Put on some sneakers in celebration of International Walk to School Month

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on October 7, 2013. The dates and some links have been updated. 

On Wednesday, October 10, lace up your kids’ sneakers and encourage them to head to school on two feet in recognition of International Walk to School Day.

For many parents, using the car to take the kids to and from school has become the primary mode of transportation. This has led to a decrease in the number of children walking to and from school each day.

Embrace October 10 as a day to show children how fun and rewarding walking to school can be. If you are able to take the time to walk with your child that day, throw on your sneakers and join them for the journey. Include other friends and families in your neighbourhood by picking them up along the walk route, or agree to meet at a designated location so you can walk as a group.

Do you live too far away to have your child walk to school? Consider driving them to a closer point where you can drop them off to meet up with friends to walk to school, or park your car a few streets away from the school and walk with them the rest of the way. Also, check in with your child’s school to see if they have any special events planned for the day.

And get ideas for fun activities and events.

Take advantage of October 10 as a day to kick start the habit of walking to and from school. It’s a great way to ensure that your child is engaging in the daily physical activity that they need to stay healthy.