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Walk with Wheel Week - support

Whilst the active journey to a child’s setting is an ideal time to take part in Walk with Wheels Week, we would like to encourage active travel at other times too and open up opportunities for families to engage with the event.

The following sections provide ideas to help support settings and their parents and carers:

  • Support for settings and parents/carers of SEND children
  • Using Park and Stride options during Walk with Wheels Week
  • Settings in rural locations

 

 

Support for settings and parents/carers of SEND children

At My Journey Hampshire we acknowledge that events such as Walk with Wheels Week may need to be adapted to suit the individual requirements of some children and families. For example, there may be SEND children who need to travel to their setting by car.

Here, we have provided supporting information with ideas how all settings and families can fully participate and have fun during Walk with Wheels Week.

Children’s competition 

  • For their competition, children have been asked to complete the Explorer Challenge during Walk with Wheels Week. This activity doesn’t necessarily need to be done during the journey to or from their setting. If there are other opportunities to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle during the week, children can have fun exploring then instead. Otherwise, the activity can be enjoyed outside in the garden at home, at their setting, or in a local park or greenspace.
  • There are two Explorer Challenge sheets to choose from so parents and carers can choose the one most suited to how their child might like to explore. Either can be used as their competition entry and they do not have to find everything on the sheet. 
  • Members of staff at the setting may be able to take a group of children out for a walk and wheel around the grounds of the setting or out locally, giving children the opportunity to enjoy the Explorer Challenge then instead. 

Setting’s competition

  • Settings have the flexibility to choose or create an activity, event or promotional initiative that will be enjoyed by all staff and children. The activity can be related to walking, wheeling, scooting, cycling, travelling by bus or train and road safety. 

If you adapt this challenge to meet children’s needs in a different way, we would love to hear from you so we can continue to develop our advice for SEND settings and promote inclusivity within our initiatives. Please do contact us on schooltravelplans@hants.gov.uk to let us know what has worked for your children and what can help enable them to travel actively and sustainably.

Resources  

 

 

Using Park and Stride options during Walk with Wheels week

There may be circumstances where families aren’t able to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle for the entire journey to their setting. These families can be encouraged to Park & Stride – park safely and considerately 5 to 10 minutes from the setting and walk, wheel, scoot or cycle the rest of the journey.

With the ability to use active travel for part of the journey, children can still participate in the children’s Explorer Challenge. As well as this, they will benefit from the additional physical activity and experience the walk, wheel, scoot or cycle will provide. Plus, it is a great opportunity to practice road safety skills such as looking for safe places to cross, practicing using a crossing etc.

You may find some of the information on our Guide to creating and promoting a Park and Stride map helpful or if you have a Modeshift STARS travel plan you can create a walking bubble map for your site.

 

 

Settings in rural locations

Hampshire is a diverse county with a range of city, town and village locations. If your setting is in a more rural area you may be concerned about how you can safely promote active travel to your families during Walk with Wheels Week. There are a number of adaptations you could consider to ensure your setting and your children can benefit from focusing on active travel and take part in the competitions.

  • Find a nearby Park & Stride location, possibly a local recreation ground, pub, church and ask if parents and carers could have use of their car park for the week. If this is successful and well supported, you could see if this could be a permanent arrangement.
  • If your setting has outdoor space, set up a route for the children to follow and offer them the choice of walking, wheeling, scooting or cycling (if you have scooter or bikes available).
  • Take the children on a local walk and wheel. Use the opportunity to focus active and sustainable travel and the benefits it has for our health and the local environment. It could also be a good time to learn about road safety, Think! have a range of resources for pre-school children.
  • Take a look at our early years curriculum materials, with suggested planning linked to the Early Learning Goals.