Stuart Zullo 
Local school kids are being encouraged to start getting more active by taking part in this year’s Walk Safely to School Day.
Walk Safely to School Day takes place this Friday, May 18 and it aims to promote healthy lifestyle habits by encouraging children and their parents and carers to use school travel as a way of fitting in regular exercise into a daily routine.
If you live nearby to your school then there is no excuse not to walk or ride to it everyday, and even for students who live far away from school, there is always the option of parents parking a safe distance from the school and then allowing the students to walk or ride their bike the rest of the way – this also helps reduce traffic congestion around schools.
National recommendations suggest that school children between the ages of 5 and 12 should get at least one hour of physical activity a day and walking to and from school is a safe and easy way to achieve this.
If your child is currently used to being driven to school, then Walk Safely to School Day could be a great opportunity to start a new routine.
Remember to make sure that your child has a safe route that they can use to travel to school. If you’re unsure of what the best walking route to your local school is, you can find a ‘walking route calculator’ at walk.com.au.