Grandparents University®

Journey through the University of Iowa’s Pentacrest Museums—home to fascinating fossils, historic artifacts, and stories that shaped our world. Discover ancient seas, meet creatures from the past, and uncover treasures that connect generations.

Activity Level: Moderate

Get ready for a deliciously creative experience! In this workshop, you will make your own waffle and turn it into a one‑of‑a‑kind edible self‑portrait. Use toppings, colors, and textures to express your identity in a fun and flavorful way. If you have any special dietary needs, please notify Grandparents University® staff.

Activity Level: Moderate

Learn how good health habits start with mindful and informed practices, including hygiene, hydration, eating, playing, moving, sleeping, and monitoring mood and vitals. Our Nursing Clinical Education Center staff will teach you how to nurse yourself and others through an illness or a bad day.

Activity Level: Low

Explore extreme weather events, particularly flooding, as well as water-quality challenges in Iowa. Design your own watershed systems, experimenting with different materials to discover how to reduce flood impacts and agricultural runoff to protect clean water. By the end, you will better understand how land-use practices impact flooding and water quality and be able to identify strategies and resources to help Iowans protect their waterways.

Activity Level: Moderate

Discover the creative power of AI in this hands-on adventure! Explore how image generation technology can bring imagination to reality—from dream pets and magical treehouses to memories from grandparents' childhoods. Create several unique images and gain a hands-on understanding of one of today's most talked-about technologies.

Activity Level: Low

Explore this unique space where University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students come together for sports, research, and discovery! Take a guided sensory tour of the prairie, hunt for hidden treasures, zoom in on wildlife using magnifying glasses and microscopes, and learn about the fascinating research taking place here as you gain a deeper connection to the wonders of the natural world. 

Activity Level: Moderate

Experience immersive worlds through virtual reality in a fun, welcoming environment. Use a VR headset to travel to famous places, create art in a 3D space, or play cooperative games. Trained facilitators will guide you through the experience and help ensure a safe, positive introduction to VR for all.

Activity Level: Moderate

Learn the science and practice of bird-banding at the Iowa Raptor Project Bird Blind. We’ll teach you about the equipment and data collection methods related to this unique activity. We will then attempt to capture, process, and band songbirds—giving you opportunities to release them!

Activity Level: Moderate

Meet raptors indigenous to the state of Iowa, including hawks, falcons, eagles, vultures, and owls, at the Raptor Center at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area. We will introduce you to our raptor ambassadors and provide an up-close experience with a raptor perched on the glove of a staff member!

Activity Level: Moderate

Put on your surgical gear, and join our rally race to earn points for your team! During this hands-on learning experience, you will don personal protective equipment and enter our operating room in teams to perform simulated surgical procedures. You will earn points for how quickly you can successfully complete the medical procedure, and the team with the most points wins.  

Activity Level: Moderate

Help future doctors by playing the role of a patient in a simulation exam room. Wear a hospital gown, put on stage makeup to make it look like you’re sick or injured, and craft a story for your role. It’s a little bit of acting, a little bit of dress-up, and a lot of fun!

Activity Level: Moderate

Get a behind-the-scenes look at a few special places in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and meet a surprise guest or two! We’ll walk and stand for periods of time; parts of Carver-Hawkeye Arena are not air-conditioned and can be hot during the summer.

Activity Level: High

See a few exclusive spaces at the iconic Kinnick Stadium! We’ll walk and stand for periods of time; parts of Kinnick Stadium are not air-conditioned and can be hot during the summer.

Activity Level: High

Go behind the curtain to explore how Hancher Auditorium brings the performing arts to life on this interactive and exclusive tour! Gain a firsthand perspective on how things work, learn theatre protocols, and operate equipment at this campus hub for creativity and creative practice.

Activity Level Moderate

Activate your imagination and spontaneity as we play improv and theatre games. Work in small groups to create and present short plays. Throughout this session, you’ll discover that playing pretend is an engaging experience for all ages. 

Activity Level: Moderate

Get ready for a deliciously creative experience! In this workshop, you will make your own waffle and turn it into a one‑of‑a‑kind edible self‑portrait. Use toppings, colors, and textures to express your identity in a fun and flavorful way. If you have any special dietary needs, please notify Grandparents University® staff.

Activity Level: Moderate

Apply different investigative methods of digital forensics to solve a crime. Learn about the process and tools used by our analysts and see real-life examples of devices they retrieved information from that appeared to be unsalvageable. 

Activity Level: Low

Experiment with AI tools in a guided, age-appropriate environment, and witness how simple prompts can generate stories, images, and ideas. Discover how emerging technologies can spark imagination, conversation, and shared creativity. We’ll also discuss the ways in which we encounter AI in our everyday lives and learn how to use it responsibly. 

Activity Level: Moderate

Learn how to build strong social connections, make and maintain friends, and stay involved in social groups. We’ll explore essential concepts related to communication, social confidence, navigating group dynamics, and creating inclusive environments. You’ll also learn how to remove social barriers, invite others in, and practice inclusive behaviors that help communities thrive. Gain practical tools to build and sustain meaningful social engagement at any stage of life.

Activity Level: Low

Every generation uses slang that makes older generations shake their heads and younger generations roll their eyes. In this course, we will explore popular words and expressions from the past and present. We will learn about how and why language changes, teach each other words and expressions, and have fun communicating across generations.

Activity Level: Low

Step into the past and look toward the future at the historic Old Capitol Museum! Explore the importance of preserving history as you gain a deeper appreciation for the stories that shape us. We’ll discuss what makes an object or memory worth saving, learn about time capsules throughout history, and create our own capsules filled with reflections and hopes for the future. 

