Objective:

Explore the perceptions of children about elderly and old age through verbal expression and pictographic.

Methods:

Qualitative, exploratory study. A semi-structured interview was carried out with 23 children between 6 and 11 years, divided into three focus groups. Later, a drawing was requested about the perception of the elderly, the analysis of both techniques was descriptive.

Results:

The participants perceived the elderly with physical characteristics such as the presence of gray hair, wrinkled skin and the use of gait aids, however, they are not perceived in the future with functional limitations. Three categories were identified: a) the vision of the beginning of elderly, b) the social image of the elderly c) perception of the role and coexistence with the elderly.

Conclusions:

Positive and negative perceptions were found about the interpretation, the thought of reality and their social knowledge of children towards the elderly and can influence their successful aging.