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COLUMBUS—On Thursday, the Polk County Senior Center Meeting Place hosted “Reach Out and Play,” an intergenerational game event organized by the AARP, Polk Middle School students, and Polk County Health & Human Services. 

The event featured an evening of gameplay with classic board games, giving seniors, teenagers and community members of all ages a chance to interact in a fun way. The tables were filled with adults and children laughing and engaging with each other. Games included the Game of Life, Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Rummikub, and Uno. They also shared free pizza and other refreshments.

“Reach Out and Play started as a nationwide event created by the AARP last year around Grandparents Day,” said AARP Associate State Director  Rebecca Chaplin. ‘“The campaign’s mission is to unite people through the power of play.”

According to a 2023 survey conducted by AARP, 65% of adults over 50 say that playing board games is an excellent way for them to connect with others. This insight, along with several others that show rising feelings of loneliness and the need for more social interactions among older adults, is the driving force behind the continuation of the Reach Out and Play campaign.

The Polk County Middle School students enjoyed the event last year, with several returning for Thursday’s event. 

“I love playing games,” said AARP volunteer Bren Kuykendell. “I believe that playing board games is a really great way to bring people of all ages together.”

Tiffany Dennis, the program director of Polk Enrichment Activities for Kids (PEAK), said the event was an opportunity to help middle schoolers develop social skills.

“This was an event the kids enjoyed and were engaged in last year, and we filled all our spots for it this year,” she said. “We picked middle school kids because they aren’t typically given these opportunities to engage with adults.”