# Out and about with CVI

> Busy, loud and new places are the hardest for kids with CVI. Go at quiet times, preview new places, wear something bright, describe instead of pointing, and name steps and curbs before you reach them. Plan a break, and leave before your child's vision runs out.

Updated 2026-10-04. Canonical: https://cviexplained.com/out-and-about/

## Before you go

- [ ] **Go at quiet times.** Weekday mornings beat Saturday afternoons.
- [ ] **Preview new places.** Look at photos together. Visit once when it's quiet before the big day. Dagbjört Andrésdóttir, an adult with CVI, visited a new stage four times before her show.
- [ ] **Wear something bright,** and the same thing each time: a red hat, an orange jacket. Tell your child: "I'm wearing my red hat today."
- [ ] **Plan a break spot.** The car, a bench, a quiet corner.
- [ ] **Pack for noise** if it bothers your child. Noise crowds out vision.

## Describe, don't point

Pointing doesn't help if your child can't find what's at the end of your finger. Use words.

- Say what and where: "The dog is on your left, next to the bench."
- Use your child's body: left, right, in front of you, behind you, by your feet.
- Talk about things that move: "A bike is coming up behind us. Let's step to the side."
- Name people: "Grandma's here. She's in the green coat, by the door."
- Call out instead of waving: "I'm over here, by the slide."

## Stairs, curbs and steps

- Name it before you reach it: "Curb in three steps. Step down."
- Count the steps out loud: "Four steps up. One, two, three, four. Top."
- Put your child's hand on the railing.
- Shadows, dark lines and patterned floors can look like holes or steps. Say: "That's a shadow. The ground is flat."
- Escalators can be scary. Take the elevator if that's easier.
- An **orientation and mobility (O&M) specialist** teaches kids to move around safely. Ask the school or early intervention for one.

## Stores

- Shelves are clutter. Instead of "Find the cereal," say: "The cereal is the yellow box, right in front of your hand."
- Give one job: push the cart, hold the bread.
- In a crowd, hold hands or keep a hand on the cart. It's easy for your child to lose you.

## Playgrounds

- Pick a smaller one when you can, and go when it's quiet.
- Walk it together first. Touch the steps, the slide, the swings.
- Swings and running kids are fast. Say: "Swing coming. Step back."
- Tell your child where you'll be, and stay there.

## Restaurants

- Ask for a booth or corner table. Seat your child facing the wall, not the room.
- Clear the table: menus, extra cups, salt and pepper.
- Read the menu out loud.
- Name the plate: "Fries on the left, burger on the right."

## Crowds, parties and family gatherings

- Pick a home base, like a quiet corner.
- Ask people to say their name: "Hi Sam, it's Aunt Lou."
- Leave before the meltdown. A tired brain sees less.

## Travel

- Same bag, with a bright tag.
- At a hotel or relative's house, walk the room together first. Put things in the same spots each day.
- Expect a harder day after a long trip. Plan rest.

## What to say to staff

"My child has CVI, a brain-based vision problem. Please say your name and use words instead of pointing."

## Sources

- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Visual Guidance of Lower Limbs](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-visual-guidance-of-lower-limbs/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Impact of Motion](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-impact-of-motion/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Access to People](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-access-to-people/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Impact of Clutter](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-impact-of-clutter/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, CVI Sensory integration and its impact on vision](https://www.perkins.org/cvi-sensory-integration-and-its-impact-on-vision/)
- [Perkins School for the Blind, Why music is my vision: Dagbjört talks about living with CVI as an adult](https://www.perkins.org/why-music-is-my-vision-dagbjort-talks-about-living-with-cvi-as-an-adult/)

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CVI Explained gives general information. It is not medical or legal advice and it does not diagnose.