Liz Zelencich

Program Manager

Why walk?
Kids love walking because:
s it's fun and interesting: you get to
notice things along the way and
meet people in your neighbourhood;
s it's sociable: kids love walking
with their friends, especially on the
journey to school;
s it makes you feel good: the exercise
can make you feel calmer and
happier and it improves your
concentration, making it easier to
focus in school;
s it promotes independence and
freedom: you can make more
decisions about your journey than
you can in the car. You can choose
to stop and look at something along
the way and you can start to make
decisions about road safety.
There are other benets to walking, too.
It helps keep you healthy in mind as well
as body, helping to boost your mood and
self-esteem. Whats more, many teachers
report that kids who walk and cycle to
school are more alert and ready to learn
than those who arrive by car.
When you have a busy family life its
tempting to get your parents or other
family members to take you in the car
around to all your sports events, play
dates and activities. But swapping just
a few of those journeys to travel by foot
could be easier than you think. About a
third of all the trips we start are less than
a couple of kilometres, which is about a
20 minute walk - and your parents wont
have to hunt for a parking space when
you arrive!
Walking, as well as being one of the
cheapest ways of getting around, is also
the smartest for our planet. You wont
leave a carbon footprint, just your own. If
we all swapped one car journey a week
for walking, car trafc levels would reduce
by at least 10%.

Exercise

If you feel tired

If you feel blue
If you don't know what's wrong with you.
Get up and move
Get in the groove
Exercise and you'll improve.
Hayley

Street Smar t
Walking can give you good life
an opportunity for you to be indeexperience. Its
responsibly, and make decisio pendent, think
ns
Sometimes the walk to school for yourself.
can
less anxious about things. Fres help you feel
exercise can help your mood. h air and a bit of
Do you know how to be street
sma
street smart means knowing how rt? Being
yourself safe from strangers whe to keep
alone or with other kids. Whethern you're
walking to school or to the bus you're
on the playground, or riding you, hanging out
neighbourhood, being street smar bike in your
stay safe. When you're street rt helps you
sma
your way around, you know how rt, you know
in tough situations, and you're handle yourself
able to "read"
people.
It is important when you are out
playing that you are aware of walking or
wha
on around you. In other words t is going
remember to be street smart. you need to

Be Safe
It's important to follow these safety rules all
the time:
Make your whereabouts known
The adult who's taking care of you needs
to know where you are at all times. That
means telling your mum or dad, grandmother,
babysitter, or whoever is keeping an eye on
you where you are and when you'll be coming
home.

WHO ARE STRANGERS?

When you're walking home from
person in a car pulls up and ask school, a
directions. At the park, someon s you for
you to help look for his lost pupe says he needs
may seem friendly, but no mat py. These people
ter what they say
to you, they have one thing in
common: They're
strangers.
Most strangers aren't dangero
us
do anything to hurt kids. Unfortu and wouldn't
some strangers can be dangero nately, though,
impossible to tell who's OK and us, and it's
dangerous person doesn't nec who's not. A
essarily look scary
or mean the person might
look nice.

free
How to exercise for
1. Climb stairs instea

d of using lifts or es

calators.

u're going
bike to wherever yo
2. Walk or ride your mum or dad to drive you).
g
(instead of askin
hool.
ch, recess or after sc
3. Play games at lun
, throwing,
e running, catching
4. Practise skills lik bouncing a ball.
kicking, hitting, or
d of sitting
k with a friend, instea
5. Walk while you tal
down talking.
n't got one,
the dog (if you have
6. Walk or run with neighbour - you might even start
borrow one from a siness).
a 'walk your dog' bu
dance during
iPod to school and
7. Take a CD or you king up dance or skipping
the lunch break. Ma fun!
routines to music is
while you get
round and get paid
8. Get a newspaper
t!
e.

