Safe Routes National Partnership
How to Plan Walk To School Day (Full Guide)
PDF Format
- Coordinating an event is easy. It can be as big or small as you’d like to make it. You can select the national Walk to School Day or pick another day in October that works better for your school. Encourage students to start their school day with a walk to school.
A Walk to School planning guide helps make planning an event simple!
Registration takes about five minutes to complete.
2. Promote your event
Be creative. Here are a few ideas:
- Post your event on your school’s social media page. Use the hashtag #ImWalking and #WalkToSchoolDay.
- Identify local media and send them a press release.
- Make sure families know about the event through fliers, school newsletters or electronic notifications.
Visit the Customizable and Printable Resources page for templates of these materials. For schools with students on campus, don’t forget to hang your banners and signs around your school.
3. Day of your event
Have fun! Ask families to snap photos of their walk and post them on your school's social media pages! For more ways to have fun and learn about safety: Try the Walk 'n Roll Scavenger Hunt activity sheets are included in your toolkit! Encourage Families to play as they walk to school or around their neighborhood. Hold a poster contest and have students create safety messages or design artwork illustrating safe walking skills! Post students' artwork on social media. Use the hashtags, #ImWalking and #WalkToSchoolDay.
Reward students who participate with incentives like the stickers and silicone bracelets found in your toolkit. For schools enrolled in distance learning, reward students with digital certificates and school-wide recognition!
4. After your event
This is just the beginning of walking all year round! Contact us about starting a walking club and for other fun ideas. Complete a short online survey that will be emailed to you so that we can improve year after year.
Contact Grace Lee for help with registration, planning your event, and acquiring toolkit materials:
gralee2@ochca.com or (714) 834-6770.
