Since their inception several years ago, Intergenerational programs have proven to be immensely popular among Elderhostelers. Most Intergenerational programs pair hostelers with their own grandchildren or other young family members or friends. A smaller number of programs group hostelers with young people from local schools or college students at the host institution. Usually, individual Intergenerational programs require that the youngsters be of a specific age and have a limit of one youngster per adult. Intergenerational programs have the same academic standards as traditional Elderhostel programs.
All programs require educational programming.
Adults and children learn from and about each other. Examples of Intergenerational learning activities include sailing, art projects, specimen collection for a plant science class, star-gazing, and visiting local forests, mountains, and rivers to learn about the history and geology of a particular region. In International Intergenerational Programs, adults and children travel together experiencing the culture, natural wonders and often the family life of the local country. Most programs are held during the summer months when children are on vacation from school. Specific programs will have different age ranges.