Nature and art-based community events can promote multigenerational family interactions

Community engagement events can take many forms and promote a variety of outcomes. Some community events focus specifically on families and promote enhanced family interactions. University faculty members in collaboration with staff and volunteers at a local nature center planned one such event around nature and art activities. They also conducted related research to determine how DAT (developmentally appropriate theater) affects multigenerational family interactions while engaging with nature and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities. Three questions framed the study: (1) How do multi-generations interact with each other and with the activities during the theatrical event? (2) How do families (guests) describe benefits of theatrical and arts education? (3) How is STEM learning evident among the participants during the learning activities?

The idea for this nature and art-based community event emerged from a conversation between the nature center and a partnering puppet theatre company. The nature center, the theatre company, and the university worked together to plan and implement a multigenerational family community event. The theatre company assumed responsibility for performing a puppet show and conducting arts and STEM activities throughout the grounds of the nature center. The nature center supplied materials and advertisements, and sought community contributions. The university recruited volunteers to assist with various aspects of the project. Researchers collected observation and survey data. Observations focused primarily on interactions, conversations, and engagement levels of all involved parties. Surveys were administered to university volunteers and adult participants. Seventy-five participants and 18 volunteers completed the survey. While some grandparents and other extended family members attended the event, most of the participants were parents or caregivers of children they brought to the event.

An analysis of the data showed that families enjoyed the community event and understood the academic and social benefits of nature and arts-based education. The data also showed that family members were socially interactive during the day's events. The volunteers reported a high level of engagement between and among family members. According to the researchers, the overall event was “one of learning and discovery.”

This research highlights the benefits of partnerships with local agencies and illustrates how nature and art-based community events can promote multigenerational family interactions.