As we enter a multi-week social distancing practice, we are excited to see so many families walking, biking, scooting, skateboarding as a way to stay active and stay connected. We have created a few resources and gathered a few more from partners around the web to keep those walks interesting and fun.
Scavenger Hunts
We created three scavenger hunt activity sheets – Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt, ABC Scavenger Hunt, and a Sound Walk in English and Spanish that are fun for the whole family! Print off the templates and take them with you as you walk, bike, or roll around your neighborhood.
BONUS! Check out this Active Transportation Bingo: https://www.stswr.ca/walkzone/home-support/active-transportation-bingo/
Thank you WALK San Francisco for the great inspiration!
DIY Walk Audits and Photo/Video Voice Projects
Take a look around your neighborhood. What do you see? How do you feel? Are there things you would change? How has your neighborhood changed since COVID-19?
Walk around your neighborhood and think about your answers to the questions above. Take a few photos or notes on your walk and tag @walksacramento on Facebook and Instagram with your photos and your answers.
If you have recommendations for transportation improvements – make sure to add them to the Street Stories map here: https://streetstory.berkeley.edu/
Need more inspiration for how to capture your photos or videos? Check out a few of our favorite resources:
- Story Corps Connect (okay not technically a video or photo voice, but we LOVE the power and beauty of storytelling in any medium)
- Voices of Youth – learn how young people around the world are keeping up their mood and get helpful tips on creating your own videos:
https://www.voicesofyouth.org/tools-resources
Art Walks & Activities
Sacramento is chalk full of colorful murals. These murals tell stories, bring us together, and help us take back otherwise vacant, overlooked spaces. You can create your own walking tour or biking tour to find the murals in your neighborhood. Check out the two links below for more information:
Wide Open Walls Murals
Since 2016, Wide Open Walls has been organizing a mural festival each year in August. The best part? There are now hundreds of murals all over Sacramento. Check out the map of murals and create our very own walking or biking tour.
Franklin Boulevard Murals
The Franklin Neighborhood Development Corporation has partnered with 916 Ink, the California Arts Council, and Sacramento State University to create the Franklin District public art project in South Sacramento on Franklin Blvd. These dozen murals will represent the culture, heritage, history and future of the district. The murals will also help graffiti abatement and deterrent, increase foot traffic via mural/taco tours. If you live in the area, you have to see these incredible community-created murals, one mural even lights up at night!
https://www.franklinblvddistrict.com/art
Draw with Stacey
Join a local West Sacramento mom as she hosts daily drawing lessons.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DrawWithStacey/
Start a book club!
A book club is a great way to encourage interaction with family, friends, or neighbors near and far while still practicing social distancing. Book clubs are easy to start and can include all ages!
Watch Motherload and get inspired to ride
“MOTHERLOAD is a crowdsourced documentary about our cultural shift toward isolation and disconnection, what this means for the future of the planet, and how life on a cargo bike could be an antidote.” You can now rent this incredible documentary on vimeo for $7.00.
FYI – there are a few images involving violence and adult language. If you prefer to watch the censored version (language bleeped out) visit: vimeo.com/ondemand/motherloadpg
Staying Physically Active during COVID-19 and other Curriculum Resources
Register for May is Bike Month!
Try a friendly competition for May is Bike Month! Challenge your friends, family, and coworkers to see who can bike the most, or the most creatively! You can even win cool prizes along the way.
Virtual Walks with Health Education Council
Join Health Education Council for Wednesday and Friday Virtual Walks. More information on their Facebook Page.
Green transportation, from electric cars to walkable cities
Level: Middle School +
Find introductory videos and activities to learn how the transportation sector might go green. The lessons are simple and can be done individually or as an activity for the whole family.
Playworks Recess
Doesn’t everyone wish they could have recess every day? Now you can! Playworks is coming to you 3xs a day, 5xs a week for fun recess activities on Facebook Live. Whether you need a way to get extra energy out of the kids mid-day or want to join in for a full-fledged family recess session – this is a perfect solution.
Pedestrian Education
Safe Kids Walking Safely Tips
https://www.safekids.org/walkingsafelytips
Pedestrian and Bicycle Safer Journey for ages 5-18
http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/pedsaferjourney/
Project Ride Smart Bike Videos, North Natomas JIBE
Ages 9-14
This video trains youth on essential facts about the laws and rules of the road. After completing the video, kids will understand the fundamentals like riding on the street versus the sidewalk; right-of-way rules and how to navigate intersections.
https://jibe.org/school/project-ride-smart
More Built Environment and Urban Planning Activities for Kids
Designing a Kid City
Level: Grades K – 2
Designed as a STEM lesson, “explorers” will get to think like urban planners and plan a city for kids and by kids!
Urban Planner: Designing a Kid City
Metropolis: A Green City of Your Own
Level: Grades 3 – 6
This curriculum was developed by a planner and third-grade teacher in the Bay Area. It is standards based, interdisciplinary unit of study for grades 3 – 6. The simple exercises and illustrations help students to think about the world around them.
https://www.planning.org/publications/document/9149250/
For more Family and Safe Routes to School Resources, check out our brand new guide: Family Resources for Staying Active During Covid-19