National Walking Month & Walk to School Week | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with National Walking Month & Walk to School Week. National Walking Month & Walk to School Week take place in May each year. They are organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, with a mission to create a walking nation. The purpose of the month is to encourage people to walk more, whether that's to school, to work, or just for fun. Walking is an easy and accessible way to stay active, improve physical and mental health, and help the environment by reducing car use. Living Streets promotes walking for everyone, highlighting its benefits for health, the community, and the planet. For official information, themes, and how to get involved, please visit the Living Streets website: www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/national-walking-month.

National Walking Month: Friday 1st - Sunday 31st May 2026

Walk to School Week: Monday 18th - Friday 22nd May 2026

May (with Walk to School Week typically in May)

• 🤔 What are National Walking Month & Walk to School Week?

  National Walking Month is a UK-wide campaign encouraging people to walk more as part of everyday life. Walk to School Week, often held within this month, focuses specifically on active journeys to school.

  These initiatives highlight how walking supports:

  • physical health

  • wellbeing

  • environmental awareness

  • independence and confidence

• 🚶‍♀️ Understanding National Walking Month in EYFS & KS1

  This theme provides a meaningful opportunity to explore:

  • physical development (movement and coordination)

  • health and wellbeing

  • the environment and local area

  • transport and travel

  • road safety and responsibility

  This can support:

  EYFS:

  • Physical Development (gross motor skills, movement)

  • Understanding the World (environment, community)

  • PSED (confidence, independence, safety awareness)

  • Communication & Language (talking about experiences)

  KS1 (National Curriculum):

  • PE (physical activity, movement, coordination)

  • Geography (local environment, routes and journeys)

  • PSHE (health, safety, active lifestyles)

• 🌱 A Developmentally Appropriate Approach in Early Years

  In high-quality EYFS practice, themes such as walking and active travel are explored through:

  • real experiences

  • outdoor play

  • daily routines

  • meaningful interaction

  The ideas below are:

  • optional

  • adaptable

  • intended to support adult thinking

  👉 Find out more about developmentally appropriate practice in EYFS by exploring our ‘Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite’.

  Pathways available for:

  ↪ Babies | birth-18 months

  ↪ Toddlers | 18-36 months

  ↪ Preschool | 3-4 years

  ↪ Reception | 4-5 years

  ↪ Childminder | Mixed-Age Care

• 💛 Why Walking & Active Travel Matter for Young Children

  Exploring walking and movement supports development in many ways:

  🏃 Physical Health

  Supports strength, coordination and overall development.

  😊 Wellbeing

  Outdoor movement supports mood, energy and emotional wellbeing.

  👀 Observation & Curiosity

  Children notice the world around them through real experiences.

  🚦 Safety Awareness

  Children begin to understand how to stay safe in their environment.

  🌍 Environmental Understanding

  Walking introduces ideas about sustainability and caring for the world.

  🌱 Independence & Confidence

  Children develop confidence in movement and decision-making.

🌿 EYFS: Provision & Child-Led Ideas (0–5 Years)

These ideas are not activities to be planned or completed. They support learning through movement, exploration and real-world experience.

• 👶 Babies (0–18 months)

  Movement and exploration are sensory and relationship-led.

  Babies may:

  • experience movement through being carried, pushed or supported

  • observe outdoor environments (light, sound, movement)

  • respond to sensory input during walks

  Adults can:

  • provide safe opportunities for movement and positioning

  • narrate what babies see and experience

  • allow time outdoors in calm, predictable ways

  • support sensory exploration (wind, light, sound)

  👉 Additional curriculum & planning support for this age group may be found on our ‘EYFS Planning for Babies (0–18 Months)’ hub page.

• 🚶 Toddlers (18–36 months)

  Toddlers explore movement through repetition and independence.

  Children may:

  • enjoy walking, climbing and moving

  • repeat journeys and familiar routes

  • show interest in vehicles, people and surroundings

  Adults can:

  • allow time for movement and exploration

  • support safe risk-taking

  • name what children see (“That’s a bus”)

  • follow children’s interests in the environment

  👉 Additional curriculum & planning support for this age group may be found on our ‘EYFS Planning for Toddlers (18–36 Months)’ hub page.

• 🧒 Preschool (3–4 years)

  Children begin to explore their environment with more awareness.

