Playgroup bridging the gap between children and elderly

Babies and Boomers playgroup is bridging the intergenerational gap and providing benefits for kids, their parents and the elderly.

The playgroup is hosted across multiple venues on the Gold Coast between Starting Strong and Anglicare Southern Queensland clients each week, where children, parents, and residents take part in craft activities, story time, music and morning tea.

Kids from Starting Strong were busy painting, dancing and singing during their intergenerational playgroup with Anglicare clients at Paradise Point on Wednesday.

Michael Grant and his wife Pamela have been married for 57 years, but together for 61 years and they both love attending Wednesdays out and about each week.

“We have these outings once a week and Anglicare find different places to bring us each week, we get together as a group and have morning tea and lunch,” Mr Grant said.

Pamela and Michael enjoy their weekly Wednesday outing with Anglicare on the Gold Coast.

“It’s generally a socialising day. My wife is with me and we have both been enjoying it since joining about 18 months ago.

“The kids have been good. They were dancing and painting and singing and socialised with all the adults here.”

Michael and Pamela moved from NSW to Miami and they are both enjoying catching up with their family on the Gold Coast.

Anglicare SQ Robina Lifestyle and Wellbeing Program Team Leader Rachelle Montgomery said these programs were vital to help bridge the gap between the different generations and was a way of improving mental health.

“It was great to see both our clients and children from Starting Strong enjoy themselves and their company at Paradise Point,” she said.

Anglicare clients with children from Starting Strong during their intergenerational playgroup at Paradise Point on Wednesday.

“Thank you to Starting Strong for allowing the children to have these play dates with our clients every six weeks. We look forward to continuing our partnership next term.

“If there are any other kindies who are interested in joining the program, please reach out to us at Anglicare.”

Starting Strong is a non-profit outdoor early learning program which runs sessions for all ages, but mainly for children under five-years-old.

“We do sessions for all ages but mainly under-five’s including everything you learn in a day care or early learning centre but it’s all outside and in all weather conditions,” Director Mandy Potter said.

“Everything they need to learn for pre-school or school, they’ll learn but underneath the trees.

Anglicare clients Annie, Betty and Pamela received teddy bears from the children at Starting Strong during their intergenerational playgroup on Wednesday at Paradise Point.

“I’ve just seen the intergenerational connections are growing and I approached Anglicare and they thought it would be a great idea and we decided to wait for the right time when things were a bit safer in the community to start it up.

“I think the children get so excited, they know when they’re coming and we talk about it a lot in class and they know the day when the nannas and granddads come and I think they like showing off their activities that they do.”

The next intergenerational playgroup will commence next month.

If you would ike to be involved, please contact Starting Strong on 0449 029 393 or email [email protected] for more information.