9. Make and y a kit

don't have to
sons at school. You
10. Join in sports les t really try.
be really good, jus
th?
can you come up wi
11. What other ideas
elf. There are
you can do by yours
A lot of these things t you can do which may cost
tha
lots of other things u will have to keep that time free
some money, and yoyou to be able to join in.
during the week for

STICK WITH A FRIEND

It's more fun and safer to do things with
friends. Take along a buddy when you walk to
school, bike around the park, or go to the store.
Traveling with a friend whenever you can is a
good idea, and traveling with a bunch of kids is
even better.
PICK OUT SAFE SPOTS
What are safe spots? Safe spots are places
where you can stop if you need help, like the
houses of kids you know, your parents' friends'
houses, stores, restaurants, police stations,
libraries, and re departments. When you're
walking or riding your bike, make a mental
note of the safe spots along your route. That
way, you'll know where they are in case you
ever need one.
AVOID PLACES THAT AREN'T SAFE
Be sure to keep away from isolated areas.
These are places where no one is around, like
the bush or small, dark streets.
I bet your grandparents have told you stories
of themselves or their parents walking or bike
riding a long way to school every day, chopping
wood, carrying groceries, washing the clothes,
carrying water, digging the garden, playing
sport and walking home afterwards, walking
to the cinema, etc. (in the snow or 40C heat of
course; after all, this is a story they are telling!)
Nowadays we have cars or buses, washing
machines and hardly any wood stoves. Not
many people grow vegies, and an adult usually
drives kids where they want to go.
But your body was designed for physical
activity, and without enough exercise it starts to
slow down, clog up and become unhealthy.

R
Why you need exercise
s)TMAKESYOUFEELlTSTRONGAN
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chemicals which make you feel
good.
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OUTg
s)TgSFUNTOEXERCISEWITHOTHER
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s)TKEEPSYOURWEIGHTDOWN
s9OURMUSCLESGETSTRONGER
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DFEELINGS

What some kids say . .

s)FEELGOODWHEN)EXERCISE)TRYTOGETABIT
better every time." Ben
s)HAVEFUNWHEN)PLAYSPORTWITHMYTEAM+ATIE
s/URTEAMISNgTVERYGOODBUTWETRYANDWEGIVE
each other 'build-ups'." Taj
s/URTEAMMAYNOTWINBUTWEENJOYTRYING
Kathy
s"IKE RIDINGWITHAFRIENDISGOODEXERCISEAND
good fun too." Tylor
s)gMTRYINGTORUNFASTERANDLONGERSO)EXERCISE
every day. Maybe one day I'll be good enough to
be in the Olympics. Anyway at least I'll be t."
Marie
s7ALKINGTOSCHOOLWITHFRIENDSISALOTMOREFUN
than squashing onto a bus." Haydn
s7EHAVEAgWALKINGBUSgATOURSCHOOLSO)WALK
to school every day." Tom
WHAT DO YOU SAY?
WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS DOWN.

What else can you do?

s*OINATEAM4HEREAREPROBABLYHEAPSOFTEAMSFORALLSPORTSATYOURSCHOOL9OUDON
gTHAVETOBE
'world class' to have a go, learn some skills and have fun.
s*OINANORGANISATIONLIKEAYOUTHGROUPCUBSBROWNIESSCOUTSGUIDESORSOMETHING
LIKETHESEAND
you'll have lots of fun plus it will keep you active.
s,OOKFORSPORTSCLUBSAROUNDYOURAREA SWIMMINGBASEBALLTENNISSOFTBALLBADM
football, cricket, hockey, little athletics, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, fencing, karate, INTONSOCCER
Tai Chi, dance,
BALLETORCALISTHENICS4HEREAREDOZENSAROUND,OOKINTHELOCALPAPERORTHE9ELLOW0AG
ESIFYOU
don't know what's around.
s!SKTHEKIDSINYOURCLASSWHATTHEYDO-AYBEYOUCOULDDOITTOGETHEREGSKATEBOARD
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riding, roller blades, etc.
Many sports do cost money, but one or two sessions a week with practising skills
at home on the
other days will soon have you doing well, making new friends and feeling great.
REMEMBER
Not all levels of sport are competitive so you don't have to worry if you're not very
'sporty'.
So, if you haven't been keeping t - START NOW!
s'ETTINGlTANDKEEPINGlTISAGREATWAYTOUSEYOURTIMEFEELGOODABOUTYOURSELFM
AKENEW
friends and improve your chances of having good health.

Join us online at: http://www.thecourier.com.au/community

14 Monday, October 6, 2014

is walktober

Walking
Walking is a fantastic activity for you,
your family and friends. It's free, you can
be spontaneous and it's a great way to
spend quality time together.