  Children may:

  • notice changes (weather, seasons, surroundings)

  • talk about what they see on walks

  • engage in imaginative or exploratory outdoor play

  Adults can:

  • extend language and conversation

  • support observation (“What can you see?”)

  • introduce simple safety concepts

  • encourage exploration of the local environment

  👉 Additional curriculum & planning support for this age group may be found on our ‘EYFS Planning for Preschool (3–4 Years)’ hub page.

• 🎓 Reception (4–5 years)

  Children develop greater independence and understanding of safety.

  Children may:

  • understand simple road safety rules

  • talk about journeys and routes

  • make connections between activity and health

  Adults can:

  • support discussion about safety and responsibility

  • encourage independence where appropriate

  • introduce simple environmental awareness

  • extend thinking about movement and wellbeing

  👉 Additional curriculum & planning support for this age group may be found on our ‘EYFS Planning for Reception (4–5 Years)’ hub page.

• 🚶 Key Principle Across EYFS

  Movement and active travel develop through:

  • real-life experiences

  • outdoor exploration

  • repeated opportunities to move

  • responsive adult interaction

🌱 Environment Enhancements & Invitations (EYFS)

Alongside your continuous provision, you may wish to introduce simple, low-prep enhancements and invitations that encourage children to explore walking, movement, journeys, and the outdoor world through play.

• 🚶 Walking & Journey-Inspired Invitations

  • Add footprint trails (indoors or outdoors) using chalk, tape, or printable footprints to invite children to follow pathways

  • Provide maps, clipboards, and simple route cards in small world or role-play areas

  • Enhance provision with resources such as:

    • ‘My Walk To School Booklet’

    • ‘During My Walk I Saw…’ sheets

    • ‘Travel Tick Sheets’

  👉 These can support mark-making, storytelling, and recall of real-life experiences

• 🌳 Outdoor Exploration Enhancements

  • Create a “walking station” or exploration basket with:

    • binoculars

    • magnifying glasses

    • collection pots

    • simple checklists

  • Add prompts such as:

    • “What can you see?”

    • “What do you notice on our walk?”

  • Use printable supports like:

    • ‘During My Ride/Walk I Saw…’

    • nature observation sheets

  👉 Encourages noticing, language, and curiosity about the environment

• 🛑 Road Safety & Real-World Links

  • Enhance role-play areas with:

    • road signs

    • zebra crossings (tape on the floor)

    • traffic light props

  • Add supporting resources:

    • ‘Road Safety Word Mat’

    • ‘Stop, Look, Listen Posters’

  👉 Supports children in making connections between play and real-life safety

• 🔢 Movement, Counting & Physical Play

  • Introduce movement prompts such as:

    • “Take 5 steps forward”

    • “Jump to the next marker”

  • Add:

    • numbered cones

    • stepping stones

    • obstacle pathways

  👉 Links physical development with early maths in a meaningful context

• 🎒 Role-Play & Real-Life Contexts

  • Enhance home corner or role-play with:

    • backpacks

    • lunchboxes

    • coats, hats, and walking gear

  • Introduce:

    • “Going on a walk” or “Walking to school” scenarios

  👉 Supports children in re-enacting familiar experiences and building narrative

• 🌿 Seasonal & Environmental Links

  • Add seasonal prompts:

    • leaves in autumn

    • flowers in spring

    • puddles/water play in wet weather

  • Link to themes such as:

    • Weather

    • Seasons

    • The Environment

    • Out and About

  👉 Keeps provision responsive to real-world changes children notice

• 🧠 Key Principle

  These enhancements are:

  ✔ optional

  ✔ flexible

  ✔ responsive to children’s interests

  They should sit within continuous provision, not replace it.

  The goal is to:
  👉 invite curiosity, movement, and real-world connection — not direct outcomes

📘 KS1 Learning Activities for National Walking Month

In Key Stage 1, this theme can support more structured learning around health, environment and safety.

