SINGAPORE - Walk by a new childcare centre in Kallang and you might see elderly seniors teaching young children calligraphy.

The newly-opened PAP Community Foundation Sparkletots Preschool at Kolam Ayer Block 8 is one of the few childcare centres in Singapore with multi-generational activities, where the young and old interact over activities including arts and craft and exercise sessions.

It is located close to eldercare centre Adventist Active Centre.

The initiative, called "Learning and Bonding with Families and Pioneers", is in collaboration with Early Childhood Development Agency's Start Small Dream Big projects for the year.

Guest of Honour, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Jalan Besar MP, Minister for Communications and Information, and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Cyber Security, officially opened the centre.

Dr Yaacob said the collaboration between both the eldercare centre and childcare centre will help "cultivate kindness from an early age" and allow the young to work with people who are less abled. "This is important as Singapore transits into an ageing society."

Located in the newly built Kallang Trivista estate, the centre was built to meet the demand for infant and childcare services in the neighbourhood. It has capacity for 10 infants and has 111 childcare vacancies.

Dr Yaacob also launched a children's book called The Runaway Who Became President: SR Nathan's Journey of Hope.