Ribbon Cutting at Kindness Creators Preschool in Oak Park Arms

Intergenerational Opportunities

Oak Park Arms Senior plays with Preschooler at Kindness Creators

In August 2019, the residents of the Oak Park Arms welcomed the Kindness Creators Intergenerational Program, an innovative preschool for children aged three to five. Housed within the Oak Park Arms, many senior residents volunteer at the preschool and interact with the children during organized activities.

The famous anthropologist Margaret Mead said, “Somehow we have to get older people back close to growing children if we are to restore a sense of community, a knowledge of the past, and a sense of the future.”

The Oak Park Arms is the only retirement community that has an adult day care AND a preschool for children all under one roof. In addition, the two groups are able to interact with each other. It’s a win win for kids and seniors.

In the middle of the 20^th century, benefits of contributing to younger generations was just a theory. Today it is known that intergenerational activities give most older people feelings of accomplishment and success and show elders that they are valued as individuals. What is helpful to a child are the skills and proficiencies that older adults have in abundance due to life experiences.

Seniors report they don’t think about their age when in the company of young children. The youngsters bring a sense of vitality and fun, and the focus shifts to living in the moment. This volunteerism also satisfies a drive to give to others in a meaningful way.

Intergenerational activities for seniors include:

Reading to children
Easter Egg Hunt
Trick or Treat
Ice Cream Social
Valentine’s Dance
more

Through these interactions, children develop positive attitudes toward aging. They learn patience, acceptance, social maturity, and in some cases, higher academic performance. According to the Department of Education, intergenerational programs are built on the assumptions that human development and learning are a lifelong process.