When Can Kids Walk to and from School Alone?

As a parent, figuring out if your child is ready to walk to school alone can feel tricky. There aren’t strict rules about it, but many schools suggest that kids under eight should have an adult or older sibling with them for safety.

Most kids usually start walking to school alone somewhere between 9 and 11. For instance, my daughter began walking on her own at 10. It took almost a year to prepare her for this big step by practicing the route and going over safety tips. It takes time, and it’s normal to have many thoughts about it!

Be a good example

As a parent, it's crucial to understand that teaching your child by example is far more effective than simply talking to them. Your actions carry more weight than your words; children are observant and often mimic what they see. This is why the saying “Well done is better than well said” rings true—your behavior sets the standard for them. 

I've seen many parents with small children cross at red pedestrian lights because they can't wait. Please don’t do this in front of your kids; they look up to you.

Focus is important

My main responsibility was to ensure that my daughter remained focused while crossing the street. We would stop all conversations as we approached a crosswalk to accomplish this. At that moment, we became ultra-cautious pedestrians. We would look left, then right, and then left again before crossing the street—both of us. 😊

Here are some important lessons I taught my daughter:

• Always cross the road at designated crossings, and never cross between parked vehicles.

• If vehicles are parked close to the pedestrian crossing, be extra careful.

• When walking to school with friends, all conversation must stop at the pedestrian crossing.

• If a friend tries to cross the street when the pedestrian light is red, you should not follow—your safety is non-negotiable. I'm teaching her never to follow the crowd blindly. This principle applies to everything, not just crossing the street.

  Bad behavior doesn't become acceptable just because it's adopted by the majority.

• Never talk on the phone while crossing the road.

• Even if the pedestrian light turns green, always wait for vehicles to come to a complete stop before crossing.

• Make eye contact with drivers to ensure they see you, especially on streets without traffic lights.

Ok, those are rules that I consider as crucial regarding crossing a street, but let's talk about the period when I felt that she was ready to go to school alone.

When is the right time for a kid to walk to school alone?

I believe that each parent should make this decision independently rather than relying solely on internet articles. Those articles share the experiences of others, just like mine. However, it's important for us to share our own experiences 😊.

From my experience, she was ready to go to school alone:

• When she asked me to let her go to school alone. It meant that she gained self-confidence.

• When she repeated everything I taught her about crossing the street, it showed that she had mastered the material. 😉

• After a year of constant practice. It meant that I felt more relaxed. I didn't throw her into the fire; I did my best to provide her with good training😊.