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Feet First Walk to School Week will be next be held on 2 March - 6 March 2009.
Feet First Walk to School Week is an annual event held in early March that promotes the benefits of regularly walking to and from school. Students and adults are also encouraged to continue to walk to school on an ongoing basis.
Feet First Walk to School Week was held 3 to 7 March 2008 and a record number of Kiwi kids hit the footpaths and headed to class ‘feet first’.
More than 140,000 primary school children from over 440 schools across the country took part in the event, more than doubling the number of participating schools and students from last year.
Thank you
Thank you to all the schools who participated in Feet First Walk to School Week, especially to all the teachers, parents and children who made this event a great success. Thank you also to our sponsors Sanitarium Health Foods, AMI Insurance and Geared New Zealand, and to the area coordinators from Auckland Regional Transport Authority, Regional and City Councils and Sports Trusts who worked with schools at a local level throughout the country.
To keep the momentum for walking to school going at your school, check out the information on our walking to school web pages (www.landtransport.govt.nz/travel/school). Here you will find information about walking school buses and details on how to order walking school bus resource kits, along with information about other walk to school initiatives.
Why walk to school?
Over 50% of New Zealand children are driven to school each day. This is a trend that is increasing, as the number has jumped from 31% in 1990.
Driving to school instead of walking reduces children’s physical activity and increases childhood obesity, traffic congestion and air pollution. In some schools nearly 90% of children are driven each day.
Walking to school is a daily activity that can make a huge difference to your child’s health and the environment. Schools and caregivers can play an important role in encouraging children to walk to school in a safe and enjoyable environment.
During Feet First Walk to School Week primary school students were encouraged to walk to school (at least 10 minutes of the way), with a caregiver, a friend or on a walking school bus.
More information can be found at 'Walking to school: the benefits'.
Feet First week had three components:
- Walk to School Day Wednesday 5 March 2008
- Walk to School Week 3–7 March 2008
- Walking Wednesdays starting on Wednesday 5 March 2008
Participating schools received resources including flyers, posters, stickers and progress cards and ideas for classroom activities. Each school had the chance to win great prizes. A highlight of the week was Walk to School Day on Wednesday 5 March with special events held.
If you would like to know more about Feet First Walk to School Week, please contact us at feetfirst@nzta.govt.nz.
Last updated: 14 August 2008