Bradford 2025 Intergenerational Play Project Gets Underway!

2025 has seen the launch of our Intergenerational Play project with Bradford City of Culture swinging into action. Across the district, 20 schools and older people’s settings are coming together through the power of play. Five links have already taken off to a fantastic start, proving to be joyful, heartwarming, and full of creativity.

The project brings together 10 creative practitioners from across Bradford, each facilitating intergenerational links between 20 schools and older people’s settings. Each link takes part in six creative sessions, centred around the theme of play. Filled with games, music, movement, and storytelling, the sessions culminate in a final celebration event at the end of the journey. And what a start we’ve had! The children at Dixons Allerton Academy have already begun referring to the residents at Crossley House as their “grandfriends.” Meanwhile, over at The Avenue Nursing Home in Clayton, the link got off to an imaginative start as residents and children from Clayton Village Primary fished together and played along the riverbank- making sure to say hello to Trevor the Trout as he passed!

Residents from Anchor Ashcroft Care Home were also transported to Kansas in preparation for a Wizard of Oz adventure with Reception children at Peel Park Primary. Children and residents alike have embraced the Play project with laughter, energy, and big smiles.

Of course, music is also part of the fun! Residents at Anchor Peaselands in Shipley and children from Shipley C.E Primary have been singing (and sometimes dancing!) together. Children from Shipley C.E had a wonderful time getting to know residents at Peaselands over juice and biscuits and even kept singing the songs they had learned all along the walk back to school.

The creativity and readiness for play flowing between generations show just how great a start the project is getting off to. None of this would be possible without the incredible enthusiasm of the creative practitioners, teachers, care home staff, and, of course, the children and older people themselves. Their willingness to step into these spaces with open imaginations and a spirit of play is what makes these sessions so inspiring and full of joy.

We can’t wait to share more stories as the project continues. Look out for more updates to come!