Lucy Macpherson has been biking with her dad to school every day since Kindergarten. “I love being outside on my bike in the morning rather than in the back of a car in traffic” said Lucy Macpherson, a second grade student at Neil Cummins Elementary School in Corte Madera. “It’s fun to ride my bike to school and it’s good for the earth. I see nature and people in our town and it wakes me up before I get to my classroom. ”
Does exercise before school really wake up your child’s brain? Yes, it does. According to a Danish study, cycling and walking elevates a child’s ability to focus throughout the school day. Children that arrived to school by bike or foot performed measurably better in tasks demanding concentration – like reading and math. The Danish study concluded that how a child got to school had a greater correlation to classroom attentiveness, than even a healthy breakfast. The results demonstrated that having breakfast and lunch have an impact, but not as much compared to exercise.
The survey looked at 19,527 Danish kids between the ages of 5 and 19. It found that kids who cycled or walked to school, rather than traveling by car or public transportation, performed measurably better on tasks such as solving puzzles, and that the effects lasted for up to four hours after they got to school. The research confirms previous studies, that kids who walk or bike to school do better on tests than those that are driven.
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Parents that encourage their child to get to school by foot or bike are not only nurturing a healthy lifestyle, but also helping to fuel their child’s brain. Fresh air and exercise is energizing before the start of any day – for the body and brain. Pedaling and walking also helps students to simply “feel good” upon arriving to school.
For parents looking to make a change, then consider setting aside one morning every week to teach your child to use their feet to get to school. Practice the safest route from your home to school and skip being in the car. The joy of walking or riding your bike to school with your child is a memory they will never forget, and boost their mental readiness before class begins.
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
By Laura Kelly, Safe Routes to Schools, Marin County
Safe Routes to Schools is encouraging all families to set a goal to walk, ride, carpool or bus to school once a week. Our mission is to create a safe walking and biking culture in Marin County and change the way this generation of school children travels to school. For more information about our Walk and Roll program, please contact laura@marinbike.org
