With the sun shining high and warm, but not hot, temperatures across the region, Wednesday morning was a beautiful time for walk.

And walk they did, with dozens of students arriving at Emerald Hills and Liberty Ridge Elementary Schools by foot, bike, with parents, with dogs and with siblings, all part of International Walk to School Day.

“It was nice,” said Jameson Farmer, 6, of his 1.5-mile walk to Emerald Hills.

Farmer walked with his mother, Mandy, who both said it was nice to get outside and get a little exercise before school. It was only the second time the first-grader had walked to school, instead of taking the bus, but both Jameson and Mandy indicated it probably wouldn’t be the last.

Kids arrived in groups or with parents – some of whom had dropped them off near the school to allow them to join the event, but still  ensure safety – and all of those who did got free T-shirts from Physical Education Teacher mark Holme, who greeted walkers with an excited “great job!”

Holme said the idea is to get kids to do a little more exercise.

“It’s to get kids to get out and do a little more moving,” he said between high fives with arriving students.

The first Walk to School day occurred in 1997 and the event became internbational in 2000 when Canada and the United Kingdom joined, according to the event’s official website.

By 2011, the event had spread to more than 4,000 registered schools around the world and many more that did not officially register with the site.

The Sumner School District and the City of Bonney Lake have been working together as part of the Safe Route to School program to encourage sidewalks and trails as safe alternatives to riding the bus and Wednesday’s event was co-sponsored by the district and city.

For more information on the event visit http://www.walkbiketoschool.org.