A great new activity scheme to help families with young children have fun and learn at the same time is coming to Coventry.
‘50 Things To Do Before You’re Five’ is packed with fun, low-cost, or no-cost activities to enjoy with children. It’s a great way to support their communication skills, early learning, and self-confidence.
It comes as an app that can be downloaded for free, and as activity cards available at libraries, Family Hubs, and other locations across the city.
The wide range of activities covers different topics from making discoveries in the woods, to exploring how sound changes in different places, and investigating water play at home. It is supported by a number of local venues.
The scheme is to be officially launched at the Herbert Art Gallery on Wednesday 15th November from 10am-2pm, before an audience including school children, childminders, local nurseries, Family Hubs and partner organisations that have helped to make it possible.
Members of the public are welcome to attend and to bring along their little ones as well.
The 50 Things include ideas such as:
- Mini Beasts and Bug Hunting
- Shout and Shhh
- See The Stars
- Dressing Up
- Hocus Pocus Potions
- See it Live
- The Wheels on the Bus
- Woodland Wandering
- Calm and Colourful in Coventry
- Great Coventry Cooking
Families can tick off the activities as they go, and each one is designed to make children better prepared for learning when they start school, which helps them to become more likely to be successful in their GCSEs and later life.
The experiences all build skills and language, supporting brain development in young children, as well as being great fun!
Cllr Patricia Seaman, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People at Coventry City Council, said: “I am delighted that we are launching 50 Things in Coventry. “It really is a wonderful idea that brings children and families together to have fun and learn at the same time.
“As a grandparent, I’m looking forward to downloading the app and trying out the activities. Many of them are tailored to things here in our own city, and I know people are going to love getting out and about as families and giving their children some great experiences.
“Importantly, the activities are all either low or no cost and that means everyone can take part and all children can benefit, which is perfect for our Child-friendly Coventry” approach.
Cllr Dr Kindy Sandhu, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “50 Things is a great way to show children how much fun learning can be and to get them ready for those all-important early days at school.
“Each activity has been inspired by parents and carers and developed by early years experts and language specialists to create a fabulous resource that really can make a difference as children develop their early skills.
“The app will get the whole family involved in learning and education. It’s a real One Coventry project where organisations have worked together to help the children of the city.”
The app contains all the information, guidance and supporting resources required to allow parents to build a memory bank of photos and videos, as a collection of their child's special moments.
You can find out more by searching for ‘50 Things Coventry’ online, and following on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The app is free to download on the Play Store and App Store.
#CovConnects can help you get online with a free data sim card, helping you to download and use the 50 Things app. You may be eligible to receive this support from the National Databank which helps distribute data to residents who are struggling to afford to keep connected.
For further information, visit www.coventry.gov.uk/covconnects