Celebrating Beyond Red and Pink; Valentines at an Intergenerational Preschool

by Amanda JanquartFostering relationships with the grandmas and grandpas at All Seasons Preschool is woven tightly into our curriculum. While interactions are a part of every day, holidays lend added excitement and opportunity. February pretty much becomes a solid month of Valentine’s Days, with preschoolers on a mission to make everyone they meet feel special.More than anything, there is a love of sharing with the seniors. Some of the most well-received Valentine activities over the past years have been the simplest. As February approaches, we look forward to repeating some of our favorite ways to share affection with the seniors. We love roaming the halls with sheets of heart stickers and decorating whomever we meet. Having something to share allows even the most timid three year-old to step up – there is an important job to do! Watching a grown-up taste something they have made is a delight to children. Will they receive a thumbs-up or down? Handing out meringue hearts, a less familiar treat, was extra thrilling. And while it was clear to the teachers that a few residents weren’t so sure they liked them, the class was always given a positive review! A neat spin-off was asking each taste-tester who they thought might also like to test a meringue, sending the preschoolers on a hunt to find them.Another engaging activity is to go on a “heart hunt.” With clipboards in hand, children explore the decorations up and down the halls. With each heart decoration found, a heart on their sheet is colored in. Often the seniors hear our excitement and open their doors, inviting us in to find more hearts. The teachers prompt conversations, asking a grandma to share a memory, perhaps how she celebrated as a child. Did she make Valentines for someone special?Many of the apartments at Inver Glen offer views of children playing outside and the residents often tell the class how much they enjoy watching them play. With this information, a plan was hatched to build a surprise on the playground! The preschoolers knocked on doors and were giddy leading the grandmas and grandpas to their windows, calling out “You’re going to love it!” On the playground hill, a giant heart made with sticks the children carried and carted from the woods took center stage. “We made it for you!” This sweet gesture touched so many.One additional way we have involved all those at Inver Glen in Valentine’s Day was through a prop. Like the stickers, carrying around a grapevine wreath with a simple and clear goal put both generations at ease; all the children needed to do was ask people to look through the decorated wreath and have their picture taken. Those that would typically turn down a photo couldn’t resist this silliness and actually let loose making goofy faces, enjoying being included. After all, Valentines is about being recognized for what makes us special. The chocolate and roses go fast, but the feeling of being loved stays.