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According to a recent article in the Associated Press there are more grandparents than ever in the U.S., roughly 62.8 million, and by
2020, 1 in 3 adults are expected to be grandparents.1As explained in the
article, more grandparents than ever are playing bigger roles in raising the
children. This could be due to a variety of reasons, but is these tough
economic times certainly play a factor, as multigenerational families band
together to weather the recession.
There is definitely a need, then, for multigenerational
play, and toys and games that grandparents can play with their grandchildren.
AARP Family Expert Amy Goyer recently spoke with Toy News Tuesday, the online
publication of the Toy Industry Association. You can read the full interview here but there were several great take away points.
- Game
playing is a fantastic multigenerational activitiy because it is
interactive and builds a relationship between grandparents and
grandchildren.
- Sharing
a classic toy with a grandchild is another way grandparents can strengthen
a relationship through a shared memory.
- As a
grandparent, your role as storyteller and family historian is extremely
valuable. You can entertain your grandchild with stories and fairy tales
you grew up with, or illuminate the family’s history for them.
As Goyer is quoted in the article:
Play
is a great way to engage both the mind and body. The five-year old may be
DEVELOPING cognitive and physical ability while the grandparent is working to
MAINTAIN his or her physical and mental abilities. And there’s always the
added benefit that playing and having fun build endorphins and lift spirits.2
But of course, never underestimate the power of imaginative
play. Open-ended play is a fantastic way to spend quality time with your
grandchildren and draw upon your own creativity and resourcefulness. It
requires nothing but an open mind and a willingness to revive that inner child
as you set off on an adventure with your grandchildren.
But open-ended play is also key for mental development. As
quoted in this great article from grandparents.com, Karen L. Hutchison Ed.D, a registered
play therapist, had this to say about imaginative play and sensory integration,
and how it benefits both grandchildren and grandparents:
We
all have a stronger and weaker side to our brain. Open-ended, imaginative play
builds a bridge between the two sides. As a side benefit, that’s the same type
of brain exercise that helps older people maintain mental acuity.
3
Finally, grandparents are often very conscious of safety
issues, and want to be up with the latest developments in child safety. We’ve
included some handy links in our further reading section.
Here’s wishing you and your grandchildren a happy day of
play!
Further Resources:
Dr. T. Berry Brazelton and Ann Brown, Chairman of the U.S.
Consumer Product Safety have a wonderfully written and extensive guide called A
Grandparent’s Guide for Family Nurturing and Safety.
For quick reference, here’s a link to a practical Grandchild
Safety Checklist featured in that article.
A fantastic and fun guide from the Toy Industry Association
called Play is Forever .
Finally, the web publication grandparents.com is chock full
of play ideas and even has an extensive ages and stages section. Check it out!
Sources:
1. Yen, H. (2011, August 26). Grandparents play a bigger role in child-rearing. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/grandparents-play-bigger-role-child-rearing-180900009.html
2. Perspectives: a discussion about intergenerational play with aarp family expert amy goyer. (2011, September 06). Retrieved from http://www.toyassociation.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=TINFo_Toy_News1&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=16251
3. D'Addono, B. (n.d.). How to make the most of playtime: make that precious playtime count. Retrieved from http://www.grandparents.com/gp/content/activitiesandevents/everyday-activities/article/Playwithme.htm
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