• 👣 Tracking Our Walks

  Children can:

  • record how often they walk

  • reflect on their journeys

  • compare different types of travel

  You may use our:

  • ‘National Walking Month’ Colouring Posters

  • ‘My Walking Tick Sheet’

  • ‘Colour The Days You Walked’ Sheet

  • ‘My Walk To School Booklet’

  • ‘My Travel Tick Sheet – Scooter, Walk, Bike or Car’

• 👀 Observing the World Around Us

  Children can:

  • go on local walks

  • observe and record what they see

  • discuss changes in the environment

  You may use our:

  • ‘During My Walk I Saw…’ Sheets

  Additional resources:

  • The Environment

  • Weather

  • Seasons

• 🎨 Creative & Movement Activities

  Children can:

  • explore movement creatively

  • represent journeys through art or display

  • think about what is needed for a walk

  You may use our:

  • ‘Our Walk To School Week – Feet Display’

  • Expressive Movement resources

• 🚦 Safety & Responsibility

  Children can:

  • learn basic road safety

  • discuss safe walking behaviours

  • understand responsibility when outdoors

  Additional resources:

  • Road Safety

  • Stay Safe

  • Sun Safety

• 💛 Health & Wellbeing

  Children can:

  • explore how walking supports health

  • reflect on how movement makes them feel

  • link activity to wellbeing

  Additional resources:

  • Exercise

  • Stay Healthy

  • Mental Health

• 🌍 Explore More Resources | EYFS Enhanced Provision & KS1 Activities

  You may wish to explore:

  • Exercise

  • Stay Healthy

  • Out and About

  • Road Safety

  • Transport/Travel

  • The Environment

  • Weather

  • Expressive Movement

  • Sport and PE Games

• 🧠 Using Special Dates Thoughtfully

  A helpful question: “How does this connect to children’s real experiences and everyday lives?”

  If it supports:

  • movement

  • exploration

  • real-world understanding

  → it is meaningful

• 🚶 In Summary

  National Walking Month supports children to:

  • develop physical confidence

  • explore their environment

  • build awareness of safety and wellbeing

  • experience movement as part of everyday life

  In the EYFS, this is most effective when it is:

  • experience-based

  • outdoor-led

  • responsive

  In KS1, it can be:

  • explored through structured activities

  • linked to real-life contexts

  • supported through discussion and reflection

• 🔓 How to Access Resources

  We offer a range of resources to support practitioners across EYFS and KS1, including printable materials and in-depth curriculum and pedagogy guidance.

  🟢 Free Membership

  You can access a selection of free resources by creating a free account.

  This includes:

  • selected printable resources

  • sample materials

  • weekly support emails for those who opt-in

  👉 [Create a free account]

  🟡 Premium Membership (Printables)

  Our Premium Membership provides access to our full library of printable teaching and provision resources.

  This includes:

  • themed resources (e.g. Gardening, Emotions, Seasons)

  • continuous provision materials

  • activity cards, displays and printable packs

  These resources can be used flexibly to support:

  • provision enhancements

  • small group work

  • classroom organisation

  👉 [View Premium Membership]

  🟣 Professional Membership (Curriculum & Pedagogy)

  Our Professional Membership provides access to our full Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite (Birth–5).

  ~ In addition to Premium Printable Provision access.~

  This includes:

  • age-specific pathways (Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Reception)

  • planning guidance and templates

  • observation and assessment support

  • SEND and inclusion guidance

  • inspection-ready documentation

  These documents are designed to support:

  • confident decision-making

  • consistent practice across teams

  • clear articulation of EYFS pedagogy

  (KS1 curriculum coming soon!)

  👉 Visit EYFS Curriculum & Pedagogy Suite

  👉 [View Professional Membership]

  🧠 Choosing What Works for You

  You do not need to use everything at once.

  Many practitioners:

  • start with free resources

  • build their printable provision over time

  • use pedagogy documents to support team understanding and leadership

  Choose what best fits your setting, role and stage of development.

👉 To explore more early years events, visit our Special Dates Calendar.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘National Walking Month’ & ‘Walk to School Week’

‘Walking’ resources for EYFS & KS1 | Activities & Ideas:

The following is a small selection of our inspirational ‘Exercise’ and ‘Walking’ resources for EYFS & KS1:

(Please visit our ‘Exercise’, ‘Stay Healthy’ or ‘Active Journeys’ pages to explore our full catalogue of resources on this theme.)

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for May

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

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Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'National Walking Month'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by Living Streets, which organises this event. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information, themes, and how to get involved in promoting walking, please visit the Living Streets website: www.livingstreets.org.uk/get-involved/campaign-with-us/national-walking-month.