Play is ageless. It brings families and friends together, boosts mood, encourages healthy memory development through active participation, and connects us to our community.
The importance of playtime in families is essential for children in kindergarten. This concept is otherwise known as intergenerational playtime. While these benefits extend beyond direct participation, these playgroup sessions offer a chance to build and harness these relationships. Below, we explain in greater detail why this playtime is fantastic for all!
Welcoming Grandfriends & Grandparents To Morning Tea!
These intergenerational events are an exciting and educational way for children, grandparents, parents and caregivers to come together for a day of social fun! In our recent grandparents’ morning tea, the children showed their elders around their rooms, sang songs together and partook in fun craft activities.
These sessions are fantastic for both sides as they encourage ages to come together to deepen awareness and develop respect and understanding between all generations ‒ essential for breaking down social barriers!
Benefits For Children
Children learn through play ‒ it’s that simple. But what are the core skills being developed here? Children develop essential social and language skills to aid communication during these sessions. They learn empathy, respect and acceptance skills, which are crucial to raising an admirable generation of individuals. Positive interactions with the elderly are a fantastic way to boost this development by providing a different perspective.
Benefits For Grandparents
This time spent in a playgroup is mutually beneficial for grandparents. They receive the opportunity to feel valued by families and the children in them. It helps them to break down any feelings of isolation associated with growing older and helps them regain a sense of respect and value for their community while harbouring self-esteem.
An Opportunity To Learn
These sessions are fantastic learning opportunities. Harness this chance to gather information about the family legacy ‒ an invaluable time capsule into understanding your family and its routes. Often, this information is only known by those who lived through those experiences or had their parents and grandparents pass down the information to them. Therefore, taking the time to talk and uncover these family heirlooms is priceless.
The Questions You Will Wish You Asked
We also encourage you to grow closer in your extended family relationships for your child’s and loved ones’ benefit. Asking about significant family events can be a great way to understand and learn about family heritage. You will gain an increased layer of intentionality through storytelling about the past. But how to access these stories? Every good answer begins with a good question. Creating a list of possible questions you wish you asked is a fantastic way to ensure a meaningful connection.
Some examples include:
- What was your favourite subject or teacher in school?
- Did you have any holiday traditions growing up?
- What memory gives you the most joy now?
Intergenerational relationships are so important. We encourage these relationships through meaningful and impactful playgroup sessions at The Owl and the Pussycat Preschool, so why not discover more? Learn more about our childcare centre by booking a tour today.
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