Do you have any advice on days out at the park or beach for a child with vision impairment?

There are so many benefits to taking children with vision impairment to the park or beach. With a bit of planning and preparation you can make sure your child experiences and enjoys everything they can on your day out.  

Parks and playgrounds 

Trips to the local park or playground can be excellent opportunities for children to develop their confidence, hone their social skills and gain independence outside of the home or school. 

When you first arrive, familiarise your child with the environment:  

• discuss the size and shape of the area and the equipment 

• ensure they are aware of swings and the safe distance to be from them to avoid getting hit 

• Make them aware of uneven surfaces and possible sharp edges. 

When they feel confident in their surroundings, encourage your child to use the park as they’d like. They may occasionally need support with some activities and not everything may be suitable or enjoyable. Introducing an element of challenge or perceived risk encourages confidence in all children. Don’t be afraid to let them enjoy themselves; children are resilient! 

The beach, sand and water 

The beach provides a child with vision impairment access to a range of sights, sounds, scents, and textures. This can be a rewarding experience that brings a lot of new sensory information. Remember children need time to process new environments. Child’s Play (a company that creates books about learning through play) produces a tactile book entitled ‘Off to the Beach,’ which you could look at with your child to prepare them for their first experience. 

Sand provides lots of textural fun. When wet, you can mould it to make shapes. You can also hollow out pathways that you can run water down and feel the flow of the water. You can also collect seaweed, shells and pebbles to create mosaic style pictures. 

Scooping and pouring water or creating a mini pool by digging out the sand can be fun. Just sitting in the ocean and feeling the ebb and flow of the water can provide lots of sensual stimulation that your child may enjoy. Floating on an inflatable and enjoying the bounce of the waves or someone pulling you along can also be fun but be sure to explain what will happen and don’t just set off at speed. 

Gaining confidence around water is an important life skill for any child. Always check the safety information at individual beaches and ensure you are aware of tide times, safe swim areas and availability of lifeguards. 

Further advice on days out can be found in our Messy and Muddy outdoor play guide: 

www.rnib.org.uk/messy  

RNIB Specialist Advice Service Advisors can give further information on this topic