TSET Encourages Oklahomans to Get Moving on National Walk and Roll to School Day
Shape Your Future, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET), is promoting healthy habits and encouraging physical activity by inviting students, families and communities to walk and roll to school on October 5.
“Starting healthy habits early can help children grow into healthy adults, continuing those habits as they get older,” said Julie Bisbee, executive director of TSET. “Active transportation such as walking, biking or even riding a scooter to school is a simple and easy way for children to add physical activity into their daily lives.”
National Walk and Roll to School Day provides kids (and the adults accompanying them) the opportunity to improve brain health, strengthen bones and muscles and have fun with friends. The occasion is also a great way to work toward achieving the 60 minutes a day of physical activity for children recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
“Adding a bit of adventure to a child’s daily routine, like walking or rolling to school, can help children connect positive feelings with physical activity,” said Thomas Larson, director of public information and outreach for TSET. “Walking to school can be fun and teach kids that healthy living doesn’t have to be boring or hard. Research shows that when children aged 6 to 13 are physically active, it can immediately improve brain function and, over time, help with learning, judgment and better sleep.”
Not only does Walk and Roll to School Day benefit students, but it also positively impacts the community. Since the event began in 1997, the program has kicked off improvements like long-term walking and rolling programs, new sidewalks and policy changes at schools and in communities. That is because the event offers public officials the opportunity to see and address challenges to active transportation in the community. Not to mention, it lowers the amount of traffic in the morning.
Shape Your Future’s tips for a safe Walk and Roll Day:
- Walk with your child
- Plan a route
- Teach children to stay away from vehicles
- Look left-right-left when crossing the street
- Tell kids to never talk to strangers
- Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility
For more kid-friendly physical activity tips and ideas on living healthy for all Oklahomans, visit ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
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Shape Your Future is a community health education intervention that encourages Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free. SYF strives to educate parents, teachers, caregivers and all Oklahomans on how to make the healthy choice the easy choice. Find more information online at ShapeYourFutureOK.com.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.