Look to the future – guiding children

We know that the domestic market will be key to recovery for the tourism industry. Let’s utilise this opportunity fully. Have you thought of offering your guiding services to schools, play groups, youth clubs, sport clubs? Even if this won’t generate much income in the short term, it could be an investment – both for future work and for the wellbeing of the community. It is also expected that international visitors are more likely to travel in family groups. This means you might find yourself with children in a private group engaging your guiding services.

Will I enjoy working with children?

If the answer is ‘no’, don’t force yourself into a direction you feel uncomfortable with. For others it will be easy, almost natural. Most of us have transferrable skills from being a parent, sibling, auntie or uncle or from previous professions and past guiding experience. Use your strengths and grow.

Do I need disclosure?

The short answer is ‘not necessarily’. However, tourist guides must follow best practice and avoid being alone with children and vulnerable adults. You are providing guiding services. Anything beyond that is the role of the parent, guardian or teacher accompanying the children. Check the relevant policies and guidance of your employer or Tourist Guide Association. If you want to specialise in guiding children, do consider disclosure and seek advice. To find out more visit the Disclosures NI website.

What is different when guiding children compared to guiding adults?

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Applies and is a good step-by-step guide. Children have the same needs as adults, but prioritise according to their developmental stage. Being with their parent or best friend will come first for very young children. Children can be more vocal about their needs and tell you when they need a break, need food, the toilet or when they are bored. Follow Maslow and anticipate food, water, rest – look after safety, security, comfort – be aware of the importance of friendship and trust and set boundaries where needed – allow children to explore and experience success in discovery – why not ask them to help you and let them find self-actualisation and fulfilment?

Age matters

It is unlikely that you will guide very young children (0 – 4 years old). Here we focus on 5 to 12-year-olds. Involving young adults above the age of 12 gets more difficult and it might be best to ‘leave them alone’ and give them space. This said, teenagers have great capacity for taking in what surrounds them, even if to us they appear disengaged or bored.

Interpretation addressed to children (say, up to the age of twelve) should not be a dilution of the presentations to adults but should follow a fundamentally different approach. To be at its best it will require a separate program (Freeman Tilden, Interpreting Our Heritage, 1957).

How to approach guiding for children? What does a good heritage interpreter for children do?

Consider the guiding scenario. Are you guiding:

• a group of children,
• a family group,
• a mixed group of adults and children,
• any variation of the above?

You are not alone. Take your lead from the parents, teachers, guardians or carers and find out what their expectations of your tour and services are.

What do they want?

• help with accessing knowledge and heritage?
• simply a break from looking after their children?
• to keep their children entertained in a safe environment?
• their children to be inspired?
• certain learning outcomes met?

We often find if the children are happy, the parents are happy and parents will support you in achieving happiness for their children.

Children (say they) want:

• fun and play
• to discover and learn something
• entertainment, something new, surprise
• to feel special
• to achieving something, to win
• to make new friends or be with existing friends
• a good day out!
• a present, want to take something home

In terms of the knowledge and approach, look at material visitor attractions have produced specifically with children in mind.

Examples:

• Titanic Belfast offers a comprehensive set of online resources for schools (Education at Titanic Belfast, Northern Ireland - Titanic Belfast)

• Children’s books by the National Trust (National Trust Children's Books | National Trust Shop)

• Reconnecting children with nature (Children & nature | National Trust)

When developing your tours for children, remember:

• Children see the world with different eyes. … ask them questions to get their perspective and allow and expect them to ask you.
• They have a short attention span and they get bored easily … keep it varied and be flexible.
• Often children react spontaneously … be prepared for spontaneity and join in.
• They might not be on your tour by their own free will … find out what they’d rather do and incorporate it or use it as motivation; be careful, however, what you promise!
• children have a limited frame of reference … consider and relate to it
• physical: what children can do (perhaps you could sit down or bend down, chose objects at children’s eye level)
• cognitive: what children can understand (use your interpretation skills of ‘relating’ to children, make it relevant, give examples children can understand, no long introductions, go straight to the subject or better ‘provoke’ interest at the start)
• social: what types of relationships children form (identify your role as guide: perhaps take on the persona of a time-traveller or visitor or magician; children like competitions, like to help others, like to feel special and find their place in the world)

How can Tourist Guides engage, enthuse, enthral children?

Some ideas for activities:

• Questions are good. Agree when to ask, how to ask (raise hand or shout out) and use the right amount and level of questions.
• Try role play combined with storytelling.
• Allocate tasks during your tour, e.g. read something out aloud, carry something, hold something, count something.
• Use dressing up – once safe again.
• Integrate singing or listening to music and poetry into your tours.
• Let children repeat or respond to certain phrases (pantomime style).
• Introduce action on hearing a specific word, e.g. be quiet when we come across a lion (in a museum display or painting); jump on the spot when you hear a bell or a fire engine passing etc.
• Ask the children to find a certain image (coat of arms, symbol of the area) during the tour.
• Why not develop a quiz or treasure hunt (clues and challenges)?
• Movement can energise or burn excessive energy, e.g. running for a short while, walking along lines or marks, walking in formations, dancing.
• Try to use all senses – within safety parameters.

Children love gadgets – here some ideas:

• illustrations (on a tablet or smartphone)
• films, possibly shown through mini projectors
• augmented reality
• take and print group photo or post on your social media
• hide pet locators or key locators in advance and ‘activate’ them during your tour
• geocaching
• use items you find in nature (remember conservation)
• soft toys as mascots, group members
• handling boxes and interactive displays in museums and visitor attractions
• Finish up with a reward or souvenir – for all!

Guiding children can be very rewarding. It might even be fun!