Just before everyone broke for holiday vacations a few students on the Connaught Walking School Bus teamed up, transforming their bus into Santa’s sleigh for the walk to school in December! Santa had a tip-top team of reindeer to pull his sleigh to school: Rudolph, Comet, Dasher, Dancer, Cupid, Prancer, Dorner, Vixen, Blitzen, Olive, Mistletoe, Flash, Lighting, Spark, Sugar, Cocoa, Speedy, Gumdrop and Peppermint ensured that everyone got to school safely and on time.
Much like the big yellow school bus, a Walking School Bus is a safe form of “transportation” to school! Students are chaperoned by an adult Leader and walk along a predesignated route to school, as people join them along the way. Levels of active travel to school have fallen significantly among Canadian children in recent years, contributing to lower physical activity, poorer air equality and increased traffic dangers around schools. Walking School Buses are a way of addressing these concerns and the increased physical activity in the morning leads to students being much calmer and better able to concentrate while in class.
The WSB uses fun activities such as this to encourage children to get out into their communities and to choose active ways of travelling to school.
What are some things that your family or school does to encourage active transportation?