WALK TO SCHOOL
Oh, look! Another article about walking to school... Let’s face it. Usually, the headlines yell that the results of children walking to school are that they are healthier and happier students, leading to better learning outcomes.
Or, that by making school streets have less traffic your neighbourhood is going to improve. You will get a calmer street, your community will become more cohesive, and you will breathe cleaner air...and many otherf benefits.
Ok, so if you are still reading, let’s make it easy for you. We prepared two easy reading lists of facts you probably already knew, and some surprising discoveries that you will learn by the end of the post.
THINGS YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNEW ABOUT CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL:
Biking, walking, and wheeling to school are great ways for kids to get more physical activity and time outdoors.
Active school travel reduces car trips – this reduces our carbon footprint, cuts back on greenhouse gas emissions, and improves air quality.
Kids who are active on the way to school have better concentration, supporting a healthy classroom environment, and improving kids’ school experiences.
There are multiple Active and Safe Routes to School initiatives which are a set of programs and services to reverse the trend of driving children to school.
Walking is associated with a host of other benefits related to both physical and mental health. Anxiety and stress relief, improved cognitive capacities, bolstered immune system functioning are only some of them.
SURPRISING DISCOVERIES:
A Walking School Bus (WSB) is an organized group of students who walk to and from school together with the support of an adult leader. DASH is seeking responsible, enthusiastic, and caring volunteers for a Walking School Bus pilot program that is taking place in North Vancouver. Volunteers will walk with a group of students to and/or from school at least once a week.
A walk to school might teach you (and your kids):
where the best puddles are located;
how many steps are in that flight of “magic stairs”;
what kind of treats the bakery displays in its window;
how long it takes to cross the street;
when the first buds start to spring and the first leaves fall;
an endless list of questions and curiosities for you and your child to discover!
Happy Walking!
This blog post is written by BEST’s Isabel Garcia. #walkability
