How to Create Successful Intergenerational Activities for Your Residents
What senior doesn’t love to see a smiling child’s face? So why not get more of those smiling faces into your facility.
Consider scheduling fun activities for your residents that also include youngsters – including the grandchildren of your residents, local elementary school classes, and neighborhood “Mommy & Me” groups. Here are a few intergenerational activity ideas to incorporate into your monthly activity program:
Cartoons with Grandpa (or Grandma). Serve breakfast muffins and juice for residents in your Activity Room as kids stop by on a Saturday morning to watch cartoons.
Reading Buddies. Coordinate with a local elementary school to have one of their classes bring their students once per month to read books to your residents. Pair the students with your residents.
High School Choir. Invite a local high school choir to stop by to perform for your residents.
Garden Helpers. Coordinate with a local school or summer day camp to stop by once per month to assist residents in your facility’s garden.
Mommy & Me Groups. Invite local “Mommy & Me” groups to bring their little ones around the holidays for a visit. For example, invite the kids to dress up in their costumes on Halloween and go “trick or treating” in your facility.
Easter Egg Fun. Invite the grandkids of residents to stop by and dye Easter eggs with their grandma and grandpa.
Gingerbread Kits. Have gingerbread kits on hand for little visitors to assemble with residents around the holidays.
Teddy Bear Tea Party. Host a fun tea party for residents with their grandkids. Invite the grandkids to bring their favorite stuffed teddy bear.
Science Fair. Invite a local science class to demonstrate some of their science projects for your residents.
Holiday Carnival. Host a fun carnival with games and cotton candy for residents and family members on a designated holiday.
Volunteer Opportunities. Talk with guidance counselors at area high schools to recruit students to volunteer with your residents.
Chess Club. Coordinate with your local high school’s chess club to stop by for a fun chess tournament with your facility’s chess players.
Computer Class. Recruit some of your student volunteers to teach “classes” to the residents on how to surf the Internet.
Adopt a Boys and Girls Club. Have your facility adopt a local Boys and Girls Club in which you coordinate a trip to take residents to the Boys and Girls Club to do fun activities like arts and crafts or play games.
Art Gallery. Coordinate with a local art teacher to get their class to create artwork that can be displayed at your facility. Host a fun reception for the kids at your facility to unveil their artwork.
Under the Hood. Coordinate with your local vocational school to allow a visit from your interested male residents to stop by and check in on their auto shop classes.
Going to the Theater. Find out about dress rehearsals of plays at the local high schools so that your residents can go for FREE.
Holiday Sing-Along. Invite a local school to stop by to sing Christmas carols for residents around the holidays.