Communicate and Play
Join our play and stay group sessions for preschool children with a hearing loss!
Is your child aged between 0–4 years old? Would you like to meet other parent carers of children with a hearing loss? Would you like your child to have fun with other children who are also diagnosed with a hearing loss? Come and join our fun play-and-stay sessions run by specialists from the Hearing Support Team.
Who can attend Communicate and Play?
The sessions are open to families of children with any degree of hearing loss. You may meet families with children diagnosed with mild, moderate, severe and profound hearing losses who may wear hearing aids, bone conduction devices or cochlear implants.
What activities are on offer?
Communicate and Play provides a unique opportunity for parent carers to meet and talk about their children’s hearing journey with other parent carers and professionals. The sessions are based around a theme and involve:
- free flow play for children, including access to an outdoor space if the weather permits
- a focus on the development of early listening and communication with lots of singing (Hello song, singing nursery rhymes with the associated actions),
- snack time
- learning some everyday signs from the British Sign Language
Will I have to pay to attend?
The sessions are usually free of charge, although we may ask for a little contribution around Christmas and Easter time to help towards the cost of snacks and little gifts for the children.
Where does Communicate and Play take place?
Communicate and Play sessions are delivered during school term time at three locations:
- Castle Vale Children’s Centre
Castle Vale Children’s Centre, 372 Yatesbury Avenue, Castle Vale, B35 6DH
- Bacchus Road Children’s Centre
Bacchus Road Children’s Centre, 61 Bacchus Road, Winson Green, B18 4QY
- Percy Shurmer Academy Nursery
Longmore Street, Balsall Heath, B12 9ED
I would like to attend. What do I need to do?
Please note that the centres may be closed on a few occasions across the year, which is why we ask you to contact us before attending.
To confirm your place, please let us know which centre you would like to attend and send us your child’s name and date of birth using our secure admin email address: ssparentenquiry@birmingham.gov.uk
Click here to download a leaflet about Communicate and Play sessions.
We hope to see you soon!