It takes 10 minutes (on average) to walk 800m – that’s about two or more blocks from your school. Even though it takes 3-4 minutes to drive the same distance, once you factor in traffic at the school and getting your family in and out of the car, it all adds up to a longer trip! Walking and wheeling builds sustainable lifelong habits, gets you out in the fresh air, and can take a shorter amount of time than you think. The number of kids (5-17 years) in Canada meeting national physical activity guidelines has improved but we’re still far from where we need to be. Only 39% met the recommended 60 minutes of moderate activity per day and 1-2 hours of light activity per day. Including walking, cycling, or scooting to school in your family’s routine can help you get closer to meeting these targets! There are lots of ways to make your trip to school more active, including bike buses, walking with a buddy, or parking a block or two away and then walking. You can find the Walk-A-Block map for OCDSB and OCSB schools here, and at these links for CECCE and CEPEO.
Walk and wheel to school when you can - it will make a world of difference! Find out more about how School Active Transportation works.
