Parents are infamous for telling stories about the difficulty of their childhood. One of the most famous stories that parents tell their children is how far they had to walk to school. And it always seems to be a long distance through an unfathomable amount of snow.

Thanks to National Walk to School Day, however, children can put some of these stories to rest by walking to school on the first Wednesday in October. Walking to school on this day will encourage them to get some exercise and may even silence their parents for a day.

The History of National Walk to School Day

National Walk to School Day was created by the Partnership for a Walkable America. They created the day in 1997 inadvertently when they organized a one-day event. Some people liked the day so much that they continued to celebrate it year after year. And now, so many years after the original event, it seems like it’s a holiday that’s going to be sticking around for a while.

Facts About Walking

Although you probably didn’t ask for it, we’re going to go ahead and give you some fun facts about walking. Although walking is something that many people do every day, it’s not an activity that most people give much thought to. Hopefully, the following tidbits of trivia will help you think about walking just a little bit more.

• In the United States, walking is the most popular form of exercise.
• Walking just an extra 20 minutes a day will result in about 7 pounds of weight loss over a year.
• A typical pair of tennis shoes will last through approximately 400-500 miles of walking.
• The average human walking speed is about 3 miles per hour.
• The average person will walk 65,000 miles over the course of their lifetime.
• To burn off 500 calories, it would take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes of walking.
• A 20-minute walk at an average walking speed will cover about a mile.
• A 150-pound person will burn 100 calories per mile walking.
• A 250-pound person will burn approximately 166 calories per mile walking.
• The average human baby begins walking around 13 months of age.
• Walking reduces the risk of both colon and breast cancer.
• The human backbone isn’t designed for vertical work, which is why backaches and slipped discs are so common.
• Walking helps to prevent osteoporosis.

Observing National Walk to School Day

Celebrating this holiday is simple. If you’re a student, you can take the time to walk to school on this day. If you’re a parent, you can encourage your child to walk to school for the day, or you can set an example for them by walking to work.

While you’re observing this day, spread the word about it by using the hashtag #NationalWalkToSchoolDay on your social media account posts for the day.