A BASINGSTOKE music club for children is helping to bridge the gap between generations by holding classes in a care home. 

Caterpillar Music, which has classes across Basingstoke, is now holding monthly sessions at Pemberley House, in Viables, where babies and toddlers can enjoy music and singing alongside patients with dementia. 

Basingstoke Gazette: Care home residents join in with a Caterpillar Music class

Nicky Moore, who runs Caterpillar Music in Basingstoke, said the classes have been a huge success so far, explaining: “We have a small number of families join with children ranging in age from nought to four years. The residents are all dementia patients.

“We had 40 minutes of singing, puppets, dancing and playing instruments. It was wonderful to see the joy it brought to the residents and children alike.

“Children helped hand out instruments and parents chatted to residents. Familiar nursery rhymes and children’s songs were easy for everyone to join in. One resident even told me how it brought back happy memories of when she used to work in a nursery.”

Basingstoke Gazette: Care home residents join in with a Caterpillar Music class

Nicky said intergenerational classes have many benefits for children, their parents or carers, and the care home residents, including building confidence, challenging assumptions and prejudices, helping to tackle loneliness, and building connections between generations.

She added: “In addition, for children, it can aid in their development by helping them to understand the world and their place in it, including ageing, and improve their social development as they build connections in a wider environment, which may be particularly beneficial if a child doesn’t have any grandparents living close by. Also, in simple terms, it just feels good to do good.”

For more information visit caterpillarmusic.com/intergenerational-classes-relaunch-in-basingstoke.