Family Visits with Older Relatives?

Make Pretend Cooking an Easy Way to Bond

By: Lisa Huisman Koops

Family visits to a loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home are important to young and old alike, but can be challenging with toddlers who pull pictures off end tables, swing from the handles of walkers, and shout joyfully throughout the visit. It may be hard for an elderly relative to know how to interact with an active toddler and vice versa. One possibility is to bring a few toys along and engage in inter-generational pretend play. For instance, bring along a toy kitchen set (pot, spoon, food items) and encourage great-grandparents and toddlers to make “soup” together, taking turns thinking of ingredients and putting them in the pot, or “baking” them on the radiator! Play peek-a-boo with a stuffed animal behind Great-Grandma’s wheel-chair. Invite Great-Grandpa to read a simple, familiar book, leaving out some words for your child to fill in. Encourage your toddler to ride along, waving like a queen, on Great-Grandma’s lap as she is pushed down to the dining hall for lunch. Weaving play into family visits brings a smile to everyone’s face and creates priceless memories.