Active school kids

Movin’March targeting exercise

Registrations are open for Movin’March, a week-long celebration of children and families who walk, scoot, skate or cycle to school.

The week of March 23 till 27 was an opportunity to high five all those children who go to school on foot, bike, skateboard or scooter and to encourage others to give it a go, said Melanie Thornton, Wellington Regional Council’s sustainable transport manager.

‘‘A highlight of the week is All In Day, in which the aim is to have every child in the school walking, cycling, scooting or skating all or part of the way to school,’’ she said.

‘‘Parents who need to drive their children to school are encouraged to drop them off a couple of blocks further away.’’

‘‘Travelling to and from school on foot or on a bike, skateboard or scooter is not only fun, freeing and makes you feel good, but it also gives you the chance to learn essential road safety skills and be independent.’’

Schools are being encouraged to incorporate the active travel theme into their curriculum.

‘‘ For example, for art that week kids could create a collage using leaves, feathers or other bits and pieces they’ve collected on their way to and from school,’’ Thornton said.

‘‘Maths classes could gather some statistics about the number of children who travel by foot, bike, scooter, skateboard, bus or car and turn that into bar graphs or pie charts.’’

Schools that enter the writing competition – where you share story, poem, song or rap about your journey to school – automatically receive a book for their school library and go in the draw to win a major prize.

Movin’March is open to primary schools throughout the Wellington region.