We teach youth practical skills that make walking and biking easier
Bicycle education benefits bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorists alike. By teaching the rules, rights, and responsibilities of biking and walking, Trailnet is working to create safer roads for all. Trailnet offers a variety of educational opportunities for ages 5-13, including single day classes, classroom educational components, and hands-on skills work.
Over the last 40 years, the number of children being driven to school has increased, community streets and spaces where children gather bear greater congestion and traffic safety issues, air quality where children play suffers, and childhood obesity has tripled. The goal of Trailnet’s youth education is to create lifelong healthy habits.
Trailnet’s youth education programming works with children, parents, schools, and communities to increase health and lower pollution by getting kids and families out biking and walking more often, especially to and from school.
We currently have 3 League Certified Instructors (LCI’s) on staff to assist in our educational offerings. Offerings include:
Bike Safety Rodeos for Kids
A Trailnet Bike Safety Rodeo brings fun and excitement to kids learning correct bike safety, rules and skills. Specially focused on riding bikes in an urban/suburban environment, our staff will set up a customized combination of “stations” covering bicycle rules of the road, helmet fittings, bike safety checks and active learning exercises meant to teach kids specific bicycle handling skills.
Walking to school days
Walk to School Days are designed to be fun and encouraging once-a-semester events for both kids and families. Focused on getting families out to experience the walk (or bike) to school together, these events can be an eye-opener for parents who think they don’t have time to get their kids to school without a car or bus. It is also a great way to get school district staff, police and elected officials out into the neighborhoods to see what kids deal with on a daily basis. Trailnet can give you the tools you need to organize events like this and take additional steps to get parents and kids out and active before and after school.
Walking School Buses
A Walking School Bus is an adult-led program for children who walk to school, designed to encourage parents/community members to participate in getting kids to walk or bike safely to school. It works in much the same way a school bus would drive them to school. Like a traditional bus, walking buses have a fixed route with designated “bus stops” and “pick up times.” Trailnet can give you the guidance and support you need to organize and promote a Walking School Bus at your school.
Steps in the right direction: Pedestrian and community advocacy education
Steps in the Right Direction is a customizable, multi-session Trailnet program developed to introduce elementary school students to community advocacy and educate them about pedestrian safety. Communication and leadership skills are taught as we work with the students to take on a pedestrian or bike safety advocacy project around their school or in their immediate community. The goal is for the kids to learn pedestrian safety and simultaneously create positive change within their community. Groups or schools that are interested in this program should know that this curriculum can be customized to a specific urban, suburban or rural environment, and can include bike safety education as well.
Workshops and Training
Trailnet can provide workshops for parents, school officials, and community members interested in increasing the number of kids already walking and biking to school, decreasing the amount of traffic and air pollution around their school in the morning and afternoons, and/or creating a safer environment for all their school’s children.
Youth Education
Recent Posts
Von Smith, Trailnet Champion
For the last five years, Von Smith has served as Froebel Literacy Academy’s Family and Community Specialist, a role that he views as a “privilege and responsibility.” His position involves encouraging parental
Mapping out a bright future for students in Dutchtown
Trailnet has collaborated with Froebel Literacy Academy in Dutchtown for several years, delivering programs focused on encouraging active lifestyles, improving safety for students walking to and from school, and presenting opportunities for
Alderman visits Froebel Elementary’s Walk Ambassadors
The goals of Trailnet’s Walk Ambassadors Program are to teach elementary school students about the benefits of active living, safe pedestrian behaviors, and ways in which kids can advocate for making their
Froebel Students Celebrate Walking to School
A brisk, sunny Friday morning was a perfect day to walk to school and get a jump start on celebrating Halloween. Kids warmed up with hot chocolate and received “blinkies” to light
Froebel Literacy Academy Spring Field Day
A rainy day did not dampen students’ enthusiasm for the May 20 Field Day at Froebel Literacy Academy in the Dutchtown neighborhood. Children ranging from pre-school through fifth grade participated in a
Please contact youthprograms@trailnet.org with any questions about our youth education offerings.