There’s nothing quite like the relationship between a grandparent and grandchild. If you’ve spent any time observing—or experiencing—this special bond between the generations, then you’re well aware of how gratifying it can be.
With families scattered across long distances, though, it isn’t always possible for grandparents and grandchildren to spend as much time together as they would like. And in some cases, children might grow up never knowing their “real” grandparents.
Fortunately, seniors can become surrogate grandparents and we see this happen over and over at Los Niños del Valle, the state-licensed preschool program integrated into our community at La Posada at Green Valley.
Each day gives us opportunities to see how much the children and the “grandmas” and “grandpas” who participate in our adult day services program look forward to spending time together. And, because the programs are open to children and seniors in surrounding communities, we also see the trickle effects they are having beyond La Posada.
The Communitywide Benefits of Intergenerational Relationships
When children and seniors spend intentional time together, the experience gives them the chance to grow and learn from each other. Over time, these shared experiences form the basis of a unique type of friendship, along with cherished and enduring memories.
From our perspective, children benefit from these relationships by:
- Gaining an understanding of what it means to age. Children can interact with seniors who use assistive devices or whose abilities differ from their own. Getting to know adults who look older than their parents and who move around differently helps children become familiar with the normal process of aging.
- Seeing seniors as individuals. Children who don’t grow up around grandparents or other seniors may develop unrealistic attitudes about older generations. Engaging in intergenerational activities for seniors and youth can prevent stereotypical beliefs about age from taking hold.
- Learning to work together as a team. When children in our preschool program are with participants in our adult day services program, they can learn skills and develop character traits, such as empathy, confidence and respect for others, that will be useful whenever teamwork is called for.
While seniors benefit by:
- Having a renewed sense of purpose. Being around children can invigorate seniors and provide them with opportunities to share the knowledge they’ve gained throughout life. They can help children develop skills and explore interests that otherwise might have gone undiscovered.
- Becoming more socially engaged. Seniors who feel isolated are at greater risk for depression, physical illnesses and other unfavorable outcomes. Taking part in intergenerational activities can improve their mental, physical, emotional and cognitive health.
- Experiencing more joy and creativity. Sometimes the older we get, the more we can use a reminder to laugh and enjoy ourselves. Spending time around young children serves this purpose well.
And the community as a whole benefits from:
- Stronger social connections. Bringing people from different generations together helps them relate to one another and see the value each person adds. This makes inroads toward bridging generational gaps and preventing the ill effects of ageism. Overall, the end result is a greater sense of community among all who participate.
- Shared cultural traditions and experiences. Communities thrive when the senior-most members of the community have opportunities to share the values and traditions they’ve known throughout their lives with younger people. And younger members of the community can prevent their elders from feeling outdated or getting mired in the past by sharing new norms, skills and information.
- More efficient use of resources. As we’ve seen at La Posada, offering activities to combined age groups helps reduce redundancies, eliminate waste and make better use of an array of resources, including employees’ and volunteers’ time; facilities and spaces; supplies; and even utilities.
How We Approach Intergenerational Activities at La Posada
During the school year, we typically have between 45 and 75 children enrolled in Los Niños del Valle. The children range in age from 12 months to 5 years, and some live as far away as Nogales. During the summer, we welcome children up to 10 years old.
Our adult day services provide respite care for families who have a loved one living with dementia, Parkinson’s disease and health conditions.
Throughout the week, we set aside time for the children at the preschool and the seniors participating in our adult day services program to be together. At times, residents of La Posada volunteer to assist with both programs.
When they’re together, the children and their “grandparents” enjoy a variety of intergenerational activities, such as:
- Reading to each other
- Playing games, including games and puzzles that build memory skills
- Doing chair exercises
- Coloring, drawing, painting and sculpting with modeling clay or magnet tiles
- Playing balloon volleyball
- Gardening on the patio
- Enjoying tea parties with La Posada residents
We also plan special activities for holidays, such as decorating Easter eggs and a Halloween parade combined with trick-or-treating. On some occasions, parents join us as well. Among our favorites to plan are Grandparents’ Day activities for the preschool children.
Opportunities for Older Kids, Too
In the summer, we often have high school students who spend time with the participants in our adult day services program. Through their volunteer work, these students earn credit toward graduation requirements.
The students get involved in activities such as teaching program participants how to use tablets, playing video games with them, reading the newspaper to them, and accompanying them on walks around our beautiful La Posada campus.
Intergenerational Activity Ideas for Grandparents
If you’re a grandparent, you may occasionally be stumped when asking yourself, “Where can I take my grandchildren for a day out?”
Seniors looking for things to do with grandkids can search online for nearby activities and places to visit, such as:
- Science, art and specialty museums
- The local library
- Botanical gardens
- Zoos and aquariums
- Summer concerts (or movies) in the park
- Hiking and biking trails
- Arcades
- Pottery painting studios
- Scavenger hunts or geocaching adventures
Most cities and municipalities have websites that offer suggestions for recreational activities. To get started, try searching for your local chamber of commerce or a visitor guide.
Curious About Our Community?
To learn more about La Posada at Green Valley, including Los Niños del Valle and the many other La Posada Community Services that help make living in the Green Valley, AZ area so rewarding, contact us online.
To schedule a visit to our scenic and welcoming community, call 520-329-5592.