National Walk to School Week is a 5-day challenge which will take place from the 15th to the 19th of May and is designed to help children reach their minimum 60 minutes of exercise per day.
11th May 2023
National Walk to School Week is designed to be inspirational – meaning it doesn’t need to stop once the week is over and can extend beyond this time to make enjoyable, regular, daily walking part of your family’s morning routine.
An early morning walk is a healthy lifestyle choice. However, it also helps you to spend social time with your children before school. This sets your children up for a positive day as they feel connected. On the way back from school, walking provides a great opportunity for communication and to learn about their day.
The health benefits from walking:
Children often wake up buzzing with energy and walking to school gives them a chance to let off steam before they head into the classroom. This helps them to settle, concentrate and learn improving their focus and concentration when it’s time to sit quietly and listen.
Getting children used to the routine of walking to school is also great for preparing for transitioning to more independence. When they get to senior school, they will be used to navigating their way and managing their timings to make registration. They will also have more safety awareness, so that they will confident travelling independently. You’ll also feel more confident in their abilities - giving you peace of mind.
Another great benefit is the reduced morning traffic as fewer cars means less congestion, lower carbon emissions and lower pollution. Long term, this will lead to cleaner air.
The more people that get involved with Walk to School Week the more fun it will be. The busier walkways provide a great opportunity for social interaction, meeting other parents and building friendships. You could even arrange a regular walking group with other parents to build on the momentum Walk to School Week has started.
Walk to School Week is actually about leaving the car behind so any other type of exercise is encouraged including cycling or riding a scooter.
Alternatively, you could reduce the car journey by taking a 'drive and stride’ approach - parking further away than you normally would and walking the rest of the way. The idea is to reduce traffic congestion and pollution around school gates whilst encouraging healthy lifestyle choices.
To get involved all you've got to do is leave the car as far away from school as possible and walk, bike or scoot. Walk to Week will hopefully inspire you to do this more often as big changes start with small steps.
Walk to School Week has a wider impact than just walking. It provides a great opportunity for you to talk to your children about healthy lifestyle choices, the benefits of exercise and eating a balanced diet. Walking is a form of low impact cardiovascular exercise which for best results should combined with strength and resistance training. Whilst typically we think of strength and resistance training at the gym – an outdoor exercise park provides an opportunity for children to engage in strength and resistance training - improving balance, developing coordination and building agility whilst improving cardiovascular and muscle strength. School is a great gateway for children to learn healthy living and exercise as it’s when they are taking their first steps to independence.
But you don’t need to just get involved at school. Take a walk at the weekend to also feel the benefits and look for outdoor play parks or outdoor gym installations to for Cardio, Strength and Resistance exercise options. Take a look at our Outdoor Gym map to find your ‘free to use’ Fresh Air Fitness outdoor gym equipment nearest to where you live.
At Fresh Air Fitness, we provide schools, colleges, universities, parks and community spaces with sustainable and innovative outdoor gym solutions.
Our fun, engaging and easy-to-use equipment is an excellent way to encourage children to get involved and enjoy more physical activity with their friends - keeping them happy, fit and healthy.
Since 2007, we’ve installed over 4,000 gyms nationwide and provide an end to end service from initial site visit to design, delivery and installation. We project manage your outdoor gym project from inception to completion and provide full after sales care through our dedicated team of outdoor gym specialists. Read some of our success stories here.
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