A Christmas Celebration Across Generations

Why Community Matters: Learning to Love Beyond Our Classrooms

At Little Olive Tree, education extends beyond the classroom. Children grow not only through lessons, but through relationships — by learning how to see others, care for them, and understand that they are part of a wider community.

This is why community matters to us.

When our K1 and K2 children from Little Olive Tree @ Ang Mo Kio visited PCS Cedar Tree Active Ageing Centre (Care) @ Potong Pasir 108 this Christmas, it was not simply a festive outing. It was an intentional opportunity for our children to practice respect, care, and love in a real-world setting, especially with those from a different generation.

Intergenerational spaces are important because they bring wisdom and wonder together.

Children offer joy, curiosity, and energy, while seniors offer patience, stories, and gentle presence. When these worlds meet, meaningful learning happens naturally. The children shared songs and dances with courage and sincerity. They are not striving for perfection, but offering joy. As they later played games and made Christmas wreaths with the seniors, they learned lessons no classroom can fully teach: how to wait, how to listen, how to help, and how to work alongside others with kindness.

At Little Olive Tree, Respect and Care are not just values we talk about; they are values we live out. Moments like these allow children to experience them in tangible ways, through a greeting, a shared activity, or a simple act of patience.

This visit also reflected the heart of Christmas itself. The Christmas story is not about perfection, but about love entering ordinary spaces. Through small voices, shared laughter, and simple gestures, God’s love was quietly made visible that day.

Even after the visit, the impact lingered. Some children asked when they could return. A gentle reminder that giving joy often brings joy in return.

This is why we build community. This is why we step beyond our gates. And this is why we believe children are not only growing for the future, but already bringing truth, beauty, and goodness into the world today.