Clean Plate Club by Lauren Hoffman
Many of the older adults and staff at Champion have expressed negative attitudes towards the children’s current chaotic play after lunch. Many seniors have also expressed a desire for an alternate to bingo, the current post-lunch activity. Clean Plate Club resolves these pain points by keeping preschoolers and seniors occupied in soothing activities after mealtime.
Each day, there is a designated intergenerational lunch table. Staff and teachers will seat adults and kids at the table who are interested in participating in the Clean Plate Club. After the older adults and prechoolers have finished eating, they are allowed to go retrieve an intergenerational basket from a shelving unit. The basket is brought back to the table and the older adults and preschoolers can participate in activities together.
Clean Plate Club emphasizes neighborly conduct and respect, encouraging participants to consider nature and community. Activities will encourage kids to take deep breaths, engage in self-soothing actions, and create a calming atmosphere. Activities may include blowing on pinwheels or nature-themed flag waving.
Book-related content about the human and natural elements of a community will be stored in a themed bookshelf which will also serve to organize the Clean Plate Club’s activity bins.
