We love the beginning of a new semester, because that means we are back in gyms and playgrounds practicing walking and biking safety with our students. Lately, more families and school staff are asking us, "How can we get more kids walking and biking to school?" That's a great question, and we have some ideas:
A student demonstrates a right-hand turn signal in a bike safety class
Brush up on bike safety
What is an "ABC Quick Check"? Do you know about how to use hand signals? Review walking and biking safety tips, then share them with your friends and neighbors! Check out our Operation Blinky web page with bike safety videos in English and Spanish, plus printable bike safety fliers in English and Burmese. Click here to see Operation Blinky bike safety tips
Saint Teresa's Academy Dance Team collected 20 bikes for our Maintain Your Ride program!
Organize a neighborhood bike donation
What if your pre-loved bike could become someone's new ride to school? Round up used bikes from your neighbors and BikeWalkKC's education team will bring a van to pick them up! We take all kinds of bikes in any condition. Our education team will make any repairs necessary, then our Maintain Your Ride students will practice adjusting the brakes and drivetrain, fixing flats, and other maintenance items. Click here to learn more about donating bikes
These schools have made change, and so can you!
Get inspired by other Safe Routes to School communities
Académie Lafayette started with just one bike rack... Frank Rushton students won a new sidewalk... families in Blue Springs built a bridge over a train track... And that's not all of them! These true accounts of determined parents, school staff, and city leaders can inspire you to make big changes for safe streets and happy families, too! Click here to read 5 Safe Routes to School Success Stories
Bonus! Parents of Hale Cook Elementary students in the Waldo neighborhood in KCMO just started a "bike bus." The first ride in September saw more than 15 students and 8 adult volunteers along two routes to pick up kids! Curious? You can start a bike bus in your neighborhood, and BikeWalkKC can help. Click here to learn more about the Hale Cook bike bus