Is your school ready for National Walk to School Week

From May 21-25 the UK will embrace Walk to School Week.

Established by Living Streets precisely 90 years ago, the hope is to inspire young people and grown-ups to walk the school run over taking the car or the bus.

Aimed at primary schools, the point is to improve the individual wellbeing of the school community through the simple act of walking.

The need to promote wellbeing

It is thought that a third of children in England between 2 and 15 years old are obese.

Government data reveals the shocking truth that our children are becoming overweight earlier and to the point that is a risk to health.

90% of obese children will become obese adults, as habits formed in childhood persist. Obesity is a leading cause of Type 2 diabetes, as well as low self-esteem and increased rates of mental health issues.

Although diet is a significant factor in the weight of our children, so is exercise. Our young people live an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Without exercise, children will find it hard to metabolise food no matter the quality of the diet.

The simplicity of a walk to school

Being constantly bombarded with parenting advice and government directives on what you should be doing better is exhausting. It is refreshing to be offered a potential solution that is manageable and better for our environment to boot.

Walk to School Week is a simple way to make a big difference. It may be a little inconvenient, and it may mean waking up a few minutes earlier. However, with those steps you take to school you could introduce your child to a much better way of living.

First, they will start the day having taken a couple of thousand of steps on average. Then, there is the quiet, quality time you will spend with your little person.

Without that need to focus on the drive, you can offer your mind to your child for a little bit of chat and discussion. Next, you will introduce young people to bird song, early morning dew and a sense of community. How important could this become for their mental health?

If you want even more motivation to get involved in Walk to School Week, then you should know that the air outside schools is the most polluted than anywhere in any built-up area. All those idling parent cars are making the air pretty toxic, just at the height that will reach your children’s lungs the easiest.

This year’s theme

Each year Living Streets offers a theme. This year students are prompted to consider how they could make the walk to school more pleasant. What could they do to improve the area so people would want to make this walk every week?

If you want to take part, then all you need to do is walk to school that week. If you want to be more involved, then you can visit www.livingstreets.org.uk for more information and the activity pack. If you're going to inspire others, then post your walks and antics to social media with #WalkToSchoolWeek.

Remember, safety first. If you choose to walk to school with your children, or your children want to walk together – use one of our high visibility vests to make sure they stay visible to traffic. You may even want to get one of our water bottles, to make sure children remain happily hydrated on their morning journey to school.

To find out more about the school resources and products provided by Paper Plus, why not browse our website, or get in touch with our friendly team for more details.