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 your day out enjoyable and make sure your child gets the most from the experience:

Parks and playgrounds

A trip to the local park or playground can be an excellent opportunity for children to develop their confidence, hone their social skills and gain independence outside of the home or school environment.

When you first arrive, familiarise your child with the environment and discuss the size and shape of the area and the equipment available.

Ensure they are aware of swings and the safe distance to be from them to avoid getting hit and make them aware of uneven surfaces and possible sharp edges.

Once they feel confident in their surroundings, encourage your child to use the park facilities. They may need support with some – and not all activities will be suitable or enjoyable – but introducing an element of risk is important to encourage confidence in all children. Don’t be afraid to let them enjoy themselves; children are resilient!

The beach, sand and water

A trip to the beach provides a child with vision impairment access to a range of sights, sounds, scents, and textures. Whilst this can be a rewarding experience, for some children, it can bring a lot of new sensory information all at once. 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 can provide 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.

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.

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.

Further advice on days out can be found on RNIB's Messy and Muddy webpage.

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