Bernie Pentony, a teacher in Ireland describes the steps she recently took to introduce a TOY project-inspired programme of visits by young children to a care home for older adults.
Affording the children the opportunity to interact with older adults in a care home reflects my belief in the importance of learning spaces beyond the walls of the ECEC service and in the value of intergenerational learning (IGL) as a pedagogical strategy.
On introducing the idea, I was heartened to receive support and encouragement from my school principal and teaching colleagues. This buy-in was helped by the success of previously undertaken IGL initiatives in the preschool including visits by older adult groups to the preschool, joint Tai Chi sessions and links with a Men’s Shed.
Having researched care homes in the area, I made contact and developed a relationship with the Coordinator of Wellbeing and Activities of one care home over a number of months through phone calls and emails about the proposed programme. Now working as partners, we reached agreement about the timeframe, frequency of visits, types of activities, snacks and numbers of children who would participate.
At the same time I had requested the support of the local police who facilitate community activities through the provision of transport in their minibus. They agreed to provide transport for a monthly visit to the care home and confirmed the suitability of safety belts for the children.
Informing parents through informal discussions and an information letter about our ongoing IGL programme which we call the TOY project was the next step. Details of the visits, transport, activities, right to withdraw and supervision were provided. Parents responded very positively and signed the requested permissions.
Seeking support for myself and colleagues who would implement the programme was the next step. I contacted Dr. Anne Fitzpatrick, one of the founding members of the TOY project team. She offered advice and set up links for me with two early educators who have been implementing IGL in care homes for many years. I benefitted greatly from their experience including approaches and activities that had worked well and what had not worked so well! They advised me to keep it simple, for example, singing; percussions instruments; drawing/colouring; magnetic tiles, Mr Potato Head; Duplo and books. These activities were then discussed with my partner in the care home. Importantly, I now felt reassured about starting out on our planned programme.
As part of our classroom resources budget, we had allocated some funding to purchase a few arts and crafts-based materials. Other than that, we were able to draw from a wide range of play resources that we already have in our service.
Next began one of the most important elements of the programme: preparing the children. Creating a social story was recommended by one of the experienced educators. Images of all features of the care home were provided by my partner in the care home (older adults, exterior, interior, wheelchairs, walking sticks etc.). We used this booklet at circle time to promote reflection and to answer children’s questions. We then gave each child the book to bring home and asked parents to use the social story to communicate about the programme and to elicit their children’s feelings about the visits.
We also invited the children to make a picture or a card for our new friends and these would be brought to the care centre on the second visit and the children would distribute them.
Now with our suitcase packed with our play materials we were excited to get started…
For more information on planning an IGL programme check ‘Generations Growing Together, Handbook for Practitioners & Trainers’.
Author: Bernie Pentony, Early Start, St. John’s National School, Drogheda, Co. Louth, Ireland
