Family Support and Events

March 2021 update

Following on from the amazing success of our autumn and spring events we can now announce another new programme of events for children, young people and their families. Due to the ongoing coronavirus situation we have still suspended our face-to-face events and our new events will all be delivered online.

We will continue to monitor the current situation and hope to resume face-to-face events in the future.

These online events will still aim to deliver the core objectives of our Shape and Share programme.

Each event offers:

• a chance to meet other families
• activities, games or crafts for younger children
• engagement opportunities for young people
• support, information and discussion for families on a range of topics relating to everyday life at home, education, transitions, social life and leisure, mobility and independence
• opportunities to have your say, shape and get involved in local and national campaigns
• information about wider services from RNIB and partner organisations.

All children and young people aged 0-25, their siblings, parents and family members are welcome to attend.

Full details of the events on offer for the autumn term are detailed below.

Our Children, Young People and Family (CYPF) teams can provide information and advice for parents and young people. Contact your local team.

You can book a place on any of the events below by filling out our online booking form.

To be added to our distribution list or for more information about these events please email [email protected].

Summer Events Programme

Each event has a target audience, but this is a guide only, if you have queries about the suitability of an event for your child please contact us. Places are limited so booking early is advised to avoid disappointment.

Please note that during the event we may take screenshot images or recordings of the activities and participants, which may be featured in internal and external RNIB media. This will be fully explained during the event, including how you can opt out and not be featured. Your decision does not in any way affect your involvement in the event and we assure you that we will not use any footage or images without your consent.

Shape and Share – Jump, Jiggle and Jive

Date: Saturday 27 March 

Time: 11am to 12pm

Who should attend: Babies and children up to age 5

Event details: Come along to our online Easter early years session where we will be ‘hopping around’ and having lots of fun through music and movement with our friends at jump jiggle and jive.

Shape and Share – Family Spring Festival

Date: Saturday 10 April 2021

Time: 10.30am to 12pm

Event details: Get into your festival gear and come and Join us for a dance party that’ll put the spring in your step, followed by a seasonal scavenger hunt for the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the start of the year. We’ll finish off with some of your highlights from the first three months of 2021!

Shape and Share – Blooming Marvellous

Dates and times: 

Session 1 - Saturday 24 April 11am to 12pm

Session 2 - Saturday 24 April 12.15pm to 1.15pm

Who should attend: Children, young people and their families

Event details: In keeping with the spring vibes, we are running a 'Blooming Marvellous Grow Your Own' session, whereby families can decorate plant pots and then go on to plant and grow their own seeds, followed by a poem or short story. Kit provided.

When booking please state your preferred time slot.

Shape and Share – Comedy and Bingo

Dates and times:

Friday 7 May 2021, 8pm to 9pm

Who should attend: Parents

Event details: Join other parents to listen to our visiting comedian and play bingo for some fantastic prizes. There will also be the chance to meet and chat to other parents of children with vision impairment, and parents who themselves have VI. 

Shape and Share – Virtual escape room

Date: Wednesday 12 May 2021

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Who should attend: children and young people aged 11 – 16

Join us for our second virtual escape room, testing your wits in a variety of challenges and puzzles. 

Shape and Share – Self-advocacy

Dates and times: (NB participants would attend both sessions):

Thursday 27 May 2021 7.30pm to 9pm

Thursday 17 June 2021 7.30pm to 9pm

Who should attend: young people aged 14+

Event details: An opportunity for young people to learn more about self-advocacy and to develop your skills. By the end of the session you will set yourselves a target / challenge to meet and then meet again three weeks later to discuss their achievements. Time will also be given to planning a future session that they feel needs to be covered.

Shape and Share – Fun, arts and crafts

Date: Saturday 12 June 2021

Time: 11am to 1pm

Who should attend: Babies and children aged 0-5

Event details: Fun arts and crafts session. An opportunity to design and decorate your own money box. 

Shape and Share - DIY messy play

Date: Saturday 3 July 2021

Time: 11am to 12pm

Who should attend: Children aged 5 -12

Event details: ‘DIY messy play’ session. We will send you the ingredients to join us in making Ooblek, a foil tray to do it in and a plastic tablecloth to try and keep the mess at bay!

We will also activity cards for other DIY messy play ideas (make your own paint, sensory play dough, slime etc) that you could then do in your own time over the summer holidays.

Shape and Share – Sensory summer garden & story time

Date: Saturday 17 July 2021

Time: 11.30am to 12.15pm

Who should attend: Children and young people with complex needs

Event details: Families will have an opportunity to engage all the senses while out in the garden. We will explore textures, smells, sounds, light and colour out in the freshness of summer.  We will have an online summer sensory story time and share our experiences through photos and video clips capturing family fun times in our own gardens. (small sensory garden packs will be provided) 

Shape and Share –  Weird and wacky family challenge

Date: Saturday 31 July 2021 

Time: 2pm to 4pm

Who should attend: Children, young people and their families

Event details: Come and join us on a weird and wacky family challenge. Lots of laugh out loud games and activities for all the family.  Get creative, be original, imaginative and inventive to impress the judges, gain points and win the Weird and Wacky Family Challenge 2021. 

If you would like to receive a message when our face to face events are back up and running or need any help and support from our team please email us at [email protected].

You can also call our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or email [email protected].

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• Information for parents
• Children, young people and families main page