Intergenerational Activities for Seniors and Youth: Benefits & Ideas

What Are Intergenerational Activities?

Intergenerational activities are structured or informal experiences that intentionally bring people from different generations together. Most often, this means older adults connecting with children or young adults to learn from, support, and enjoy one another. They can take place in senior living communities, schools, libraries, faith organizations, or family settings.

Common examples of intergenerational activities include:

• Crafting and art projects
• Baking or cooking together
• Volunteering side by side
• Listening to music, singing, or storytelling
• Playing games or working on puzzles
• Mentoring or tutoring programs

The Benefits of Intergenerational Programs and Activities

Spending time with people outside of your own generation has benefits for everyone involved. The benefits of intergenerational relationships include social connections, a sense of purpose, stronger community ties, and more.

For Seniors and Older Adults

Many seniors find that they need to redefine themselves in their retirement years. After decades of working, some seniors struggle to find a sense of purpose or identity. Building strong social connections with children and young adults can help seniors develop a renewed sense of purpose.

Seniors experience several benefits of intergenerational programs, such as:

• Cognitive enrichment. Seniors who participate in ongoing intergenerational activities have their minds challenged, which promotes executive function, memory, and problem-solving skills.
• Reduced isolation. Interacting with kids can increase a senior’s self-esteem and reduce their feelings of loneliness.
• Increased quality of life. Having a bond with a younger group where everyone benefits helps seniors with their overall well-being.

At Sunrise communities, our team members often organize student visits and school partnerships. At Sunrise of Rockville, for example, students from a nearby school visit residents every week while school is in session—a program that has been running for several months. Rachel Bellah, the activities and volunteer coordinator at the senior living community in Maryland, has seen the positive impact these visits make firsthand.

“There’s always a noticeable lift in mood during school visits. Residents who may typically be more reserved often open up, smile more, and become very engaged,” said Bellah. “It’s not about lifting mood—it’s about being seen, valued, and heard.”

For some residents, the visits carry an added layer of meaning. Bellah notes that residents who spent their careers as teachers particularly find joy in spending time with the next generation of learners.

For Children and Youth

Children and young adults benefit just as much from intergenerational programs. Being around older adults helps children become more comfortable with aging and counters the harmful stereotypes around age. Many seniors mentor students, giving these youths a positive role model.

Generations United, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and older adults alike, reports several benefits of intergenerational programming for children including:

• Increased empathy. Children demonstrate more patience and sensitivity to the needs of others.
• Enhanced cognition. Children who work with seniors have an easier time staying on task, improved short-term memory, and better problem-solving.
• Reduced mental health symptoms. Children experience fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as less stress and sadness.
• Improved academics. Elementary-aged children show stronger reading and writing while middle schoolers develop interests in future occupations.
• Increased physical health. Children who participate in intergenerational activities have less screen time and engage in more physical activity.

For Communities

Regularly scheduled intergenerational activities have broader benefits for the community. Community, in this sense, can be as small as a family or someplace larger, like a senior living community or even a city.

Reducing ageism is one of the most meaningful community-level benefits of intergenerational activities. Wherever these activities take place, the community as a whole will recognize the value that seniors bring. Even people who don’t participate in intergenerational activities directly often have a positive experience of witnessing the interaction.

Research shows that communities with strong intergenerational programs report stronger community ties, greater trust in the community, and reduced feelings of isolation from all age groups involved.

For larger communities, the benefits of intergenerational activities include:

• Preserving and sharing local history. Seniors who share their lived experiences pass down their knowledge that might otherwise become lost.
• Increased sense of civic duty. Communities with intergenerational programs often have more people who volunteer to help others in the community and people who take part in efforts to benefit the community.
• Increased sense of purpose for staff. Administrators, caregivers, and staff members who work in places with intergenerational programs report a stronger sense of purpose and more energy while working.

When seniors and children find common ground through shared conversation and stories, it breaks down the distance that can come with age—creating real relationships that benefit both generations, according to Bellah of Sunrise of Rockville.

Intergenerational Activity Ideas to Try

The best intergenerational activities for seniors are ones that align with their strengths and interests. Some seniors may gravitate toward tutoring or mentorship opportunities while others prefer arts and crafts. If both age groups enjoy the activity, you can’t go wrong.

Storytelling and Reading Programs

Reading is a powerful way for seniors to connect with children of any age. This could look like:

• Reading to an infant or younger child
• Looking at picture books together
• Discussing works of literature with older children
• Participating in an intergenerational book club

At Sunrise of North Scottsdale, resident Darlene visited a local elementary school, where students were prepared with questions written on paper. Conversations ranged from World War II memories to what life was like without air conditioning. The engagement was so natural that several students chose to stay inside during recess to keep talking and play board games with her, according to Janina Phinao, the director of sales at the senior living community in Arizona.

