What if your summer holiday become an accessibility adventure?

Web accessibility isn’t only something we practice behind a screen: summer is the perfect time to discover that people experience the world in different ways and that the same thinking applies when we design websites, apps and digital content.

Here are 10 outdoor activities to spark conversations about accessibility:

1️⃣ Navigate by listening

Close your eyes for a minute in a safe place and try to identify where people are, where the water is flowing, or where birds are singing. Suddenly, sounds become your primary source of information.

Accessibility lesson: people who are blind or have low vision often rely on audio cues, just as they rely on screen readers and meaningful alternative text online.

2️⃣ Describe nature without colours

Pick a flower, butterfly or shell and challenge each other to describe it without mentioning its colour. Focus instead on shape, size, texture or movement.

Accessibility lesson: websites shouldn’t rely on colour alone to communicate information.

3️⃣ Notice the path

Walk a forest path while pushing a stroller, carrying a heavy backpack or simply paying attention to uneven ground, narrow passages and steep slopes.

Accessibility lesson: small barriers can make a big difference, just like inaccessible websites.

4️⃣ Create a sensory map

Rather than drawing what you saw, create a “map” using sounds, textures, smells and temperatures you experienced during your walk.

Accessibility lesson: great digital experiences offer multiple ways to access information.

5️⃣ Build an inclusive trail

Using sticks, stones or leaves, create a simple trail or game for another family member. Then ask: Could everyone complete it? What would make it easier?

Accessibility lesson: inclusive design starts by thinking about different users from the beginning.

6️⃣ Listen before you look

Try identifying birds or insects by sound first.

Accessibility lesson: audio descriptions and alternative text help people access information beyond visuals.

7️⃣ Spot accessibility in nature

Look for tactile maps, accessible paths or Braille signs in parks and nature reserves.

Accessibility lesson: inclusion often means offering more than one way to access information.

8️⃣ Read your phone in bright sunlight

Try reading a website or app outside on a sunny day. Is the text still easy to read? Can everyone see the buttons?

Accessibility lesson: good colour contrast benefits everyone, not just people with low vision.

9️⃣ Plan an inclusive picnic

Think about how someone with different abilities would enjoy the experience.

Accessibility lesson: accessibility begins by considering different needs before problems appear.

🔟 End every adventure with one question

At the end of the day, ask: “What made today easier and what made today harder for different people?”

Accessibility lesson: accessibility starts with empathy.