Many young children have limited experiences with older people. They may see elders only as loving grandparents or frightening strangers. We believe that it is important to give children opportunities to enjoy being with elders, within their own safe education and care environment. In keeping with NAEYC guidelines for quality programs, intergenerational programs:

1. Give children accurate information about older people.
2. Show children that every older person is unique, just like every child.
3. Enable children to feel good about older people—and growing older themselves.

We are proud to offer intergenerational programs at two of our sites.

Foster Grandparent Volunteers from the Retired Senior Volunteers Program (RSVP) come to our main Huntington site and spend time with the children in their classrooms, helping them and joining in with their plans, projects, games, stories, and activities. RSVP does a thorough screening of all their volunteers, and a Rainbow Chimes staff member is also always present when a Foster Grandparent is working with the children.

At our Gurwin-sponsored satellite site, the residents and participants at the nursing home meet with the children and their teachers to carry out special intergenerational activities, such as music and movement, arts, horticulture, games, story-telling, and movie-watching. Children always have a choice of whether or not to participate.