OT-School Walking Program

[JacobsMommy11002]

Has anyone initiated, or been a part of the initiation, of a walking program at their childrens school? We are trying to get one off the ground to increase exercise and try to combat childhood obesity, and I would love to hear from someone with some experience!

 

[ntink]

We have one at our Elementary School. The kids walk twice per week during lunch recess from Sept. to Nov. and then from End of Mar. to June (weather dependent). It is optional but we try to do different incentives for the kids to participate. For every 40 laps walked (1 mile) we give the kids a toe token on a metal chain (like a fan pull chain) that they put on their shoes and then at the end of the year we award prizes (donated from the YMCA - frisbees, cups, water bottles, pedometers, T-Shirts) for certain levels of participation. We are trying to increase participation. 1st & 2nd grades have a lot of participants but the level goes down for grades 3-5. We are considering a guest walker program (teachers, principal, local sports mascots) and ordering personalized prizes (items with our school name on them).
We have a group of about 12 parents with 4 volunteers required for each recess (11:30-1:30), we have lists of names by grade in alphabetical order. We hand out tongue depressors for each lap then 5 minutes before the end of each recess we have the kids count the sticks and then we record the number of laps and one person puts that information into a spreadsheet to track it.
Hope this is helpful.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Our school did a program last year called Walk Across America. I wasn't involved in it but I can tell you the basic idea. On designated days of the week, the kids could walk around the track at lunchtime. An adult would be stationed out there to give each child a ticket as they completed a 1/4 mile lap. The kids would put their names on the tickets and turn them in. The laps were then tallied and each child's miles walked were tracked. At the end of the the program, they gave out prizes for the most miles walked for individual kids and for classes. The entire school's miles were also tallied. There was a huge map of the U.S. posted by the office. They would draw a line across the map (starting in California where we live) to represent how far the entire school had walked each week. By the end of the program, the line went all the way to the east coast. Since the school met its goal of walking across America, they got an afternoon to watch a movie. A few times, the P.E. periods were also devoted to walking laps.

That's basically how it worked. Hope this helps.

 

[minniebeth]

I LOVE this idea! My kids' school has attempted to implement this program
and it sounds similar to what ntink's post says, but has not really followed through, but the potential is there.
I think it is a great program for the obvious reasons but also would help eliminate some of the "mean" and negative schoolyard interactions that go on with a lot of kids at various ages. (Our school is K-8)
I think it is such a great thing to do and applaud anyone who works to make this possible. Good Luck and way to go on trying to make a difference!

 

[PlaneJoy1]

We have a program called "Road Runners". I think most of the elementary schools around here have them. It is an afterschool 'club' that runs once a week. The running is at their own pace. Each kid get a t-shirt and they have to complete 3 or 4 races (usually school sponsored raced that are fundraisers) during the year.

It is great for fitness and the kids enjoy the mini-races!

 

[Sheaboys]

We have one at our elementary school. The PTO worked with the Recreation Committee and Volunteers, we put in place a track, line the field etc. It is clearly marked. Kids do it during recess, volunteers are required, kids get a book once they complete a certain amount of miles, it goes up per grade. It is completely up to the child to do it. I was amazed at how many kids do it, for that free book.