Greater Shepparton City Council will join VicHealth in its mission to get kids walking, riding and scooting to school as part of the health promotion foundation's annual Walk to School program.
Every October, Walk to School encourages families to get active on the trip to and from school to help kids build healthy habits for life.
Greater Shepparton City Council will work with local primary schools to encourage more families to walk, ride or scoot to school by placing animal footprints and distance markers around 13 local primary schools in Shepparton and surrounding towns.
The footprints and markers are aimed at encouraging students and their family and friends to walk to school and see what animals have been walking around their neighbourhood. The animal feet distance markers highlight the safest way to walk to school.
Safe walking maps and activity sheets have been developed for students to follow and mark off the animal footprints they see along the way, and log their daily walks in the Walk to School log book.
Greater Shepparton City Council Director Community Kaye Thomson said the Walk to School program was a free, easy and fun way for kids to get active and learn healthy habits for life.
"National guidelines recommend that kids need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day," Ms Thomson said.
"Our kids are healthier and happier when they're active every day, and walking to school is a great way to get their activity in. If you can't walk all the way, try parking the car a few blocks from school at the 500m distance marker and walk, ride or scoot the rest.
"We want to make walking, riding or scooting to school easy and attractive for families and hope to see many more local kids and families participating in the Walk to School program."
