Grandparents Day
Tuesday 29th October 2024
Grandparents Day Event
44 people signed the register including 18 older residents and 17 children who all took part in a wide range of intergenerational activities.
It started with an ice breaker—pass the parcel (or hot potato) with elders and children sitting in a circle.
Afterwards everybody broke into 10 small groups with the children present interviewing elders using a 10 question survey format. Children discovered that the elders had been born in many places dotted around the world including Bangladesh, India, Filipines, Carribean, as well as London. Ages of the elders ranged from 69 to 98 years of age. The average age of the children was 8 years old.
The morning finished with a Family Bingo session with caller Sudais , 7 years old.
Intergenerational Lunch
A very tasty Shepherd’s Pie followed by Apply Crumble and custard cooked by Marina and her volunteers
Dance Styles Through the Decades
We were honoured by Simon and Anna from the London Swing Dance Society that was great fun and highly engaging.
- The Big Apple
- Lambeth Walk
- Twist
- Rock n Roll
- Hand Jive
Formal demonstrations by Simon and Anna were followed by practical learning classes with each dance style ending with a group performance.
Enormous Fun!
What? is Grandparents Day?
Grandparents Day is a day dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the important contribution made by grandparents to the wellbeing and education of children within their family. It is an opportunity for family to show their gratitude and respect for the older generation and to honour grandparents.
When? is Grandparents Day?
In the UK, Grandparents Day is usually celebrated on the first Sunday of October. However, Grandparents Day is also celebrated all over the world and although some coincide, each country has their own day of acknowledgement.
Why? did Grandparents Day start?
Grandparents Day, as we celebrate it in the UK, originated in America after a woman called Marian McQuade wanted to create a day to celebrate grandparents after discovering many of the residents in a nursing home didn’t have visitors. The day was first recognised in West Virginia in 1973, and became a national holiday in the US five years later when Jimmy Carter, the president at the time, signed a federal proclamation. It was first introduced as a day in the UK in 1990, and is something that is celebrated across the world.
