Kids Blessing Older Adults During the Holidays- The Grandkid Investigator Holiday Caravan

This month, the Grandkid Investigator Holiday Caravan hit the road with one simple but powerful goal: to help kids connect with older adults in as many senior living communities in the DMV as possible! 

From cookie decorating and crafts to music, games, and movies, each stop is a chance for kids to engage with people decades older than them. Follow our journey to see every place where kids and their families rallied together to remind older adults in senior living communities that they matter! 

A special thanks to our sponsors, Beyond Sticks and Home Helpers Home Care of Olney for supporting this memorable holiday initiative! 

At Home Helpers of Olney, MD, you will get care that goes beyond expectations. What makes them special? They go beyond basic assistance—they create meaningful connections, provide peace of mind, and deliver personalized support tailored to each client’s unique needs. 

Stop 1: Cookie Decorating at Sunrise Montgomery Village

We kicked off the Caravan with gingerbread houses, cookies, frosting, sprinkles, and Operation Holiday, which was a mission taken right from the Grandkid Investigator Kit to help kids learn how these older friends celebrated the holidays. Some residents enjoyed watching it all unfold and didn't need to say a word to enjoy having kids around. Others got in on the decorating and were interviewed by Grandkid Investigators too! Thank you Sunrise at Montgomery Village staff for making this special. We really loved meeting your residents! 

Stop 2: Interactive Craft & Freeze Dance at Potomac Courts / MontCare Potomac

This stop brought out creativity and movement. After working side by side on crafts with Potomac Courts residents, our kids hung up the crafts that they worked on with residents. We sang "Happy Birthday" to a resident and then we took a trip to MontCare Potomac where  kids jumped into a lively game of freeze dance. We had hula hoops, shakers, and even took time to speak with each senior living residents. When prompted, Grandkid Investigators learn that having older friends is fun!

Stop 3: Board Game Fun at WinterGrowth Columbia  

At WinterGrowth Columbia, our Grandkid Investigators spent what we call quality time with residents and adult day participants at WinterGrowth Columbia. Two of our older friends at WinterGrowth Columbia played UNO for the first time. Some of our grandkid investigators completed Operation Holiday and Operation 1+1 with several older friends. "He told me he had a BLAST." one of the moms commented. Stop 3 was a success!

(pictures coming soon!) Stop 4: Board Game Fun Tribute at Black Hills

(pictures coming soon!) Stop 5: Magruder Rumberos Dance at Olney Memory Care at Artis

 Stop 6: Christmas Caroling at WinterGrowth Olney

Stop 7: Afternoon at the Movies at Brightview WestEnd

Stop 8: Pinecone Painting with Homeschoolers at Sunrise Montgomery Village 

(coming up) Stop 9: Movie Night at Brookdale Potomac

More Than Events - Moments That Matter

The Grandkid Investigator Holiday Caravan wasn’t just a series of activities. It was a reminder that when kids are given permission to be curious and older adults are invited to share their stories, something beautiful happens. Connections deepen, generations learn from one another, and everyone leaves a little more full than when they arrived.

These are the moments we hope families will continue creating long after the holidays are over—one question, one story, and one shared experience at a time.

If you're in the DMV and would like to participate in any of our future Grandkid Investigator programs, visit https://www.valueofwrinkles.com/gkiupdates. 

If you're not in the DMV and want to use the Grandkid Investigator Kit in your family or area, you can purchase the kit at https://www.valueofwrinkles.com/gkifam.