Walk to school: The easy exercise

17th May 2010 - It’s Walk to School week and more than two million primary school children are expected to take part in this annual event which has been running since 1995.

It’s organised by the national charity Living Streets, which campaigns for more walking in people-friendly streets and which each year encourages parents, pupils and children to think about their journey to and from school and the many benefits of making it on foot.

Travel changes

Over the past two decades, the number of children who walk to school has dropped from 62% to 48%, with 43% being driven to school in cars - despite the fact the majority of primary school pupils live within a 20 minute walk of their school.

Living Streets says the trend is contributing to reduced physical activity and increased childhood obesity, urban congestion and air pollution.

The NHS recommends building activity into your day and says it doesn't have to be a vigorous workout - all movement counts and that includes walking to school.

Benefits

The Walk to School campaign encourages primary school pupils, parents and staff to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily lives by walking to and from school wherever possible and says there are a wide range of benefits:

• It keeps children (and parents!) healthy
• It reduces traffic and congestion on the roads as well as pollution at the school gate
• It reduces emissions of carbon dioxide
• It provides quality time before school for parents and children
• It is an opportunity for children to play, socialise and exercise before school
• It engages children with their local communities and environments
• It can take less time than driving to the amazement of many parents!

Theme

This year’s theme is ‘Walk Your Way’ which aims to encourage parents and children to get to know their local neighbourhood better by exploring it on foot. In addition to learning more about their local environment, children will be able to learn to orientate themselves on the journey to and from school, as well as learning vital road safety skills and keeping active.

Tony Armstrong, Chief Executive of Living Streets said in a news release: “Young children are often bundled from front door to car door without the opportunity to get out on foot, to learn about road safety and to get to know their local neighbourhood.  

“Often parents say they don’t have the time to walk, but during Walk to School Week this year, our message is to give walking a go. Many people underestimate the time it takes to travel by car or public transport and overestimate how long it takes to walk.  By walking, children can be taught important road safety messages, feel part of their community and gain the confidence they deserve.