Dear Parents/Guardians,
Along
with the chillier weather, leaf raking, and apple picking, the month of October
is also Walk-to-School Month. We encourage your child to walk, skateboard, or
ride a bike to school (or their bus stop) as often as possible in the month of
October and the following months. If you are one of the many adults who still
drive their kids to school within the 1.6 kilometer radius, here are some of
the major benefits walking to school has as versus to driving your child to
school:
1. Walking is known to improve
academic performance. Children are proven to be more alert and ready for
school, generally happier and more optimistic towards the day ahead of them.
They show higher academic performance in numeric, verbal, and reasoning
abilities. Finally, walking could reduce stress while increasing creativity and
concentration levels.
2. Walking to school is a way
to ensure that your child gets his/ her daily exercise. Studies show that
currently, school-aged children are not getting enough physical activity.
Walking to school may the perfect way to incorporate the 60 recommended minutes
of physical activity suggested by many doctors into your child’s routine.
3. There are benefits related
to children’s well-being and state of mind. These include gaining
self-confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility, as well as
breathing fresh air and interacting with the environment. Not only that, it’s
also fun (especially walking on fallen leaves)!
4. Finally, walking helps the
environment by cutting down on pollution emitted when driving. Not only
does walking or biking to school give kids the benefit of exercise, higher academic
performance, but you are also helping the environment and our planet by helping
to reduce global warming. One walk is all it takes to help make a difference!
In short, walking or biking to
school is a win-win concept we believe all families should consider
incorporating to their schedules. Thank you for reading, and happy walking!
If you are worried about your
child’s safety or have other questions, the link below can help answer them:
Other Sources:
