Why walking to school is important and how you can support it
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Why walking to school is important and how you can support it
From boosting a
child’s confidence to giving them greater freedom, walking to school can make a
big difference to the lives of young people.
Not only does it
help to reduce pollution by reducing the number of cars on the school run, but
it can also mean that youngsters arrive at school energised and ready to learn.
This is why Walking to School Week is so important, and it’s
also why a growing number of school children are getting involved in the
initiative each year.
What is Walking to School Week?
This is why Walking to School Week is so important, and it’s
also why a growing number of school children are getting involved in the
initiative each year.
Taking place from 16-20 May – part of National Walking month
– the week is an annual celebration of walking and putting our best foot
forwards.
Walking to School Week is the brainchild of Living Streets,
the UK’s national charity for walking, and they have the simple ambition of encouraging
more people to get out walking and exploring.
Children are being challenged to travel to school in
sustainable ways for the duration of the week, and during Walking to School
Week in 2021, pupils from more than 1,600 schools took part.
It’s important to note that they don’t necessarily need to
walk – cycling, running and scootering are also actively encouraged.
The many benefits of walking
Walking to school, or even part of the way, brings with it
physical and mental benefits for children, but various research has also shown
that it can boost concentration and a willingness to learn.
In addition, the act of walking to school can provide
valuable early experience of road safety and of the need to be careful around
the nation’s roads.
The environment also benefits, and especially the area close
to the school gates as emissions are reduced when vehicle numbers are down.
How can teachers get their classes involved?
Pupils can be encouraged to walk to school throughout May,
but there’s also added incentives to make it more fun for them.
Walking challenges can be completed within class or year groups, while Living Streets also runs the WOW initiative, whereby children are rewarded with collectable badges should they travel sustainably at least once a week.
It is designed by pupils, and it is estimated that walking
among youngsters increases by around a quarter for every school taking part.
Some schools can even get involved in WOW for
free if they are in eligible areas.
There’s also a number of different teaching resources
available online which support Walking to School Week in 2022, including this toolkit and assembly
pack from Twinkl.
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