Walking to School

October is International Walk to School Month. It is an opportunity for children throughout the world to step out together and raise the awareness, that walking is best.

Not that long ago around 70% of children walked to school, compared to just 50% today.

Although everyone is aware of how times have changed and that our children’s safety is uppermost in our minds. Walking with your child or even organising group walks with other parents can assure our children’s safety.

It has been proven that children that do some sort of exercise, especially a walk before school, do better in class because they arrive refreshed, fit and ready to learn.

Walking to school would also help reduce air pollution and carbon emissions to our environment.

Here are a few ideas to share with you;

• Why not approach your child’s school and suggest some sort of reward to anyone that walks to school?
• Think of games to play on the way to school to make it more fun?
• Have days when your child can take a scooter to school?
• Why not volunteer to help run some walking groups?
• Put notices up at school with any ideas to encourage others
• With the winter months coming up even walking half of the way is better than nothing.

Hopefully we can all encourage children to learn that any form of exercise is good for them, and can be great fun too especially if they share the experience with friends.