Tucker is 6, and William is 76. Tucker loves to go next door to spend time with his neighbor. At first, it was because William would always let him have three Twizzlers, but over time Tucker’s visits were planned because of the fun he had. Both friends had something to teach the other—and plenty to learn from the perspective at the opposite end of the century.
Multigenerational households are becoming more common. But it’s also true that long distance relationships between grandparents and grandkids are a familiar story for some. Unfortunately, it is also common for older adults to be isolated, without significant family and community connections. In all cases, intergenerational activities can bring inspiring benefits to seniors, as well as to kids.
The Benefits of Intergenerational Programs and Activities for Seniors and Youth
When the older adults and the youth in our community get together, they are able to share very different and equally valuable perspectives. Kids come with abundant and original energy. They are seeing and experiencing many things for the first time. Aging adults, on the other hand, bring decades of experience and memories from many phases of life. It can be more challenging for seniors to generate energy, so being inspired by children’s generous spark can be uniquely rejuvenating. The task of children and older adults finding a way to meet each other to find a shared pace and a mutual interest brings rewards for those involved and for the larger community. What other benefits come from intergenerational programs and activities?- Socialization: These companion interactions offer powerful social experiences for youth and seniors alike. Children learn how to relate to a distant generation that is rapidly growing. And older adults get a surge of energetic interaction—combatting potential isolation.
- Purpose: Older adults often must go through role reversals and changes to the ways they are used to being independent. Spending time with children and sharing their wisdom reignites a sense of purpose. Children, too, can feel the rewards of a greater connection with their elders and the importance of their part in the equation.
- Health: Older adults are likely to get more exercise—for the body, mind, and emotions—when they spend time with kids. This experience can have a positive impact on their overall health. And kids may even develop a greater interest in contributing to the cause of geriatric health in the future.
- Relationships to technology: Because today’s kids are raised with technology as an integral part of daily life, they can be great teachers for older adults who are still trying to get used to the idea and how tech tools work. In the reverse, aging adults can offer important insight for youth about how resourcefulness and fun don’t have to rely on screens and devices.
Activity Ideas for Intergenerational Fun
We’ve pulled together some examples of intergenerational activities to get you started, but the possibilities are as wide as your imagination can reach.Storytelling
Practice speaking and listening with these different ways of telling stories:- One of you, start telling a story and give one sentence of it. Then, the other person gives the next sentence. Alternate again with each new line and action in the story, riding the waves and surprises that come with collaboration.
- Pull out some old pictures so you can describe the people and events you see in them. Let your younger companion ask questions about those memories and about how things were different back when the pictures were taken.
- Start building a new photo album together. Take photos together that you can print out and include. You can also clip images from magazines and newspapers or draw pictures to scrapbook into your shared album.
