Walk to School Parade
One route
Particularly good when general conditions aren't conducive to walking or when looking for the greatest visual impact for the media.
Everyone walks one specific route. Invite elected officials, parents and children all to meet in a specific neighborhood at a designated point and walk to school together. Some schools have buses drop students who live further away at the designated walk location.
Multiple routes
Particularly good when looking for a way to launch regular walking school buses or to promote routes to school recommended based on assessment by a safe routes to school group.
Groups walk from different neighborhoods. Designate several specific routes children, parents, and local officials will take from several different neighborhoods. Suggest starting times so that kids along the way can join the passing crowd, and all will converge on the school at the same time.
For either option, some event ideas include the following:
- Invite the school mascot or wear school colors while walking.
- Use the Walkability Checklist or make a list of problems spotted along with the walk.
- Carry colorful balloons during the walk.
- Play walking songs.
- Have kids design promotional materials for the event.
- Make and hang posters promoting the event at school, along the walking route and throughout the community.
- Invite local celebrities to participate.
- Take a tour of an ambulance or fire truck in conjunction with the walk.
