I Walk, you walk, let’s all walk to school
Kids can get on the right track to a lifetime of physical activity just as soon as they step outside the door – by walking to school. Safe and simple, walking is a great way to ensure your child is getting physical activity before and after the school day. “It's a great way for children to make walking a part of their daily routine and it instils active lifestyle habits into adulthood,” says Carolyn Bourque, National Program Coordinator for Go for Green – coordinating body of International Walk to School Month, or IWALK, in Canada.
So, what exactly are the benefits to starting a walk to school program in your community? According to Bourque, there are environmental, social, and safety benefits to walk to school programs. “It can lead to reduced pollution and traffic congestion around schools and it gives students a chance to walk in groups, socialize and learn safe pedestrian skills,” she says. Here are some tips to help you set up a walking program for your children that they will continue for the rest of the year.
Recruit your neighbours
IWALK aims to get students interested in walking to school. Find out if your child’s school is already planning on participating in the event and whether they are doing a one day event on IWALK day on Thursday, October 4, or encouraging participation for a full week or month. Then spread the word about the event to your neighbours, friends and other parents. When everyone is keen to participate, it will make it easier for your children to commit to walking to school. Go for Green has some tips to help increase participation in the international event.
Set up a safe and manageable route
The key, Bourque says, is to plan a safe route that your child can take with the guidance of a chaperone. “Identifying the safest possible route for all participating students is a must. Rules should also be put in place for all students, parents and volunteers participating in the walk,” Bourque says. Healthy children can manage a short walk to school without difficulty. “In general, we encourage walks no more than 1 kilometre. For students who live further from school, we encourage establishing drop-off and pick-up zones where school buses pick up the children at home and drop them off at a pre-determined location to walk the rest of the way to school with adult supervision. This way everyone can participate together.” Remember to tell the chaperone if your child is very sedentary, obese or has health problems or offer to come along the first few times to make sure your child can manage.
To get help planning a route, click here to find the contact person in your province or territory or e-mail Go for Green directly at asrts@goforgreen.ca.
Offer rewards
Talk to your child’s school about offering a reward to the class with the highest participation on the event day, week or month – and possibly for the rest of the year. Bourque suggests creating a golden shoe award out of an old sneaker by painting or decorating it, and presenting the award to the class with the highest participation. Depending on what grade the students are in, you might have to offer an added incentive, such as a special trip to the zoo or a tasty treat such as this month’s heart-healthy kid-friendly recipe, Scary Os. You can also increase interest in the event by inviting cheerleaders and mascots to perform on the launch date of your walk or at the end of the month.
