need a break. They will likely be able to walk much further if they are able to rest in between periods of walking.
We have taken our kids on long hikes that are many miles long. They have obviously taken a lot longer than any adult would have taken but they were able to do it without too much effort.
The miles that a child can walk will also depend on what the terrain is like. A paved flat surface is going to be much easier for a child to walk on as opposed to a rocky incline.
How Far Can A Child Hike?
As a rule, a child can hike a lot further than they would generally be able to walk. This is due to the different environments. A new and exciting environment is going to increase the activity level of your child.
When you put a child into a new environment which is usually the case when you hit a hiking trail, it becomes a brand new adventure for your child.
Have you ever noticed that a child can be exhausted to the point of wanting to lay on the ground of the mall whenever they need to walk a few feet? However, at the playground, they can run for hours and not appear the least bit tired.
This is very similar to hiking. The new surroundings, the exciting rocks to climb, the plants to inspect and the all exciting waterfall at the end means they are not focused on how tired they are but on the fun they are having instead.
Several years ago we hiked in national parks all over Southern Utah. It had been a dream of mine for many years and I was excited to be able to see it become a reality.
At the time we had three children aged two, four and six. They managed to do some of the most incredible hikes in the region many of which were challenging for most adults.
When our oldest was two he hiked to the top of Mount Maunganui. Now, this is a solid hike on an intense incline. He bet me to the top as I had to stop multiple times to rest and catch my breath. I still can’t believe his little two-year-old legs made it up before me. I was sore for days but he just carried on as usual!
How Far Is Too Far For A Child To Walk?
A child should not walk more than half a mile per year of their age at a time. They will need to stop and take a break before carrying on. It is important to allow them the opportunity to rest and have something to eat or drink if they need it.
If you are venturing out on a hike or a walk that you are unsure your child will be able to complete you can either bring a stroller or a hiking backpack. You can see my recommendations for the best backpack hiking carriers for kids here.
A stroller or hiking carrier will give you the option to push or carry your child if they become too tired to carry on. We have always used this as a backup option so those who can walk are able to still enjoy the hike without a whining sibling! You also don’t want to kill your children’s love of the outdoors and hiking by pushing them to walk when they are tired. It is totally a fine balance in those early years!
As for older children they will be able to better communicate their feelings and what they feel they are capable of. I have found with it comes to older children they take your lead. If you are enthusiastic and excited they will follow suit. Their enthusiasm will drive them to go further and enjoy the journey a lot more. Communicate with them and take extra breaks as needed.
Can a Two Year Old Walk a Mile?
A two-year-old can walk a mile if you are able to build them up to it. A child can walk great distanced if you start them walking short distances and allowing their body to adjust to the distance before adding more distance in.
There are various ways that you can use to help your children to be able to handle longer distances. We have used many of them over the years which has developed our children’s love of hiking.
Start Slowly
Pick a destination that is nearby that you can walk to easily. For us, it was the playground. When our children were small I would take the stroller with me but allow them to walk beside it as we made our way to the playground. At first, they would walk only a short way but before long they became comfortable walking the entire distance. We were soon able to leave the stroller at home!
Make Sure They Have The Correct Footwear
If you are serious about hiking and being in the outdoors with your kids I recommend investing in some decent hiking shoes for your kids. You can see the ones we have always used for our kids in this post
Good solid hiking shoes have made all the difference for my kids. They have been hiking since they were babies and are amazing at tackling almost any trail. However, for the longest time, they just had normal sports shoes to hike it. As soon as I purchased them all proper hiking shoes they suddenly had so much more endurance and were less sore after an intense hike.
I didn’t think that shoes would make such a difference but they really did.
Choose Hikes With Exciting Elements
Hikes with fun activities along the way or interesting landscapes are always going to encourage children to walk further. Our kids love hikes with bridges, waterfalls, caves and places to swim.
A boring trail is going to result in bored kids. Take a bit of time and research some good trails that are exciting and easy for kids. The AllTrails app is great for this.
