Take Part In International Walk to School Month

October is International Walk to School Month, and it’s the perfect excuse to swap four wheels for two feet (or a set of wheels!) and make the school run part of your daily adventure.

We’ve teamed up with Living Streets, the UK charity behind the country’s biggest walk to school campaign, to find out why they’re encouraging families to leave the car at home and join pupils around the world in celebrating the many benefits of walking and wheeling to school.

From fewer cars around the school gates to cleaner air and a bit of fresh air before the school day begins, there are plenty of reasons to give it a go. And with Autumn putting on its spectacular seasonal show, there’s never been a better time to explore your journey to school.

Small steps, big changes

At Living Streets, the message is simple: there are big differences that can come from small steps. Walking or wheeling to school can help reduce congestion and air pollution, while giving children the chance to arrive feeling active, refreshed and ready for the day ahead. It can also turn a routine journey into valuable family time. Instead of sitting in traffic, you can chat about the day ahead, spot signs of autumn or simply enjoy a few minutes together before the school bell rings. And you don’t have to walk every day to make a start. October is a great opportunity to try walking or wheeling once or twice a week and see how you get on.

Make your school run an autumn adventure

Every year, Living Streets' WOW programme and badges follow a different fun and educational theme, giving children an extra reason to get involved. Why not make your own Autumn-themed challenge on the journey? Take a few minutes to look around and see what you can discover.

Can you spot:

• A crunchy red or golden leaf?

• A conker hiding beneath a horse chestnut tree?

• A spider’s web glistening in the morning dew?

• A bright berry?

• A squirrel scampering through the trees?

• A puddle big enough for a spectacular splash?

You could even make a simple Autumn spotting sheet for the whole family. Just remember to leave nature where you find it and avoid picking anything that’s growing. Suddenly, the walk to school becomes less of a journey and more of a mini expedition!

Why walk to school?

Living Streets wants every child who can walk to school to have the opportunity to do so. According to data cited by Living Streets from the Department for Transport, 47% of 5–16-year-olds in England currently walk to school, compared with around 70% a generation ago. Living Streets also highlights that one in four cars on the road during morning peak times is making a school-run journey, while many families live within two miles of their nearest school. That means there’s plenty of potential for more families to choose active travel where it’s practical and safe to do so. Walking and wheeling can also contribute towards children’s recommended daily physical activity. The NHS recommends that children and young people aged 5 to 18 should get an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity across the week.

So a little walking before and after school can be a great way to get bodies moving without having to squeeze another activity into an already busy afternoon.

Discover WOW

Living Streets' WOW programme uses an award-winning Travel Tracker to encourage pupils to travel actively to school. Children log how they travel each day, and the system keeps track of their journeys and automatically identifies pupils who have earned a badge at the end of the month. But the fun doesn’t stop at collecting badges. Living Streets says the programme can help increase walking rates, reduce congestion, encourage lifelong healthy habits and improve road safety around school entrances. It’s a simple idea with a lovely goal: helping children make active travel part of their everyday routine.

Ready to give it a go?

International Walk to School Month is the perfect time to try something new. If walking or wheeling the whole way isn’t possible, you could consider parking a little further away and walking the final stretch, or combining walking with public transport. Most importantly, choose an option that works for your family and your local journey, and make safety your priority. So grab your coats, pull on your boots and head out into the Autumn air. Look for crunchy leaves, listen for birds and see what you can discover on the way. The school run might just become your favourite little adventure of the day.

Find out more about International Walk to School Month and the WOW programme at Living Streets.