when I was a kid, many years ago, LOL, we lived several blocks down the street from the grade school.
All the kids walked to school. There were no buses back then.
I walked to school at the age of 5 to first grade. Our country school did not have a kindergarten class back then.
It was never questioned. Our town was very small and everyone knew everyone else.
I also played outside til dark, and rode my back all over the small "town" to the city limits.
It was a very different time then , and it's kind of sad that today's kids won't know the freedom we had every day as kids.