With the growing concerns of childhood obesity and the rise of inactivity of youngsters, the annual Walk Safely to School Day is even more important than ever.
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The 16th annual national day is tomorrow and all local parents are encouraged to take the opportunity to walk their children to school and see the benefits for themselves.
National Walk Safely to School Day is held each year to encourage primary school children and their parents or carers to walk and commute safely to school with the aim of making it a regular exercise tool to take advantage of the health benefits of walking and create regular walking habits.
It is a community event seeking to promote road safety, health, public transport and the environment.
Other objectives include helping children develop the vital road-crossing skills they will need as they become mature pedestrians, reducing car dependency and traffic congestion and reducing the level of air pollution created by motor vehicles.
Upper Hunter Shire Council sports participation officer Nicky Western is again promoting the event here in Scone with an event at St Mary’s Primary School.
This is the fifth year Ms Western has held an event to mark the important national day with the aim of increasing the number of children who have active access to school.
“It is proven that incidental exercise is a great way to break people’s habits so I encourage people to walk to school with their kids and take the opportunity to teach them road rules at the same time.
“It is also useful in decreasing congestion around the school, and helps to burn off a bit of the hyperactivity prior to the children sitting down to learn for the day,” Ms Western said.
“We need to try to ensure that once parents get into the habit, they make it a long term thing.”
Ms Western encouraged parents to walk their children to school tomorrow morning and enjoy a healthy breakfast and giveaways at St Mary’s Primary School from 8.30am.
