Students are set to get on their bikes for National Ride2School Day on Friday 25 March.
At St Gerard’s Primary School, about 30 are expected to ride bicycles and scooters as well as others commuting on foot.
“You notice that the students who ride are a bit more settled at the start of the day because they’ve exerted that energy,” teacher Nicole Fernandez says.
“Usually the parents join them and really enjoy it too.
“They get to slow down in the morning, have a talk with their kids on the way to school.
“They’re often huffing and puffing by the time they get here.”
Ms Fernandez said that cycling to school was rebounding after the disruption of Covid remote learning.
This year, the school has already staged two ride to school days, competitions and bike education classes to help encourage ‘active travel’.
Several students who hadn’t known how to ride a bike had become proud cyclists.
Ride2School Day organisers also visited to help draw an ‘active map’ to demonstrate safe routes between homes and school.
“We definitely seeing a lot more bikes than in the past,” Ms Fernandez said.
Riding to school is being promoted as a way for children to get their 60 minutes of daily exercise.
Bicycle Network behaviour change general manager Leyla Asadi said it helped students perform better in the classroom.
“Studies have shown students arrive at school energised, alert and more ready to learn.”
National Ride2School Day has been running nationally since 2006. Registrations are open at ride2school.com.au
