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GREENSBORO — It almost seemed silly — parents dropping off their children a block or two from Lindley Elementary and letting them walk the rest of the way.

But those short walks were enough to remind families of the importance of slowing down, enjoying the scenery and getting early morning exercise before reporting to the office or classroom.

“This is something we like to do a lot,” said Stacey Toben, whose daughter, Jenna, attends the school. “It gives us time to talk together about school and what’s going on.”

Second-grader Jenna Toben was one of more than 100 children to participate in “Walk This Way” at Lindley on Wednesday. The annual event is one that thousands of schools in the U.S. hold in October as part of the International Walk to School initiative.

Participants advocate for safer walking and biking routes, reduced air pollution and more physical activity for children. The nonprofit Safe Kids Guilford County has organized the event for years at several elementary schools in Greensboro and High Point, including Claxton, Rankin, Peck and Wiley.

Children walked through the Lindley Park neighborhood, holding hands, dog leashes or signs that read “Stop for Pedestrians.” Those who arrived by bus walked as many as a dozen laps around a school track with Principal Aaron Woody.

“I like walking my dogs,” said Leah Brown, a fourth-grader who lives in the neighborhood. “I also think it’s fun to walk with my family.”

Parent Shaun Roberts lives in the same house he grew up in and recalled walking to Lindley daily as a child. But most of the time his kindergarten son, Logan, rides in a car.

On Wednesday, the two joined a “walking school bus” that formed at the corner of Walker and Elam avenues.

“It makes them happy to change up the routine a little bit and make them feel special,” Roberts said. “And all you have to do is walk. It doesn’t cost any money.”

It’s unclear whether these events result in long-term increases in the number of children walking or biking to school.

“I’m not sure it really does,” said Peggy Holland, bike and pedestrian coordinator with the city of Greensboro.

But the city has tried to encourage regular walking by adding pedestrian signals, sidewalks, crosswalks and crossing guards near participating schools, Holland said. For example, the city is installing about a mile of sidewalks on Spry Street near Rankin Elementary and will compare the amount of walking before and after the upgrade.

“For all of the schools that (Safe Kids Guilford County) targeted for Walk This Way, the city has gone back and done something,” Holland said.

Contact Morgan Josey Glover at 373-7078 or morgan.josey@news-record.com