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“Raise your arms and push up! Lift your legs!” In the midst of soft melodies and joyful songs, 49 adorable and pure-hearted youngsters, ranging from two to six years old, guided a group of seniors, averaging over 70 years old, in easy stretching routines and fitness activities. Additionally, the children instructed the elders on how to craft auspicious knots for the Lunar New Year using beads and yellow and red strings. This heart-warming occasion provided an opportunity for the children to engage and connect with the elderly from an early age, fostering a sense of mutual understanding and care, and nurturing intergenerational bonds.
On a January afternoon, participants from St. Hilary’s International Nursery．Kindergarten and Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ping Neighbourhood Centre for Senior Citizens gathered at the Link Sustainability Lab at Lok Fu Place for the “Love Across Generations” event. They broke down generational barriers and immersed themselves in a delightful three-hour journey of mutual learning and laughter through sharing, singing, passing balls, doing fitness exercises and making auspicious knots.
Freya Wong, five and a half years old, said that she enjoyed leading the elderly in hand and foot exercises the most: “I practiced for some time beforehand and today, I felt very happy exercising with the grandpas and grandmas.” Hazel Ng, four and a half, expressed her fondness for knot-making with the elderly: “It was so much fun! I was able to spend more time interacting and talking with them.” Hazel added that she enjoys playing with her own grandparents at home, so it was not difficult communicating with the seniors she met for the first time.
For the five-year-old Jensen Tsoi, the dance session was his favourite: “Moving my hands and feet with the grandpas and grandmas felt new and special; it was very different from kindergarten.” Winston Cheung, aged six, stood out as particularly lively and talkative among the children interviewed: “My school took us to a nursing home to play games with the elderly. I met a grandma who was 100 years old and talked to her! Today, I made a lucky knot with an old lady and showed her how to do it.”
Krista Law, the amiable headmistress of St. Hilary’s Kindergarten Section, reflected on the positive atmosphere of the event. She expressed satisfaction with achieving the goal of facilitating interactions between children and individuals of diverse ages and backgrounds, fostering mutual respect and care. “Some of the children were shy and unsure how to respond when speaking with seniors. However, they will improve with additional interactions. The elderly naturally knew how to communicate and interact with children due to their extensive life experience. Seeing the elderly smiling and having fun with the children while learning some practical knowledge and skills made the event more meaningful.”
The elderly attendees at the event are all actively engaged in community activities. The friendly Shin Frances Beryl, whose smile lit up the conversation, said, “I adore spending time with children; they're so pure and delightful. Today, they taught me how to craft an auspicious knot, which was truly fascinating.” Sitting alongside Shek, Chiu Kam-lin also cherished the interaction with the children, saying, “I enjoyed the singing, performing and exercising. The hand-pushing and arm-raising routines are familiar exercises at our elderly centre. It’s important for us seniors to keep active for our health."
Lam Shui-fong, a grandmother herself, found joy in participating in the Love Across Generations event. She recounted how a young girl’s suggestion to add 10 beads instead of the original eight while making the auspicious knot was a creative touch. She expressed her desire for such intergenerational events to be held regularly, since they bring happiness to everyone. “Teaching children to bond with the elderly from a young age, which fosters mutual understanding and respect, will shape their life values positively,” she added.
Wong Yat-long, a social worker from Sik Sik Yuen Ho Ping Neighbourhood Centre for Senior Citizens who accompanied the elderly to the event, highlighted the impact of the pandemic on their social interactions. With the pandemic over, he was pleased to see that Link’s activities are bringing joy to the elderly. “Today’s atmosphere was fantastic. It’s been a while since I’ve seen them this happy. Usually, they’re confined to their homes or spend most of their time at the neighbourhood elderly centres. Coming here gave them the chance to interact with children and learn about sustainability, making it a truly meaningful day."
