Coventry Talk Now - Going Out and About Together

Going Out and About Together

Getting Started

Don't just sit your child in front of the TV, there's a world out there to explore.

Whether you visit the shops, go on a bus or to the zoo, make the most of spending time together. All outings can give you & your child lots to talk about . For babies name all the things you see (bus, bike, policeman, elephant etc.). For older children describe them as well (what a big heavy grey elephant) & how they make you feel (I wouldn't want him to sit on me, he would squash me) or what it would be like to be them(If I was an elephant I would squirt water out of my trunk).

Trips are easy to talk about before they happen and after they have happened ( Do you remember when the elephant came very near us?) or (Tomorrow we are going to town on a big red bus). More than anything trips give you special times to share together that are lots and lots of fun.

Here are some tips to get you started...

Talk about where you are going as you get ready
Name and describe what you see
Introduce new words
Give your child time to respond and make their own comments
Collect packaging, leaflets, tickets and natural objects to talk about and role play with at home
Use stories and photos to prompt memories

Here are some suggestions for fun places to visit together round and about Coventry...

Broadgate and the Precinct

Coventry City Centre is full of exciting things, from the Lady Godiva Statue and the Peeping Tom clock in Broadgate, to the fountains in the Precinct and the hustle, bustle, sights and smells of the Indoor Market. When you tire of all the activity you can call into the Lbrary and enjoy the peace and quiet whilst sharing a book in the children's area. While you are there pick up some leaflets about activites for families at the Family Information Centre, located in the children`s book area.

Local Parks

In Coventry we are lucky to have many local parks as well as the Memorial Park. Further afield Coombe Abbey Country Park, the Miners' Welfare Park in Bedworth and the Abbey Fields in Kenilworth have Adventure Play areas as well as lots of open space to explore.

Coventry's Transport Museum has a wonderful collection of cars, commercial vehicles, cycles, motorcycles, signs, engines, display material and accessories as well as books, manuals, magazines, photographs, documents, films, videos, public relations pamphlets etc. It often has special activities for children and families at weekends and during the school holidays.

The Herbert houses all sorts of interesting objects from prehistoric times up to the present day and has a wide range of family activites on offer.

Links

Click on the links below for more information on places to visit and ideas about having fun when you are out and about together.

Ideas for places to visit
www.ideasforthekids.co.uk
http://www.kidsdaysout.co.uk/warwickshire.htm
http://www.coventry.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/leisure-and-culture/?WT.svl=Navi_main
http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk