Sustrans launches online resource for families

Coronavirus: Newsletter features links to cycling and walking tips to help families walk, cycle and scoot

Active travel charity Sustrans has launched an online resource aimed at families coping with COVID-19.

Sustrans Outside In is a new part of a parent-focused newsletter that features links to cycling and walking tips to help families walk, cycle and scoot.

Over a four-week period Sustrans Outside In will feature activities for children, including games, challenges and videos. It includes both indoor and outdoor activities suitable for range of ages.

The activities are organised around five themes: wellbeing, keeping active, creativity, investigating and ‘anything goes’. Each week Sustrans Outside In also features a challenge and game to keep children active whilst at home.

Activities include: tasks to design the ideal child-friendly street; a challenge for children to ‘rainbow bling’ their bicycle helmets, and a number of other challenges, games and activities to keep children active whilst at home.

Chris Bennett, Head of Behaviour Change and Engagement at Sustrans, who is also a father juggling home learning, said: “It’s been over a month since UK schools closed and parents started home-schooling. This pack offers additional activities to keep children entertained and active during these unusual times.

“Walking, cycling and scooting are great ways to contribute to keeping us active and healthy in body and mind. During this time where we are mostly required to stay at home, these activities become harder to do so. Sustrans Outside In therefore aims to provide ideas and inspiration to bring health and wellbeing activities into the home.

“The content has been developed by Sustrans’ skilled workforce of school officers who are experienced at developing fun and educational resources suitable for the school setting."

Sustrans hopes schools and families will use the newsletter as an information point for fun and educational extra curricula activities.

Dame Sarah Storey, British Paralympian and Active Travel Commissioner for the Sheffield City Region, said "With usual activities and family visits on hold, there has never been a more important time to have a range of activities you can do at home and especially for families who have limited access to outside space.

“This home learning pack from Sustrans is a fantastic way of introducing children to new activities and I love the idea of them investigating the changes they are experiencing as a result of social-distancing. Children are also more aware than ever of the benefits of reduced traffic and how much easier it is to go on a family bike ride with fewer vehicles on the road."

Parents can sign up to the weekly newsletters at www.sustrans.org.uk/OutsideIn