Pittsburgh area students had a blast on Walk or Bike to School Day

May is National Bike Month and Walk or Bike to School Day is a great way for kids and families to celebrate while spending time together outdoors. Two Pittsburgh elementary schools hosted Walk or Bike to School Day events this week. BikePGH was glad to participate in both celebrations by providing Pittsburgh Bike Maps, Urban Biking Companions, and ride leaders.

Faison Academy Celebration

Faison students and volunteers braved the rain at their Walk or Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 7. Despite the bad weather, many students strolled and pedaled to school and were met with breakfast treats and activities. Rewarding their perseverance, Faison received great media coverage of the event.

Dilworth Academy Celebration

Dilworth Academy’s event was held during the beautiful, sunny morning on Thursday, May 8th. Thirty students participated in the Bike to School portion of the Dilworth event and many others walked to school.

Bike or Walk as a Family

There are many Pittsburgh parents who walk or bike with their children daily. We caught up with two Pittsburgh families and heard about what they liked about actively commuting to school.

 “We get to talk about what we see along the way. As she gets older, these have gotten more fun. She can point to houses and say our neighbor’s names. And she gets really excited about the library across the street. (What’s in the library? Books!)  Another great reason for walking, on the way home from daycare Mon-Wed, we can stop in the library for a few books since they’re open late.” -Becky Gaugler 

Becky and her daughter Lilian (nearly 2 years old) live in Lawrenceville and they walk to Lilian’s daycare together year round.

 

“Walking to school gives us time to talk in the morning without having to do anything. We walk past friends houses, past our pediatricians office, and past kids waiting for the bus. Theo loves watching the school busses that’s probably his favorite part of the walk.” – Julie Downs

Julie and her son Theo (three years old) and daughter Simone walk to  daycare whenever the weather is nice. Their walk is about 35 minutes long. (Author’s note: as someone who can barely walk and chew gum, it was incredibly impressive to see Julie walk while holding a dog’s leash, her son’s hand, and her  pushing her daughter’s stroller!)

 

So get out there and ride or walk! Here are some tips.

Plan your walking or biking route ahead of time to make it easy for you and the kids. Consider routes with low car traffic, and biking and walking amenities such as bike lanes, crosswalks, and crossing guards if possible. Review the Urban Biking Companion with the kids for some great safety tips.