Some Of The Benefits Grandparents Bring
Bridging Generations With Grandparents
One of the most valuable contributions grandparents make to early years settings is the sharing of stories and traditions. These tales and customs provide children with a sense of history and identity. They can introduce children to their cultural heritage, sharing stories about their own childhoods, family traditions, and historical events, creating a sense of belonging.
Emotional And Practical Support
Grandparents often provide emotional support and stability in the lives of young children. Their presence can offer a comforting and reassuring influence, especially during times of change or uncertainty. Many of them take on a practical childcare role in modern Britain, assisting their own children who may have to work.
Grandparents As Role models
Grandparents can act as important role models for young children, demonstrating values such as kindness, patience, and resilience. Through their actions and behaviour, they can impart life lessons and guidance that can help shape a child’s character and moral development.
Social Skills
Intergenerational relationships between grandparents and young children provide unique opportunities for social development. Spending time with them helps children learn how to interact with people of different ages, backgrounds, and ideas. These interactions teach children important social skills, such as empathy, respect, and cooperation.
Continuity
In a rapidly changing world, grandparents can provide a sense of continuity and stability. Their consistent presence in a child’s life offers a reassuring anchor amidst the changes and transitions that are part of growing up, especially if parents separate or need to work long hours. This continuity helps children develop a sense of security and trust, which are foundational for their emotional and psychological well-being.
Ways To Encourage Grandparent Involvement In Your Setting
Tapping into the experience and resources they offer can be a wonderful enhancement to your setting, and there are many ways that you can encourage this involvement. Obviously, not all grandparents live around the corner, or even in the same town, and some children may not have any living grandparents with whom to engage, so you should be mindful of this when talking about them (or parents) coming into the setting. This can be especially important if you have any looked-after or ex-looked-after children in your setting, and you should approach the topic of families sensitively with these children.
Here are some ways you can encourage involvement:
- Storytelling sessions
Organise regular storytelling sessions where grandparents come in to share their childhood stories, family traditions, and unique culture with the children. This not only enhances children’s listening and comprehension skills but also enriches their understanding of history and community. You may need to create a rota and confirm that people are still able to come in, but this is a developmental responsibility you could give to an upcoming leader. - Volunteers
Grandparents often make great volunteers in your classrooms, assisting with various activities such as reading, arts and crafts, and outdoor play. Their presence can provide additional support to practitioners and help children with SEND to create a more interactive learning environment for all children. - Intergenerational learning projects
Develop projects that encourage intergenerational learning, such as gardening, cooking, or simple woodworking activities. These projects allow children to learn practical skills while fostering meaningful connections with older people, whether they are grandparents or not. You can extend this to visits to senior citizens’ homes, which have proven benefits for both sides. They can also help children learn through play, including games, puzzles, and creative arts activities that promote cognitive and social development. - Cultural days
Many older people have interesting experiences that they can pass on to the children. This could be explaining how life was in earlier times or teaching the children some authentic rock ‘n’ roll dancing! Encourage grandparents from different cultural backgrounds to come in and share something about their culture or religion too. This helps broaden children’s horizons and develops an appreciation for diversity, helping them understand the world around them. - Reading/numeracy buddies
Having a buddy to read with can help children with literacy and develop a love of reading. Grandparents can also help with letters, numbers, and other literacy and numeracy programmes. Establish a time where they are paired with children for regular reading and story sessions. - Mentoring
Create mentoring programmes where grandparents act as mentors to children, offering advice, sharing life experiences, and providing positive role models. This can help children develop important life skills and values that they may not otherwise encounter. - Celebrate Grandparents Day
Host special events to celebrate Grandparents Day, where children can invite their owne to the setting for a day of activities, performances, and bonding. This helps strengthen family ties and acknowledges the important role they play in children’s lives. This year, Grandparents Day is on Sunday 5th October. - Workshops and training
Offer workshops and training sessions for grandparents to help them understand modern educational approaches and techniques. This can help empower them to effectively support their grandchildren’s learning and development at home.
Safeguarding First
As with all volunteers in your setting, you need to ensure that they are appropriate people to work with children, grandparents or not. Make sure you complete all the necessary requirements and DBS checks to fulfil your safer recruitment obligations. You may need to do separate risk assessments depending on the age and disability status of any grandparents. You will want to encourage all grandparents regardless of disability, but you may need to provide additional support in some cases.
Finally, grandparents bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and love to early years settings. Their involvement can boost the learning and development of young children in numerous ways, and not only benefits children but also supports the grandparents, parents, and educators too, creating a holistic and nurturing environment for the growth and development of your young minds.
