THE holiday season started a little early at Ningana Retirement Village when students from Beck Street Kindergarten visited for a Christmas party on Tuesday 3 December.

The students and residents spent time sharing sweets, making Christmas cards and enjoying a chat.

Beck Street Kindergarten assistant educator Ros Boland said the visit was part of the community service within the kindergarten philosophy, and it was also an initiative of Ningana, for Beck Street to become involved.

“I think it’s important that children interact with the elderly only because their stories that they can tell the children are totally different to what the children can tell them,” Mrs Bolan said.

“They’ve lived in a different era and it also is a positive thing for both the children and the elderly to be involved with each other.

“And it gives the children … a little bit of an insight into their life, what their life was like.”

Mrs Beck said part of the importance of doing a visit like this around the holidays is so the children understand the spirit of Christmas.

“Christmas is about giving and it’s important to include everybody within our community.”

Kelly Ferguson, the lifestyle co-ordinator at Ningana, said the residents absolutely love having the children visit.

“To have them here it really lifts our residents in their spirit,” Mrs Ferguson said.

“It’s just a beautiful experience for them to have, both generations.

“We have had Beck Street up earlier in the year and the residents just wanted them to come back, the next day virtually.”

Fortnightly trips are planned for the Beck Street students next year.