Active School Travel Toolkit
An easy way to get kids active on a daily basis is to take advantage of something that’s already a part of their routine: the trip to and from school. Like all physical activity, walking and biking to school will help to increase their attention spans during the school day, decrease their stress levels, and improve their mental health. Active school travel is a great way to prepare for learning. Plus, it’s fun!
Below, you’ll find a variety of articles and resources to help spread the word about the importance of active school travel. Need content for a newsletter or website? You are welcome to reprint our stories if you follow our guidelines.
Active school travel
- Walk or bike to school for happier, healthier kids
- Give active transportation a try this year
- How to get started using active transportation
- 5 ways to make the walk to school more fun
- 3 steps to prep your child for back-to-school bicycling
- 5 active and fun ways to commute to school with kids
How to
- How to teach kids to pedal their bikes properly
- How to choose the right size and type of helmet for your child
- How to teach your child to ride a bike
- Tips to help timid riders brave the bike park (plus six awesome Canadian pump tracks for all-ages fun)
- Skateboarding 101: What to know if your kids want to give it a try
Events
- Celebrate Bike to School Week with these tips
- International Walk to School Day FAIL
- Why you should participate in Winter Walk Day
- From Ontario Active School Travel: Walk and Wheel Events
Independent mobility
- Get active in your neighbourhood with Explore Your 2.4
- Toronto’s chief planner talks about creating a “walkable” city
More family reads
- How to stay active once kids are back in school
- Create your own back-to-school bike rodeo
- My son asked me to go bike riding with him; it was a revelation
- Biking to school remains a joy, even when the kids don’t need me anymore
- 10 ways to make biking fun for kids
Shareables
Share these images on your social channels to promote active school travel. Consider including a link to an AfL article above with the image.
Sizes: 1080 x 1080 (Instagram) | 1200 x 630 (Facebook) | 1200 x 675 (Twitter)
Sizes: 1080 x 1080 (Instagram) | 1200 x 630 (Facebook) | 1200 x 675 (Twitter)
Sizes: 1080 x 1080 (Instagram) | 1200 x 630 (Facebook) | 1200 x 675 (Twitter)
Sizes: 1080 x 1080 (Instagram) | 1200 x 630 (Facebook) | 1200 x 675 (Twitter)
Posters
These letter size posters are perfect for broadcasting the active school travel message in public spaces such as schools, recreation centres, and health offices. They’re also free to download.
Contact us
To talk with us directly about our resources or sharing our content, please contact either Lynn Jobe or Liz Smeaton.