Celebrate iWalk to School Day #iWalk by Walking to School

October is International iWalk to School month. iWalk Day is an annual mass celebration of active transportation that began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, this event has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school in more that 40 countries around the world. In Ontario, hundreds of schools hold events, celebrations, and fun activities on iWalk Day. This year's iWalk Day is this Wednesday, October 3.

The Waterloo Regional Block Parent® Program believes that October is the perfect time to encourage kids to walk to school. Regular physical activity at a young age provides a greater chance of developing long-term healthy habits and continuing an active lifestyle later in life. A simple way for parents to help kids increase their physical activity every day is to empower them to walk to school.

Even busy parents of young children can support the development of walking habits by taking advantage of the Waterloo Region Walking School Bus program across the Region.
 

The Walking School Bus is a group of school children living in the same area, who walk to school together under the supervision of a trained parent or community volunteer (known as a Walk Leader) along a planned and safe route with scheduled stops. Taking part in a Walking School Bus program could add an extra 15 to 20 minutes of physical activity for children per day.

• Compared to children who are driven to school, children who walk to school are more physically active; not just during the trip to/from school, but over the course of the entire day. It can contribute to better focus in the classroom; greater test scores; and increased physical and mental health.
• Only 9 per cent of Canadian children meet the daily recommendations for physical activity, and only 25 per cent of 5-17 year-olds typically use modes of active transportation. 
• The number of children actively travelling to school has declined in recent decades; while motor vehicle trips are increasing.
• 95 per cent of young Canadians are not active enough. Given the low proportion of children meeting recommended physical activity guidelines in Ontario, there is a need for programs that support youth and their families to be more active. 
• The Walking School Bus provides an opportunity for children to get an extra 15 to 20 minutes of physical activity per day to reach the recommended amount of daily physical activity.
• The Waterloo Regional Block Parent® Program and the Canadian Cancer Society provides the resources, training, and materials necessary to support schools to implement and sustain a Walking School Bus program and get more children walking to school. 
• More children walking to school means less traffic congestion around the school from cars dropping off children; this can also make the school zone safer.
• Walking to school can lead to increased knowledge of road safety and can build the confidence children need to navigate around their community.