Play is traditionally considered the foundation of learning in the early years. Because play is characterized by free choice, it can be difficult for adults to ensure all learning is useful for children. The intervention described here took a novel approach to this problematic. It exposed 17 four-year-olds to different adult demonstrations to see…

This article presents a review of current research used to shape and guide an investigation into the nature of the influence of children as agents of intergenerational learning in environmental studies. Five children and their mothers were interviewed regarding their views about children's influences on parent and family eco-knowledge and…

Using a sociocultural framework to approach intergenerational learning, this inquiry examines learning processes used by families during visits to one nature center. Data were collected from videotaped observations of families participating in an environmental education program and a follow-up task to draw the habitat of raptors. Based on a…

How to design environmental education (EE) programs in ways that encourage children to influence the environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adults has intrigued researchers for more than a decade. The authors review and synthesize results from 7 studies that sought to answer this question. The studies reviewed were conducted between…

This study investigates the learning exchange between three- to six-year-old children and their grandparents, in Sylheti/Bengali-speaking families of Bangladeshi origin and monolingual English-speaking families living in east London. The following concepts from sociocultural theory are applied to this new area of intergenerational learning:…

The intergenerational movement is seen as an appropriate counter to the breakdown of the extended family and the loss of shared responsibilities and functions. If grandparenthood is understood as a promotion from primary parenting, older adults can contribute invaluably to children's understanding of lifestage limitations and the importance of…

Effects on the personal development of participants in the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) are evaluated. In a series of studies conducted at the Detroit FGP, foster grandparenting positively influenced the children's social, verbal, and intellectual development. Positive outcomes for the older participants included life satisfaction, adjustment,…