Children’s Views of Independent Mobility during Their School Travels

Abstract

There is limited understanding of the influence of children’s independent mobility on their school travel experiences. This paper aims to understand these experiences in light of children’s levels of accompaniment and the things that are of interest to them as they travel. Employing written questionnaires and focus group discussions, research was undertaken with 178 children (aged 9-11 years) in Sydney, Australia. Children who walked alone or were accompanied by siblings or peers during their school trips reported more features that provided them with a source of interest than those accompanied by parents. Traveling without adult supervision provided children with increased opportunities to converse with their friends and to explore their surroundings. The school trip can therefore represent a critical avenue for children to build their confidence by engaging in their own activities as they make their way from home to school and back again.