Watch as Seaham care home residents are taken back to school days in a sing along with primary school children

Elderly residents at Stockton Lodge Care Home in Seaham were transported back in time to their school days in a sing along with children from a nearby primary school who visited them to perform an array of classroom classic songs.

Residents in their 70s, 80s and 90s danced and sang along as the Year R children from Westlea Primary School sang songs in the residents’ lounge including The Wheels on the Bus, Wind the Bobbin up and Five little Ducks.

John Sweeney McMillan, 75, said: “It was great. I really enjoyed the children’s performance and they seemed to enjoy it too.

“It’s a great community initiative which brings people of all ages together. The songs took me back to my school days and if it wasn’t for my bad leg I would have been up dancing.”

The show was initially due to take place at Easter, when the children were going to receive Easter eggs, but it had to be cancelled due to Covid infections.

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However, following the performance, resident Myra Bleek, 86, handed out bars of chocolate to the children.

She said: “It was fabulous seeing the children. I enjoyed singing The Wheels on the Bus as I remember singing these songs when I was in school.”

It was a sentiment shared by pupil Esmae Burn, five, who said: “I enjoyed the singing loads as it was fun and exciting. My favourite was What Makes a Family. 

“It was really nice to meet the residents”

The event was part of a joint initiative between the school and the care home in a bid to develop community links and an inter-generational awareness and understanding.

Care home manager Debra Parkin said: “This sort of event is really important and you can just see how the residents’ eyes lit up when the children came in - some of them don't get any visitors so this means a lot.

“They enjoyed the performance and it’s something they will continue to talk about after the children have gone.

“Hopefully this will become a regular event as since Covid it has been more difficult to get the residents out on visits and to provide these enrichment activities.”

Westlea Primary School teacher Hayley Smith added: “A key part of the curriculum is about understanding the world around us and meeting people from different generations is part of that.

“The children loved seeing the reaction of the residents and we plan to make this a regular event.”