Billycarts and bikkies: Wagga's old and young get the best of each other

Inspired by the hit ABC TV show Old People's Home for Four-Year-Olds, after school care provider TheirCare has established its own intergenerational program.

Generation Connect partners with local aged care homes to bring together young and old to enjoy each others company, learn, and make new connections through play together.

On Thursday, old and young gathered at Kooringal Public School to make billycarts and bake biscuits.

Emlee Aiken from Henschke Primary said she had a great time making a billycart with Mick Sutcliffe from the RSL Remembrance Village.

"It was really fun making them with the elderly and spending more time with them," the 11-year-old said.

"It's good [to spend time with them] because you get to know them more."

This is the second time Generation Connect has run in Wagga and facilitators say they've been blown away by the response from both the kids and aged care residents.

TheirCare was able to secure funding for the program from the NSW government, partially on the basis intergenerational programs have proven benefits for everyone involved.

Old People's Home for Four-Year-Olds was touted as a social experiment, looking at the mutual benefits that might arise from interactions between old and young.

TheirCare area manager Shari Beard said it had been a beautiful experience to watch the participants grow together.

"The interaction and the joy that it brings to their faces is just phenomenal," she said.

"They love it. Even with the residents, they go home and talk about it with their family and friends. It brings up old memories.

"They can then relate those back to the kids and have those positive conversations."