Winter Walk to School Activities

Iowa has cold and snowy winters and because of this, children may not be getting the daily physical activity they need to be healthy. This winter leave the hibernation for the bears! Winter can be the perfect time to start walking to school or host a walk to school event.

 

Make the winter walking event or program fun for students by incorporating friendly competition such as the 'Golden Boot Award' given to the classroom with the most walkers.  Host a daily or weekly walking program such as a 'Snow Bunny Walking School Bus' or 'Winter Walking Wednesdays'. Include winter incentives such as ice rink passes or winter hats and gloves to be raffled off to walkers. Be creative and be a walker in the winter!

 

 

1.  Hold an assembly - Show kids how to make walking in the winter fun and safe through interactive characters and games during an assembly.  This can provide information to the whole school at one time and build excitement for winter walking.

 

2.  Create posters and banners - have students create them in their art classes and/or have banners made to hang outside and throughout the school.

 

3.  Invite local officials, prominent people, and media to event - have the local congressman or mayor participate in the winter walking event. 

 

4.  Hand out incentives to walkers - allow students who walk to school to put their name in a raffle for winter related items such as winter hats, gloves, and passes to the local ice skating rink.  Hand out trinkets to those students who walked to school such as stickers, buttons, and/or school supplies with school walking logo on it.

 

 

1.  "Golden Boot Award" - given to the classroom with the most walkers each week or month.  To make the award spray paint an old snow boot gold and nail it to a wooden pedestal.

 

2.  "Winter Walking Wednesdays" - every week designate Wednesdays as the walk to school day.  Include safe route incentives to students who walk those days.

3.  "Winter Walk to School Day" - host a seasonal winter walk to school day event.  Invite local support and media, plan a safe route, have prizes, and enjoy hot beverages at the finish line by promoting safe and healthy walking to school in the snow!   

 

4.  "Snowshoe School Bus" - instead of students being driven to school on snowy days have a winter walking school bus that is supervised by adults.  Pick a route along which many students live and each day the supervisor can walk it and pick up more students along the way to school.  Have 'Snowshoe Bus Stops' and allow students who live too far from school or don't have safe walking conditions to be dropped off at your stops. 

5.  "Snow Bunny Mileage Club Contest" - perfect for students who live close, far, or in unsafe walking areas.  Students can earn miles by walking to school, walking at lunch/recess/PE classes and add them up to earn prizes.  For example walk 5 miles earn a key chain, walk 10 miles earns a button, walk 20 miles earns a t-shirt, and so on... 

 

 

1.  Dress Appropriately for the weather conditions - winter hats, gloves, scarves, jackets, boots, and snowpants.

 

2.  Allow extra clothing storage at school - in case of a wet snowy day.

 

3.  Plan indoor walking activities - If the temperature is below allowable outdoor recess limit, plan for an indoor walking activity.

 

4.  Plan a safe route to school - plan routes with good infrastructure, crosswalks, signage, and use adults to supervise and law enforcement when/where needed. 

 

5.  Educate students and supervisors about being visible and conspicuous - wear brighter colors, have reflective materials on clothing and school bags and carry flashlights.

 

6.  Educate students on proper pedestrian safety skills - educate students prior to encouragement so they know how to safely walk to school

 

7.  Inlcude law enforcement and crossing guards - where necessary law enforcement and crossing guards may helpto increase safety along route to school.

 

 

** Need help getting started? Contact Molly Gable, Safe Routes to School Program Director, at the Iowa Bicycle Coalition by phone at (515) 309 – 2867 or email her at Molly@iowabicyclecoalition.org.

 

 

1.  "Winter Walk Day" - Active & Safe Routes to School - A Program of Green Communities Canada

2.  "Winter Walk to School Day" - Take the Roof off Winter

3.  "Reflective Gear Reveals a Bright Future for SRTS" - A Case Study: Anchorage, AK

4.  Iowa's Bicycle and Pedestrian Encouragement Guide

5.  Iowa Kids on the Move: Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Curriculum

6.  National Center For Safe Routes to School website

7.  National Partnership for Safe Routes to School website

8.  iWalk (International Walk to School) website