The Visiting Table

For people who run tables for a living: librarians, activity coordinators in care homes and senior centres, teachers bringing a class to visit. A plan for one 45-minute session where children and older people play at the same table.

We make no health claims for any of this, and we ask hosts not to make them either. We won't sell anyone fear of getting older. The reason to come is that it is a good hour.

Running a table every month? Commons Night is a six-evening series built from the same pages.

Before the day

Tables of four to six: mix the ages at every table, never a children's table and an adults' table.
Print the large-print cards for the games you choose, one set per table.
Check who reads small print easily and who hears well; seat the caller where everyone can hear.
Ask staff or teachers who knows whom. Pair a shy child with a patient adult.

The 45 minutes

5 min, names. Everyone says their name and one thing they liked to eat at age eight.
15 min, the Caller's Table. The youngest at each table holds the cage and calls. The Caller's Table prints every card from one code, with a large-print option; its Story Card swaps numbers for things to talk about.
15 min, Nine in Ten. Questions answered by counting things in the room. Print the sheet.
5 min, one card. Each table takes one card from Eight Evenings and both the oldest and youngest answer it.
5 min, take one home. Everyone writes one question for someone at their table to answer next time.

For a school class

Before the visit, the class practises asking small questions: "what was in your school bag?" rather than "what was life like?" (How to Ask an Elder is the grown-up version).
One adult per table who is not playing, to keep turns moving.
After the visit, each child says back one thing they heard, in their own words.