Ageless playgroups are being rolled out across the country as part of a social experiment connecting young children with aged care residents.

Key points: Intergenerational playgroups have benefits for children, their parents, and aged care residents

Intergenerational playgroups have benefits for children, their parents, and aged care residents Rockhampton has become the first regional Queensland city to host a playgroup for young and old

Rockhampton has become the first regional Queensland city to host a playgroup for young and old Mums say it's a great way to get out and talk to people, and aged care residents say they enjoy meeting the visitors

The intergenerational playgroups have increased in popularity after the hit British series Old People's Home for 4 Year Olds aired.

The ABC has since created a new show of the same name, which features elderly people in a retirement community interacting with a group of four year olds.

Benevolent Living in Rockhampton has become the first regional Queensland city to host an intergenerational playgroup.

On top of the benefits for the elderly and children, the initiative has created a new platform for regional parents to connect.

Rockhampton mother Ashleigh Johnson works at Benevolent Living and takes her 19-month-old daughter Anyala to the weekly playgroup.

Ashleigh Johnson says her daughter Anyala loves interacting with the aged care residents. ( ABC Capricornia: Erin Semmler )

Ms Johnson said her daughter had developed a special bond with some residents.

"She just loves it, she loves kids so much and she loves all my residents because we've been here for so long," she said.

"She's opened up so much more and she loves going out places and even when we go out shopping now, she'll go up to older people and just be so much more comfortable.

"I was here when I was pregnant so from day dot we were all excited for this baby."

The mother said the group made her feel at home.

"I don't talk to any of my family, so this is my family," she said.

"It's just good to talk to someone.

"My residents are my family and they are her family, so it's great to be here."

Central Queensland mother-of-two Samantha Farley decided to bring her daughter Aliyah along after learning about the playgroup on social media.

She said she had heard about it in other cities and was excited to see it established in Rockhampton.

"My husband and I grew up in lots of different regional towns and there were never any opportunities like this for anyone," she said.

Samantha Farley, right, says her daughter Aliyah loves the weekly playgroup. ( ABC Capricornia: Erin Semmler )

With her husband working away, the playgroup gives Ms Farley an excuse to leave the house.

She said their families both lived more than eight hours away.

"I spend a lot of time on my own as my older girl goes to daycare," she said.

"It's just either myself or myself and Ali so it's nice to come and meet new people and not just the ladies, but other mothers as well."

'I look forward to it everyday'

Pamela McLean has been at the Rockhampton aged care facility for three years.

The 78-year-old has Alzheimer's disease and moved into Benevolent after a fall.

"When I came in here, I just wanted to give up but then I started joining in and now I look forward to it every day," she said.

"They [the children] just come up and they'll stand and look at you and some of them will smile, others don't, but then again they're not afraid of you.

"I think also it has a calming effect on us."

Pamela McLean, left, says she looks forward to the playgroup each week. ( ABC Capricornia: Erin Semmler )

Ms McLean said she loved connecting and interacting with visitors, especially the kids.

"It's beautiful to see them and it takes you back to your own children when they were little," she said.

"They're gorgeous, they're absolutely beautiful."

The playgroup is the first of its kind in regional Queensland. ( ABC Capricornia: Erin Semmler )

Benevolent Living marketing communications officer Jamie Langdon said it had been running in Rockhampton for five weeks.

"It was quite slow starting," she said.

"We had about one or two families come the first week, but in our fifth week we've seen about eight children come, so that's pretty fantastic.

"We often see that in aged care facilities especially, that there's a lot of social isolation and depression, so having children on site and that intergenerational activity is just such an amazing thing.

"We would love to have playgroup every day of the week here, I'm sure our residents would as well.

"They wake up every morning on Wednesdays and they know the kids are coming."