Active Commuting

This is an ideal low-cost strategy to increase physical activity and may account for the 30 minutes daily physical activities, representing 50% of a child’s recommended total 60 minutes minimum physical activities a day. In addition, active commuting address competition for time during the school hours because is run before and after classes.

Active transport or active commuting refers to the use of brisk walking, biking, or other human-powered methods (e.g., skateboarding and rollerblading), and equates to moderate-intensity physical activity. It may also include a ‘walking school bus’, in which schoolchildren walk together to school from a meeting point.

AHI uses a “Walk to School” approach. AHI has developed a game, in which the school children grouped by classes compete on fitness. The fitness game encourage team work rather than individual success. By playing in a team of 20-25 children, the individual success count less to the final score than a good team work. Therefore, it motivates collaboration and support for those that fitness is a challenge. Furthermore, added value is the key to obtaining a high score. By measuring development of additional fitness rather than current fitness motivates all and allows less fit school children at baseline to do well in the game.