Now in its 25th year, Walk Safely to School Day is back this Friday – and plenty of local schools are getting in on the action.
Last year, Westmead Christian Grammar School turned its car park into a playground in an attempt to get more families to walk to school.
It worked, with Deputy Principal Netta Collins saying more than 90 per cent of the students walked to school that day.
Now the local school is hoping to encourage even more children to lace up their walking shoes this May 10.
“We’ve been trying to increase the engagement with it year on year, obviously COVID shut it down a little bit, but last year what we did was we actually turned it into a healthy morning moment with the whole school community,” she told Parra News.
“So, as they arrived to school in the morning we had skipping ropes out and just had some really fun things so, when they came in, instead of seeing a sea of cars, it was actually a new playground for them in the morning and so it was really delightful.”
Championed by the Pedestrian Council Australia, Walk Safely to School Day aims to raise awareness of the health, road safety, transport and environmental benefits that regular walking, or alternative active transport can provide for the long term well-being of children.
Collins said there’s a huge of number benefits to walking to school in the morning – especially for the students who don’t necessarily have access to their own backyard.
“When they walk to school there’s a different level of engagement between parents and children, it gives space for conversation and dialogue,” she said.
“But it is also getting them physically active, it kind of gets everything started in terms of getting the brain charged up and ready to go for the day.”
“A big percentage of our families live in apartments, so they don’t have access to those backyards and front yards for kids to run around in the same way, so walking to school just activates so many things.”
Coinciding with National Road Safety Week, Walk Safely to School Day also encourages families to have conversations about road safety.
“We absolutely reinforce how important it is for families, parents to be holding the hands of their children if they’re under the age of 10,” Collins added.
“Especially when it comes to crossing the road, making sure that they’re holding their hands when they cross the road, using traffic lights where they’re available and keeping them safe, and if possible walk with the adult on the outside, closer to the road, and the child on the inside.”
To find out more, visit www.walk.com.au/WSTSD.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other projects.