Winter is certainly making itself known this year. Between the growing snowbanks, surprise snow days, and the cold that seems to linger, it can be tempting to see the outdoors as something to endure rather than enjoy.
Active School Travel Peterborough celebrated Winter Walk Day on Wednesday (February 4) and will continue to celebrate it all month long, as a reminder that winter can be a season of movement, play, and connection, especially for kids.
With fewer than 40 per cent of children reaching their recommended daily physical activity levels and more time being spent on screens, the simple act of walking to school can make a world of difference. It offers daily exercise, sparks creativity, and creates space for kids to slow down, explore, and feel more grounded, even in the cold.
The walk to school matters more than one might think. Children thrive on routine and structure, but when every moment of their day is scheduled, something important can be lost.
That’s where play comes in. When life is very busy and playtime is often relegated to weekends or right before bed, taking time to play during the walk to and from school is a practical and enriching choice.
Play is child-led and often has no goal for the child aside from curiosity and fun. Kids can choose how they play, for how long, and with what.
Consider how many of the most magical moments of play naturally happen on the walk to and from school: climbing snowbanks, crunching icy puddles, spotting animal tracks, breaking icicles, balancing along curbs, or turning sticks into swords, wands, or hiking poles. These small moments add up to key moments in a child’s wellbeing and development.
Three powerful ways play shows up on the school walk include social connection and imagination, learning what bodies can do, and building a relationship with nature.
Social connection and imagination happens while walking together, which gives kids space to talk, laugh, make up songs, invent stories, and process their day. This kind of playful world-building strengthens friendships, communication skills, and emotional wellbeing.
Learning what their bodies can do — through everyday challenges like jumping over slush, sliding down snowy ridges, or climbing piles of plowed snow — help a child test their limits, build confidence, and understand the capabilities of their bodies in a joyful way.
Winter is a season that invites noticing the natural world, it’s the beginning of how someone builds curiosity and understanding — a relationship. The quiet of snowfall. The crunch under boots. Bare branches against the sky. Walking creates time to slow down and observe, even if just during the walk to school.
This kind of mindful engagement helps kids feel connected to the natural world, which research shows leads to greater resilience, calm, and care for the environment.
Using the winter as a time to refocus on noticing and building curiosity, awareness, and a sense of belonging in nature is aligned with the best practises of outdoor education.
Local outdoor education resource, Pathway to Stewardship and Kinship, encourages a plethora of seasonal experiences, which can be as simple as visiting the same outdoor spot throughout the year and asking questions.
What’s different? What’s the same? What can be seen, heard, or felt today? The resource outlines landmark outdoor experiences for every age group, in every season.
Winter doesn’t have to be something to get through. It is a wonderful season for creating mindful, active, and happy kids. The twice daily walk to and from school invites families to feel the air, engage in play, watch the changing world, and move their bodies, without having to schedule extra time.
So, this February, instead of bundling up only to dash to the car, consider walking to school — even once or twice a week. Turn the journey into an adventure. Let kids lead and play. Pause to notice the season together.
Winter Walk Day is celebrated all month long. Active School Travel Peterborough can help educators and administrators plan and celebrate a Winter Walk Day event this season. For more information, email activeschooltravel@greenup.on.ca or visit greenup.on.ca/active-school-travel-events.
