How to reassure parents on family days out after ‘Freedom Day’

Some parents and carers are understandably uneasy about taking their children on days out during the summer holidays.

Here are a few reasons why that nervousness persists:

1. The ‘pingdemic’. While parents and carers are keen to take their children on fun days out, they’re worried about being pinged by track and trace. Enduring weeks of isolation over the school holidays is nobody’s idea of fun.
2. Children can still catch Covid-19. Most children are unvaccinated and although the majority are largely unaffected by Covid-19 (physically, at least), they can still carry the disease. And no other demographic is as likely to sing, shout and lick the hand rails as young children!
3. Parents and carers want to protect babies and toddlers from frightening situations. By this point, very young children have lived most of their lives under the shadow of the pandemic and Covid-19 restrictions. They have never experienced – or can’t remember experiencing – crowds of people before.

On Monday 19 July, the government guidance for people who work in events and visitor attractions changed. The biggest difference is that it’s now largely up to individual attractions to decide the extent to which mask wearing, pre-booking, social distancing and the NHS Test and Trace system is enforced.

Reassuring actions:

Of course, it’s next to impossible to keep every visitor happy with your interpretation of the latest guidance but if you want to reassure and encourage families who are anxious about transitioning back into days out, there are some actions you can take.

• Include visual handwashing tips for younger children in toilets. Although most of them will be pros at it by now, a little reminder never hurt.
  
  
• Provide quiet chill out zones for families. These will be especially helpful for overwhelmed little people and for parents trying to feed babies unused to so many distractions.
  
  
• Keep up the supply of free hand sanitiser. It’s a godsend to parents of children who want to touch (and lick) everything!
  
  
• If you’re maintaining social distancing measures for the foreseeable, it might be time to invest in child-friendly signage. Make it fun.
  
  
• Ensure all indoor areas are well ventilated. Open windows and doors to keep the air flowing. Make sure air-conditioning units bring in fresh air rather than recirculate. Consider investing in air cleaning and filtration units for areas identified as poorly ventilated. The Health and Safety Executive has in-depth advice on entilation and air conditioning during the pandemic.
  
  
• If your attraction has any soft play or high-touch areas for children, consider introducing 15-minute rotations. The probability of Covid-19 transmission increases significantly if you’re in close proximity to someone for 15 mins or more.
  
  
• Too many families are trying to come to terms with grief and death. If it’s suitable for your attraction, consider hosting workshops and storytelling experiences that help children deal with the loss of a loved one.
  
  
• Exhibitions looking back on the events of the global pandemic will help children start to make sense of this event that shook our world.
  
  
• Don’t forget the grown-ups. Anything that gives them time out after a year of on-off homeschooling and now the lengthy school holidays to endure will be appreciated even more than normal – especially coffee!
  
  
• Likewise, if you’re sticking with masks – and it is still one of the most effective ways to prevent the transmission of Covid-19 – consider providing staff with see-through face masks. You might find the key takeaways of this blog about How deaf children’s days out have been affected by new Covid regulations

Above all, make sure you communicate to parents and carers the measures you’re implementing to keep them and their children safe during the school holidays. Use your social media, newsletters and any other marketing comms to get your message across to families who are still in two minds about visiting your attraction.