Value their lived experience as a very important resource within the family Pass on the knowledge of older traditions to new generation Share memories Focus on their memories of family and community, and how things have changed.
1. Celebrating the seasons
Reflecting on how different seasons were celebrated. Using books, stories and poetry to prompt. Recording similarities and differences on a flip chart. Discussing change for better, for worse.
Dividing into 4 groups to recall in detail what was done to celebrate each season. Writing out words of favourite songs, poems, stories. Describing/demonstrating dances. Recalling proverbs, sayings about plants, animals, weather, etc.
3. Memories of holidays and children’s games.
Reflecting on summer holidays, e.g., where people went for holidays and what they did. Remembering games children played. Sharing memories with grandchildren. Comparing with grandchildren’s games today.
4. How does your garden grow?
Gathering memories of what was produced in gardens, who produced it, why it was important to grow their own. Use gardening books to prompt memories. Recalling memories about communal spaces, parks, playgrounds.
Visiting local museums to explore displays of items used locally over the years. Taking a tour with a local guide. Taking a walk (real or virtual) around the local community. Looking at old photographs. Describing differences 20, 40, 60 years ago.
6. Memories and computers
Logging onto local museum website to prompt discussion about museum visit. Identifying personal interests. Typing up a poem or story from the past for grandchildren. Decorating and laminating
Materials:
Old holiday brochures
Photographs
Old holiday postcards
Old pictures
Books about children’s games, songs and activities
Games grandparents played as children
Look at books of games from the past. Grandparents come up with their own memories In pairs. Share and demonstrate. Discuss the ‘learning’ in these games, e.g., physical fitness, motor skills, language, social skills, emotional, sensory or thinking skills, etc.
What games are children playing today?
Look at how children play now. Discuss what has changed. What is the learning taking place in children’s games today?
Use old photographs, postcards and holiday brochures to prompt discussion on what grandparents did for summer holidays. Find out who went to the seaside. How did they travel? How many went on picnics? What did they bring? What was the furthest someone travelled for holidays? Who remembers sending/receiving a postcard? Who remembers visiting a circus or a fair? Who remembers being entertained by a travelling troupe?
Where do children go on holidays today?
Where have their grandchildren been on holidays? How are they entertained? What has changed?
Sharing experiences with grandchildren
What feelings do the grandparents associate with their memories, e.g., feelings of excitement, disappointment, wonder, delight, romance? Suggest ideas for sharing experiences with grandchildren of different ages.
Literacy Links:
Using key words
Listening to obtain information
Recalling and describing events
Communicating about past, present and future activities
Logically sequencing information on a topic
Interpreting visual media/ materials
Participating in discussions
Numeracy Links:
Sequencing dates and times
Recalling sequences in games
Using numbers in games
Using patterns in games
Estimating distances travelled
Identifying costs associated with summer entertainment/treats
