Bike to School Day and Walk to School Day

The Bike to School Day and Walk to School Day events both aim to celebrate the joys of walking and biking and to open the eyes of students, families, school and community leaders and partners about the possibilities of walking and biking to school every day.

Planning the Event

Having a theme for the event can facilitate other planning decisions and approaches for consideration:

Approach 1: Walking School Buses on Walk to School Day

Publicize the locations of Walking School Bus stops throughout the neighborhood, and designate Walk Leaders to lead each group at a designated starting time. Once the groups arrive at the school, they are greeted by the principal and the teachers. The principal gives a short speech to the students and parents in an outdoor assembly to explain the environmental benefits of biking and walking, rather than driving to school.

Approach 2: Remote Starting Point

A nearby church with a large parking lot is identified as a “Park and Walk” location. Parents arrive at the church at the designated time and park their cars. Buses drop off students there as well. With the help of local law enforcement, the group forms a parade, walking to school, carrying signs and banners with this year’s theme. Upon arrival at the school, the mayor holds a brief press conference to talk about the need for safe walking and biking routes throughout the town.

Approach 3: Bike Train Event

Students and families are encouraged to meet at a nearby neighborhood park to participate in a bike ride to school. The principal joins them as well, along with several dignitaries and a local athlete. Helmets are checked for a proper fit before the ride, and extra helmets are available for students who lack them. The group then rides to the school where they are greeted by teachers who give out t-shirts and reflective bike safety gear.

Approach 4: Walk AT School Event

The event kicks off in the school with an assembly. The principal makes a pledge to get fit and challenges the students to do likewise by tracking their walking and biking activities. The principal introduces a contest between classrooms. Each class will log the number of walking and biking trips they complete in a month. Students are encouraged to walk (or run) around the track or the playground during recess, and teachers will reward good behavior by allowing students extra walking time.