Activity Level: Low

Discover how the dynamic sun shapes life and light on Earth. We’ll safely observe the sun through solar telescopes, learn about sunspots and solar storms, and explore how space weather creates beautiful auroras and impacts satellites and communication on Earth. Enjoy a guided tour of the Van Allen Observatory and a behind-the-scenes introduction to Iowa’s legacy in space science. 

Please note: Participants will climb approximately one-and-a-half flights of stairs to visit the Van Allen Hall observatory and rooftop.

Activity Level: Moderate

Create beautiful woven paper structures to take home, and learn how to make and weave with yarn on small cardboard looms. You’ll receive guidance from a local weaver, who will also share various looms and woven art to help inspire your creativity.

Activity Level: Moderate

Learn the science and practice of bird-banding at the Iowa Raptor Project Bird Blind. We’ll teach you about the equipment and data collection methods related to this unique activity. We will then attempt to capture, process, and band songbirds—giving you opportunities to release them!

Activity Level: Moderate

Meet raptors indigenous to the state of Iowa, including hawks, falcons, eagles, vultures, and owls, at the Raptor Center at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area. We will introduce you to our raptor ambassadors and provide an up-close experience with a raptor perched on the glove of a staff member!

Activity Level: Moderate

Put on your surgical gear, and join our rally race to earn points for your team! During this hands-on learning experience, you will don personal protective equipment and enter our operating room in teams to perform simulated surgical procedures. You will earn points for how quickly you can successfully complete the medical procedure, and the team with the most points wins.  

Activity Level: Moderate

Help future doctors by playing the role of a patient in a simulation exam room. Wear a hospital gown, put on stage makeup to make it look like you’re sick or injured, and craft a story for your role. It’s a little bit of acting, a little bit of dress-up, and a lot of fun!

Activity Level: Moderate

Get a behind-the-scenes look at a few special places in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and meet a surprise guest or two! We’ll walk and stand for periods of time; parts of Carver-Hawkeye Arena are not air-conditioned and can be hot during the summer.

Activity Level: High

See a few exclusive spaces at the iconic Kinnick Stadium! We’ll walk and stand for periods of time; parts of Kinnick Stadium are not air-conditioned and can be hot during the summer.

Activity Level: High

Go behind the curtain to explore how Hancher Auditorium brings the performing arts to life on this interactive and exclusive tour! Gain a firsthand perspective on how things work, learn theatre protocols, and operate equipment at this campus hub for creativity and creative practice.

Activity Level Moderate

Activate your imagination and spontaneity as we play improv and theatre games. Work in small groups to create and present short plays. Throughout this session, you’ll discover that playing pretend is an engaging experience for all ages. 

Activity Level: Moderate

Design and assemble personalized beaded and/or knotted bracelets, using glass beads of different colors and sizes and woven yarn. Practice fine motor skills, pattern-making, and collaborative problem-solving as you build your creation with all materials provided.

Activity Level: Low

In today’s fast-paced world, stress doesn’t discriminate by age. In this course, you’ll explore simple, effective tools for calming the nervous system while building lifelong skills for well-being. Through playful movement, gentle breathwork, and age-appropriate mindfulness practices, you will learn how to recognize stress signals and respond with techniques that promote relaxation, focus, and emotional resilience. 

Activity Level: Moderate

Assemble your own Galileoscope—an educational refracting telescope inspired by Galileo’s original design. Explore how lenses form images, learn about modern and historical telescopes, and test your finished instrument on terrestrial targets. Each group will leave with a fully built telescope and guidance to continue exploring the night sky at home.

Activity Level: Low

Urban and regional planning affects us all. Find out how it impacts your daily life and what it can accomplish to improve your life. Learn about the field of urban and regional planning, build your own community, and reflect on how the community you built compares to your current community.

Activity Level: Low

Use a series of collected interviews from attendees at a carnival to determine the cause of a zombie outbreak. Through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resources, you’ll learn about infectious diseases, epidemiology, and how outbreaks (e.g., epidemics and pandemics) are studied.  

Activity Level: Low

Strengthen the connection with your grandchild by creating a memoir zine—a personal, handmade publication that combines memories, stories, and art. You will collaborate on the creation of a zine that represents your shared history, wisdom, and experiences. This hands-on exercise will feature storytelling, writing, art, and design, with a focus on fun memory-sharing and creativity.

Activity Level: Low

Immerse yourself in Hawkeye sports history at the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame. Tour exhibitions, engage with collections, and learn from one another by sharing your own favorite sporting memories and stories!

Activity Level: Moderate

Learn about essential elements in music, including timbre, texture, tempo, and tonality. We’ll listen to, and discuss, several musical examples and explore the similarities and differences in each of these aspects. You’ll also create your own new piece of music using software from Chrome Music lab and incredibox.com. If time allows, you’ll share your project with the class.

Activity Level: Low

Kids today grew up with technology, while many grandparents did not—and each generation sees things others might miss. In this interactive session, you’ll share your perspectives on technology use and listen for what matters most to others through structured activities. Each group will create a plan for tech habits at home and leave with reflection prompts and practical ideas that balance kids’ know‑how with grandparents' wisdom.

Activity Level: Low

Video games can reveal a lot about how people learn and mirror good teaching principles. Unlike many classes in school, we learn how to play video games through hands-on experience. In this course, we will play video games and discuss some of the ways in which they teach us to play—and how that might translate at home or in school.

Activity Level: Moderate

There are more than 8,000 trees on the University of Iowa campus. But do you know if that tree in front of Macbride Hall is an oak, a walnut, or none of the above? Part of appreciating trees is the ability to identify what’s in front of you. Learn how your brain helps you recognize trees (and other objects). We’ll practice using a dichotomous key for tree identification before heading out across campus to identify different trees and learn about important ones on campus.

Activity Level: High