The impact of these storytelling moments extends beyond visits like these. Bellah has seen this play out in her own community.

"Intergenerational connections remind our residents that they still have a place in the broader story of life. When residents share their experiences or stories, they are passing something on—and that creates a strong sense of purpose," said Bellah.

Technology and Skill Sharing

In many intergenerational activities for seniors, older adults share their life experiences and skills with a younger generation. However, this exchange can go both ways. The younger generation can use their digital experience to help seniors with technology by:

• Helping a senior set up or navigate a smartphone or tablet
• Teaching a grandparent how to video call family members
• Showing an older adult how to use social media to stay connected
• Walking a senior through streaming services, online shopping, or food delivery services
• Helping with photo organization or creating digital photo albums

This two-way exchange gives seniors the opportunity to learn and practice new skills while children and teens become more confident in their own knowledge and abilities.

Arts, Crafts, and Creative Projects

Seniors can often share their crafting knowledge and experience with children, but creative projects also give them a sense of fun and pure enjoyment. Good art projects for intergenerational programs include:

• Painting or creating a collage together
• Working on more advanced crafts where seniors can share their expertise, like knitting or woodworking
• Seasonal and holiday crafts
• Collaborating on a family tree or scrapbook

At Sunrise of Rockville, weekly art projects are designed to spark conversation—one winter landscape activity, for example, led residents and students to share stories about their hometowns and where they grew up.

Gardening and Nature Activities

Gardening can be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. Seniors and children can work together to choose what to plant and see the progress they’re making as they care for the plants and watch them grow.

Other intergenerational nature activities include:

• Scavenger hunts along a walking path to find leaves, rocks, and animals
• Bird watching
• Taking a community walk

Cooking and Baking Together

Sharing a meal together is a great bonding experience. Seniors may want to pass on a favorite family recipe or make something new with a young friend. You don’t have to be a chef, either. There are lots of options, including:

• Baking or cooking a recipe from scratch
• Using ready-made cake or bread mix
• Decorating store-bought cookies together

Games, Puzzles, and Music

Finding a fun and easy activity can take the pressure off seniors and children who are just getting to know each other. You might want to try:

• Classic board games like Monopoly, Trouble, or Candy Land
• Working on a puzzle or Lego set together
• Singing along to each age group’s favorite songs

Many intergenerational programs start with simple, shared activities like puzzles or conversation games to help participants ease into interaction and build natural connections, according to Bellah.

Programs can also build on these moments with shared experiences like music. At Sunrise of North Scottsdale, a local performing arts school visits monthly, with students coming in to sing or play instruments for residents. Residents genuinely look forward to this experience and often see it as a way to support and encourage the next generation of artists, according to Phinao from the community.

How to Find Intergenerational Programs in Your Community

If you want to find an intergenerational activity for you or your loved one, look to places like:

• Your local rec center or senior center
• Church or faith-based groups that you participate in
• Local libraries, which offer a range of community services

You can also search for programs through Generations United’s Intergenerational Program Database. They break down their listings by state and topic, such as grandfamilies or intergenerational housing.

How Senior Living Communities Bring Intergenerational Programs to You

Families researching intergenerational activity ideas for a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living community will find that many senior living communities actively build these programs into their offerings.

Many senior living communities recognize the benefits of intergenerational programs for their residents. Communities may seek out other organizations in the area to partner with, so their residents have easy access to these opportunities.

For example, an assisted living community may partner with a local preschool or daycare center to arrange regular meetups. Seniors may read to the children, play games, or work on art projects with the children.

Other communities may work with youth organizations in the area to connect seniors to children who would benefit from some help with schoolwork or an adult to mentor them in their life.

Discover Intergenerational Programs at Sunrise Senior Living

Our communities prioritize residents’ overall well-being through programs like Live With Legacy—our signature approach to helping residents find meaning and purpose through connections within their community.

We often work with local schools and youth organizations to create opportunities for residents to connect with younger generations—whether through casual visits, shared activities, or mentorship. We also welcome students to volunteer in our communities and spend time with residents.

"Intergenerational programming creates a shared sense of purpose and connection—whether it's through storytelling, crafts, or seasonal events. Both residents and students bring a unique energy, and when they come together, it's truly special," said Phinao.

Because every Sunrise community aims to reflect the people and neighborhood around it, intergenerational programming looks a little different at each location—and a little unique. To learn more about the intergenerational activities available to your loved one, reach out to your nearest Sunrise community. We’d be happy to share the organizations we partner with or schedule a tour so you can see our programs firsthand.