elementary/middle/secondary

Childhood has traditionally been the most active phase of life.

Yet at present, statistics show that North American children & youths are not getting enough physical activity.

Children already know what is missing. Student engagement in Active School Travel can help your community increase the number of families walking and cyclling to school.

The Heart Foundation of the Australian Capital Territory (Canberra) "recommends the use of student-led peer-mentorship groups to embed active school travel, as the most effective way to encourage higher levels of physical activity among children and youth in all Canberra schools." (link) This followed the participatoin of Urbanthinkers in the Heart Foundation's ‘Engaging children and youth
in designing places for 
Active Living’ Symposium on 25 July 2011.

 The image to the right  represents a very young child's ability to NOT automatically be drawn to an expected solution - but to set out seeking alternatives.
  

Walking is the most important form of physical activity that should be encouraged to improve public health.

World Health Organization, 2002

 

Inactive children become unhealthy adults. So it is important that children and youths be physically active so that they build good habits that will last them a lifetime.

Physical activity that is fun, and accessible can quickly develop into a routine that children and youth both enjoy and look forward to.

I dare to walk

artwork by Gr. 5 student

 

Our over-reliance on the car across North America means that children are often dropped-off at school as part of the parent's daily chores with the vehicle.  Urbanthinkers can help you engage children and youths within your community to increase the level of physical activity associated with the commute to and from school. Our tools and activities have been developed for & with student leaders;

We can help your student leaders create a healthy atmosphere where physical activity is elevated in social stature so that children and youth want to walk, cycle and take transit to school.

 

We live in an increasingly urban environment that cultivates a growing dependency on car-travel. Not only is this detrimental for the natural environment, it is jeopardizing the health & future of our children. Air pollution that would produce only slight breathing difficulties in an adult can contribute to more serious breathing problems in children:

  • children typically spend more time outdoors - especially in the summer when ozone and particulate levels are highest
  • children spend more time engaged in vigorous activity - more outside air is taken into their lungs
  • greater doses of air pollutants reach a child’s lungs - higher breathing rates relative to their body weight and lung surface area

Although there are a great deal of similarities between the issues at any given school, the solutions used need to be adapted to the character, conditions and partners within a community.

How do your concerns compare with the following?

Principals - traffic congestion problems have been left to them to deal with; they must be dealt with on their own time or through the co-ordination of parent volunteers; it is a contentious issue that can include road rage, complaints, and verbal and physical fight between parents; poses a danger to student safety and can include complaints from neighbours.

Teachers - new projects take a lot of time to review, understand and become comfortable with so offering “another project” to their agenda is an annoyance; want resources and activities that are self-explanatory (or else, have the background work done in advance); would like to see students arriving on-time/early and alert after having participated in some physical activity; and daily physical activity (DPA) is being downloaded to teachers - this could mean that walking/cycling to school might become more relevant.

Students - most students would prefer to walk/bike (as opposed to being driven); feel frustrated with the lack of empowerment given to them; apathetic as their great energy and enthusiasm are often under utilized; and traffic congestion at school limits their independence and mobility.

School boards - government regulations to reduce CO2 emissions; and drop-off school site infrastructure pushed beyond capacity generates complaints from administrators/parents while posing safety risks for students and families.

Parents - concerns re: children’s safety; traffic congestion is an annoyance; and time constraints.

Police - traffic congestion; by-law infringements; and complaints regarding safety.

Public health - fumes from idling engines; lack of daily physical activity and growing trends of obesity; traffic congestion makes walking/cycling more dangerous; and added fumes from short (cold-start) vehicle-trips.

Government ministries,  agencies and departments - looming threat of health risks due to physical inactivity and obesity; increase in GHG emissions; and costs for road safety infrastructure due to high proportion of families driving to school.

Contact us to find out more – then decide if a few hours, or a few days of support from Urbanthinkers will improve your results.