Intergenerational play sessions bring joy to residents in Penarth
A heartwarming new initiative in Penarth is building meaningful connections between the youngest and oldest members of the community.
Every Tuesday morning during term time, Tŷ Dewi Sant Residential Home hosts a Flying Start Stay and Play session that brings babies, toddlers, and their parents into the home to play, sing, and share joy with residents.
The weekly sessions, developed in partnership between the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Flying Start team and Tŷ Dewi Sant Residential Home, are having a transformative impact on all involved.
Kim Jones, an Early Years Practitioner with Flying Start, who runs the sessions, said: “It's also about encouraging parents to come with their little ones and it's a lovely way for parents to meet other parents. There may be a difference in situations, some of them may be isolated and not confident yet to attend larger groups.
“But doing it here is the most heartwarming thing I think I've ever done. The residents come in, and it’s about how they engage, how they interact, how they love singing and how the parents respond to them too - it just is a feel-good group.”
“It's grown too – as with any stay and play session, it's when parents can come - because they all have busy lives – but if they're able to come along, even if they weren't able to stay the full hour, they can just pop in.
“Some of the mums have experienced, difficult things with grandparents and some of the children may not have grandparents who live local either. Some of the residents may not see their family all the time, and it probably brings back memories of their children, their grandchildren, when they were little, so it can only have a positive effect all around.”
The scheme began in January 2025 following a proposal from Clare O’Toole, Manager at Tŷ Dewi Sant, who reached out to Flying Start Manager Kath Clarke to explore ways of introducing the sessions for a set number of weeks.
Clare explained: “You see the difference in the residents, in how they are – they’ll kneel on the floor and play with the children – whereas you’d never imagine that they would be able to do that at other times. Having the children there just gives them the energy and motivation to want to do that.
“It is the highlight of the week, they all look forward to the children coming in, it really lifts their mood – and in the afternoon then, you’ll go around and you’ll hear the residents chatting about the time they’ve had with the babies.”
Since the initial six-week pilot, the sessions have gone from strength to strength and are now a cherished weekly fixture, bringing clear social and emotional benefits to the residents, children, and their families.
Cllr Eddie Williams, Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health, praised the project: “This is a truly inspiring initiative that embraces community, connection, and compassion.
“Intergenerational programmes like this are proven to benefit everyone involved - they reduce isolation among older residents, support children’s development, and provide a welcoming space for parents and carers. We are incredibly proud to support this scheme and look forward to seeing it flourish even further.”