Over the month of December our Pre-Schoolers will walk to Longcliffe to sing Christmas carols, talk to the residents and present Christmas gifts. Pre-School will be starting their Christmas Carol practice in October so we will be pitch perfect ready for our elderly friends!

Numerous studies have linked social interaction with decreased loneliness, delayed mental decline, lower blood pressure, and an improvement in mobility, happiness and health. Socialising across generations has also been shown to increase the amount of smiling and conversation among older adults. Exposing children to positive depictions of the elderly makes them less likely to exhibit ageism. These intergenerational interactions also enhance children’s social and personal development. Children are prone to feel more comfortable around those with disabilities and impairments of all kinds compared to their peers who lack such experiences.

The attached is from a Channel 4 program called Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, such a lovely program to illustrate the benefits of intergenerational engagement!

If you would like to donate a present, here are just a few ideas: chocolates, sweets, slippers, gloves, scarf, hand cream. Please wrap in Christmas paper and write on the present in small writing if it is more suited to (M) Male, (F) Female or (E) Either. Closer to the time we will receive first names of the residents and our Pre-Schoolers will write a personal card to them. We can collect the gifts here at Nursery.

We hope you will support us in this new relationship