Making “grand-friends”: Preschoolers and seniors celebrate National Day together at this Methodist preschool

Little hands fluttered colourful fans as a group of Kindergarten 1 and 2 preschoolers filed onto the stage, ready to begin their performance. In the audience, some 180 seniors watched with eager anticipation, ready to celebrate National Day with their young “grand-friends”.

Held on the morning of August 5 as part of Toa Payoh Methodist Preschool’s National Day celebrations, the intergenerational gathering brought together children, educators and seniors from the church’s senior ministries for an hour of song and dance.

Waving colourful fans as part of their National Day performance for seniors.

A special relationship

“Grand-friends” is a term affectionately coined by the preschool’s Principal, Cindy Valerie He, to describe the special relationships formed between the children and seniors.

The name reflects the warmth of the connection the preschool hopes to cultivate: One where the children learn to care for and honour the older generation, while the seniors experience the joy and energy of the young.

Beyond learning the lyrics, actions and formations, the children were reminded that they were using their gifts to bring joy to others.

For some of the children, the event also felt especially personal. Looking out into the audience, Zoe from Nursery 2 excitedly exclaimed: “My ah ma is there!”

The children performed two Chinese songs, 茉莉花 and 相信我吧，新加坡！, singing and dancing with enthusiasm. The preschool team also gave out clappers to the seniors, inviting them to join in the performance.

The performance was the result of diligent preparation by both the children and their teachers.

One senior praised the children’s efforts, saying: “太好了，小朋友唱得好好啊！好卖力!” (“It was wonderful! The children sang so well and put in so much effort!”)

The performance was the result of diligent preparation by both the children and their teachers. Beyond learning the lyrics, actions and formations, the children were reminded that they were using their gifts to bring joy to others.

Love is building relationships

For Cindy, the celebration demonstrated the preschool’s core value of love, expressed through its partnership with the church and wider community.

A preschooler with his grandparents, who attended the intergenerational National Day celebration.

“Celebrating National Day with all 180 grand-friends was amazing and fulfilling!” she said. “This is a yearly event, and we are glad to bless this community with songs and spread love around.”

The celebration also helped the children recognise that Singapore is a community made up of people from different generations. Though the children and seniors have different life experiences, the shared celebration created space for friendships to grow.

Making room for every generation

Such interactions can shape how young children understand ageing and community. Rather than seeing seniors as strangers, the children are encouraged to know them as “grand-friends” – people with whom they can speak, celebrate and build relationships.

Giving an a cappella performance.

In a community, growing together means making room for every generation. This means children learning from their elders, seniors being encouraged by the young, and both generations discovering that love can be expressed through simple acts of presence.

As Singapore celebrates another year as a nation, the children and their 180 “grand-friends” showed that the spirit of community is built one relationship at a time – and that even the youngest among us can use their voices, hands and hearts to share joy.

RELATED STORIES:

Beyond flags and fireworks: 5 faith conversations to have with your children this National Day

“When children learn to care for creation, they are learning to live inside the Gospel story”: How to help kids see creation care as discipleship

The hidden beauty of a child’s first days at preschool

The post Making “grand-friends”: Preschoolers and seniors celebrate National Day together at this Methodist preschool appeared first on Salt&Light.