After months of lockdown, measures have finally been eased just in time for the summer holidays. We think we can safely say that anyone who has spent their time at home trying to keep children and young people entertained and mentally healthy would have breathed a sigh of relief at the news that swimming pools and play parks were to reopen. This is why Affinity Fostering has again given each young person in our care a ‘pot of gold’ to spend on their own summer activities.
Stretching legs and minds over the summer is a great idea however, just because lockdown has been eased, it doesn’t mean that social distancing isn’t still in force so, this most definitely won’t be a typical summer holiday.
The most important piece of advice that we can give is do some research and make sure you book. That’s standard advice for anyone planning on visiting somewhere with children in tow, but is even more pertinent now. Checking to see whether face coverings are required, whether you can buy food and drink, and what the cleaning and hygiene procedures are like is vital to any planning.
All attractions, no matter their size, will be restricting the number of visitors on their sites. Swimming pools now require marked off sections for each household and people are encouraged to arrive already in their swimwear.
There is a benefit to all this…smaller queues and less crowding, however reports are that days out to zoos and theme parks now feel dramatically different.
With the reopening of swimming pools also came the news that many will have set time limits for use. This may also be the situation for other attractions. Summer 2020 is not a season for merrily meandering around an attraction and there is a strong chance that clock watching will now be a feature of any day out, as will punctuality.
Said the whole country in unison. Again, it’s worth doing a bit of research to see how busy scenic areas are, whether public toilets and restaurants are open, and whether lifeguards and other safety services are working. If you find the right spot, it can be a wonderful way of creating happy memories.
Definitely get out and enjoy yourselves, but it’s worth having some emergency, home based activities in your back pocket just in case you find yourselves locked down again or quarantined. And, if you don’t use them for that reason, they’re handy for a rainy day too.
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