Monday 15 October 2012

October is International Walk to School Month

I've just discovered another thing that October is the month of ... international walk to school month. The "(inter)national ... month" labels may be going into overdrive at the moment but this is a cause I feel worthy of a mention, so see below for some good reasons why you should get into the habit of walking your kids to school from an early age.

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More than half of people in the UK live close enough to their school to be able to walk. For young children, walking to school with their parents is a great opportunity to learn road safety skills, develop awareness and help them stay fit and active.

Sustrans has put together five ways walking or cycling to school can benefit your child:

  • Keeping  fit
The government recommends that young people should have a minimum of one hour moderate physical activity every day to keep healthy and prevent serious illness in later life. Walking or cycling to school is a great way of achieving this.

  • No more bad habits
Walking to school is a great way to encourage lifelong healthy habits. Once children are used to walking or cycling to school, they will naturally be happy to make other short journeys by foot instead of relying on someone to drive them.

  • Improving school performance
Teachers find that children who walk or cycle to school are more alert and more ready to learn when they arrive than those who are driven by car.

  • Help the environment
Switching to walking or cycling is a cost and hassle-free way for your child to do their bit for the environment. With more children walking to school, the roads would also be less congested, creating a safer and more pleasant environment for more and more people to walk.

  • Safety rules
Most local authorities offer pedestrian and cycle training for young children, often together with their parents and usually arranged through the school. Ask your school or local safety department for more information.

Sustrans is supporting local authorities in providing suitable walking and cycling routes for children, with wider footpaths, safe crossings, better street lighting and reduced vehicle speeds. To find out more please visit www.sustrans.org.uk/schooltravel

9 comments:

  1. there are several people on our street that drive their kids to school, we are a 5 minute walk away! terrible! I make my child walk everywhere she hates it

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  2. We couldn't get our girls into our local school that is 300meters aways but people who have to drive from miles away can! madness thought promoting walking to school was in. So we walk 1.5miles to school!

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  3. we moved house just so the children would be able to walk to school (and save fuel!) we were 6 miles from school and now were 10 min walk. Children think it's great meeting up with friends in the morning, although not so happy with all the rain of late, but I still make them walk! well I'm the one who gets most wet as I walk to school and home again.......LOL

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  4. We always try to walk - my daughter loves taking her bike or scooter!

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  5. we always walk to school and nursery :)

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  6. we always walk to school and nursery :)

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  7. I had no idea October was the official walk to school month... well it should all year round in my opinion!

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  8. My boys older now, I dont drive but we always walked to school took about 20 mins there and back. I always have loved walking and think nothing of my daily walk to and from work which is a total of 6 miles.
    Hope the weather stays dry for everyone doing it.

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  9. I've always loved walking mine to school, it's so much more peaceful then taking the car. Gives us chance for a good talk too.

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