As her students build up their letter recognition and language skills, Borowski tries to find an alliterative activity to help her students interact with each other and grow other abilities such as social and fine motor skills. She was looking for an event beginning with a “G,” and so she created Games with Grandparents.
The day featured a morning and afternoon schedule to allow more grandparents the opportunity to join in on the fun. Once in the classroom, students played games such as Operation, Candy Land, and Connect Four. Grandparents also completed math puzzles with their students, encouraging growth in core subjects along with other important skills.
While one goal of Games with Grandparents was to help encourage family partnerships, another was to help students build on their foundation of skills. Borowski said that the games played, while simple, benefited students as they played.
“These games involved fine motor skills, counting, turn taking skills,” Borowski said. “The kids did great. There was a lot of skill building going on.”
The activity made a difference for students beyond playing board games. The classroom featured a countdown to Games with Grandparents in the days leading up to the event, and with this visibility to a fun activity, Borowski said students were more engaged in learning.
Students and their grandparents had fun and enjoyed the time to connect, building an even stronger bond between students and their family members. Opportunities like this one also help establish a community within the classroom.
“It was a great way to make connections with grandparents,” Borowski said. “It was a chance to get their family in the classroom and show them what we’re doing. I enjoyed meeting families and getting to know them. It was a great community activity, and it was definitely something I’d do again.”
Way to go, Mrs. Borowski! Keep up the great work, Triumph!
About Triumph Academy
Triumph Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Monroe, Michigan, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.
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