Walking to School

I love walking to school with my two daughters.  We use a variety of means to get school -- walking, biking, scootering, driving, or a combination of these.  But walking lets us fully experience our neighborhood and nature.  When you're walking, you see it all in full view.  The changing seasons, changing weather, leaving tracks in the snow, counting worms, etc.  There's always a new adventure to be had.Walking provides a great way to connect with other classmates parading to school.  For a brief period of the day, kids on the streets outnumber cars.  Pedestrian to pedestrian communication is almost always more friendly than car to car communication.Our walk could be even better.  The social dirt path through Bear Creek Park is often muddy.  It's clearly asking for a sidewalk.  Let's make it a generously sized sidewalk, so parents can hold hands with two kids while novice bikers have space to safely pass them.  All the sidewalks leading in to Boulder schools should be designed this way inviting students to arrive by their own power.My kids say it best, "Walking lets us get fresh air and exercise.  It's a great start to the school day."