Back to school: making the walk fun and educational

Walking to school is a great way for you and your child  to get some exercise early in the morning, and it offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the world together too. This is the perfect time to think about ways that you can make this walk even more fun for both you and your child, and add some exploration and learning elements to the experience too.

As well as getting in some daily exercise, walking to school carries many other benefits. These include growing their confidence and orientation skills safely with you present, getting into a routine of walking that your kids will hopefully choose to keep up when they’re older, and allowing socialisation with you, other kids, and their schoolmates’ parents. Here, the kids’ shoe experts Charles Clinkard share some tips on how to make walking to school fun, inventive, and educational.

Learning about the environment

The walk to school is the perfect time to educate your little one about the environment and nature! Spending time outdoors brings so many benefits to both adults and children, so introducing your child to  the importance of nature can be a big positive for both them and the planet. Try teaching them the names of plants or trees along the way to school, and ask them which ones are their favourites. You can also point out local wildlife and the features of the landscape that make it hospitable for each creature to live in.

You might also want to talk about the changing of the seasons, why it’s important to leave nature spots as you found them, and all sorts of other things. Encouraging your child to participate in these conversations will help them become a more conscientious toward the environment as they get older, and hopefully instil in them a love of the outdoors.

Doing a scavenger hunt

Designing a scavenger hunt for the walk to school is a great way to introduce some structure into the walk and make it a game that your little one can excel at too. Choose a list of easy things for them to find, such as certain flowers (dandelions and daisies) or tree leaves (such as those that will fall in autumn) and then see how many they can spot. Make sure to only pick up plants that aren’t alive, as picking all the flowers and plants from the verges can ruin their look and biodiversity after a while.

Finding insects is great fun too, and this may help your child overcome any fears relating to these tiny critters. You might also add some local landmarks into your scavenger hunt, such as monuments, important buildings that you’ll pass, and places they might go on trips, such as the zoo or park. This way, the scavenger hunt can be an orientating experience rather than just a fun one.

Involving friends and family

Walking to school is a great activity to enjoy with just you and your child — or with your co-parent — but it doesn’t always have to be done solo. You can take the opportunity to include your family, friends, and other parents in this part of the day too as this will not only make it more fun, but can also contribute to your child’s socialisation. Try inviting others along and asking fellow parents if they want to walk together. This way you can create a walking train that will provide a model for when your child is old enough to walk to school with their friends.

You might also find that many fellow parents and friends live nearer than you had previously expected, and this can make it much easier to divide up walking duties in future.

Find the right gear

To walk to school regularly and comfortably, your child will need comfortable footwear — and so will you! Take into account that during bad weather you might also need to get out the wellies for the walk, and pack your child’s school shoes to be popped on when they get to the school gates. They might also prefer to have more comfortable shoes such as trainers for the walk, and then swap them for their smart school shoes at the gates too.

As well as choosing the right school shoes, make sure to dust off your raincoat and umbrella and remember to check the weather forecast in advance during the cooler months. In the summer months, some sunscreen and a hat will make all the difference too.

“Walking to school is great fun and can be a wonderful experience both for bonding and for educational purposes, not to mention exercise. When choosing shoes for the walk, ensure that they are comfortable, fit well, and — if possible — have thicker soles. This will ensure that your child’s feet are fully protected against the concrete and any other terrain they might encounter, as well as making the walk more enjoyable.

“To make sure that your child’s shoes fit properly and will be comfortable enough to support their feet, take the time to get them fitted in a shoe shop by an expert, rather than trying to find the perfect fit yourself. This will ensure that they have footwear that’s well-fitting and durable enough to be up to the task of regular walks to school.”