How to Organize a National Walk to School Day

Want to organize a National Walk to School Day at your local school or community? Check out these ideas and action plans to get started!

I’m lucky—our local elementary school is so close that we can walk every day, while our junior and high schools are within biking distance. No need to load into the car in the mornings or fight for a parking spot after school. We can walk at our own pace and schedule.

That said, I also know that walking to school—even if you live close enough—isn’t always feasible. We still drove to  their old preschool, even though we could’ve walked, because I had to drive to work afterward.

Still, I’m grateful that our current circumstances allow us to walk and bike to school every day. Not only that, but we’re also joined by many neighborhood kids who make their way to school the same way.

So, imagine my surprise last year when I learned that our school had never held a National Walk to School Day event. That’s why I was more than willing to collaborate with my friend and PTA president to organize one at our school.

National Walk to School Day is typically held on the first Wednesday of October in the hopes of promoting the benefits of walking to school, like:

• Creating safe routes to school. The more people who walk, the more need and awareness there are for safe walking to school.
• Physical activity. Walking is a healthy habit that can be done easily and regularly. Plus, it’s a simple joy that can lead to a fun start of the day.
• Eco-friendly. Fewer cars mean less pollution and traffic around school sites and less reliance on fossil fuels.
• School spirit. Everyone—kids, parents, and teachers alike—can’t help but feel a boost of morale as they walk together to school.

So, what are a few things you can do to plan this event at your school and be part of a movement? Here are a few ideas:

1. Get approval

The first step is to get the event approved and marked on the school calendar. Approach your PTA and see if you can reserve the date and chair the event. Together, you can then approach the principal for the final A-okay to move forward.

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2. Encourage participation

Use the weeks leading up to Walk to School Day to encourage the school community to participate. For instance, create a graphic that can be used on social media and printed as posters or banners around the school. Include the graphic as a blurb on the school website and weekly newsletter.

Not every family can walk to school every day, but having an event can encourage some families to make an exception. For instance, a parent might come in to work a little later that day so she can accompany her kids on the walk (even if she doesn’t normally do this every day).

For those who live too far to walk, have them park just three blocks away from school and walk the rest of the way. And remind families that riding bicycles count, too.

Lastly, encourage teachers to participate as well! Perhaps they can walk from home if they live nearby, or set up a meeting spot with her class a few blocks away from school. Teachers who participate are more likely to have students follow suit.

3. Designate meet up sites

At our old school, the PTA designated three different meet up sites so that families can gather and walk together. This was a fantastic way to walk in numbers and allowed people who lived farther away to still walk to school. More people walking together on the sidewalks made traffic easier to navigate.

Pick convenient places such as those with plenty of parking or by a coffee shop. Vary the sites by locations to cover different directions people might be coming from. And you can select a site that’s only three blocks away from school for those who can only meet the minimum.

4. Request crossing guards or police escorts

See if your city, school district, or local police can help by sending crossing guards. They can help families safely cross major intersections or busy streets. Police officers can even temporarily halt traffic to let students walk safely on crosswalks.

This could be a great way for the city, school district, local businesses, or police department to promote their programs, too. For instance, the sheriff’s office can share resources on pedestrian safety education, while a bicycle shop can offer bike safety checks.

5. Boost morale

Boost morale by creating or printing posters and signs that the kids can carry with them as they walk! Creative signs include a cardboard cutout of a school bus or a sign that says “Walk to School Day.”

Another way to encourage school spirit is to have participants wear school gear or colors. Your school might have official t-shirts, sweatshirts, or hats that everyone can wear that day. Those without school gear can wear the school colors.

6. Give out prizes

There’s nothing like good ol’ incentives to encourage participation! One way to hand out prizes for participating is to set up a table at school where volunteers can hand out prizes. These can include pencils, wristbands, stickers, or bookmarks.

Another way to give out prizes is to tally the number of students who participated and see which class had the most. You can calculate the winner by percentage to make it fair for classes that have smaller numbers.

At our current school, we gave away pairs of socks made from recycled plastic water bottles. The eco-conscious company was so kind to sponsor the event and donated 30 pairs for the event.

At our previous school, where Walk to School Day was a monthly event, the winning class was able to display a trophy in their classroom all month.

7. Add a few extras

You can make your National Walk to School Day as big or small as you like. For a school just starting out, keeping it simple can be all it takes to start the tradition and learn as you go. For schools looking for extra ideas, here are a few to consider:

• Invite a “local celebrity.” Reach out to your school superintendent, local officials, city mayor, or “green team” to say a few words or promote the event as special guests.
• Pick up litter along the way. Hand out gloves, trash bags or buckets, or trash pickers that kids can use to clean up their route along the way.
• Hand out a healthy snack. See if a local company or store can sponsor the event by handing out healthy goodies. These can be given out at the meet up sites or at school.
• Have a walking school bus. Neighbors can pick kids up as they make their way to school, with the farthest family starting the route.

Conclusion

Hosting a National Walk to School Day for the new school year is a fantastic way to stay fit, care for the environment, and promote school spirit.

Start by getting approval from your PTA and principal. Then, encourage participation and promote the event across the school’s different channels. Designate meet up sites to make it easier for families to gather and walk together.

See if you can request crossing guards or police escorts for the day. Have everyone wear school gear or colors and carry posters as they walk. Give out prizes, either for each participant or for the winning class with the most walkers. And lastly, add a few extras, from local celebrities or picking up litter along the way.

I know walking to school every day isn’t always possible, but designating one day can help bring more awareness and make it more so.

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