August 2023 Assisted Living Activity Calendar

1

• Birthday: Francis Scott Key, American poet who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner" (1779)
• National Girlfriends Day

Girls' Crafting Party

Celebrate this National Girlfriends Day with the ladies of your facility by hosting a fun crafting party, in which residents paint summer planters. Supply each resident with terracotta pots that have been painted white, and have them apply strokes of different colored paint all over the pot. As the pots dry, host a fun chatting session with the ladies. During the break, pass out nonalcoholic mimosas for the ladies to sip as you pass around photos of Old Hollywood actors who have never won an Oscar. Ask the ladies to pick out which stars they felt were snubbed and should have received an Oscar. Then once the paint has dried, have the ladies use sandpaper to lightly rub the pot to create a distressed look. Finally, fill the pots with plants, and encourage the ladies to decorate their rooms with them for the season.

Flag Hunt

Hide small American flags throughout your facility for residents to find on this birthday of American anthem author Francis Scott Key. Award a prize to the person who finds the most flags by the end of the day.

Whose Turn to Sing?

For this birthday of poet Francis Scott Key, who wrote "The Star-Spangled Banner," use the sheet music of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to play a singing game with residents. Beforehand, cut out the six lines of the sheet music and place in a hat. (Cut out multiple copies of the sheet music to make sure that everyone gets a line.) Then have residents pick out a line from the hat, and when it's their turn to sing, have them sing their line.)

Sharing Recipes Social

Celebrate this What Will Be Your Legacy Month throughout August by planning afternoons socials in which residents can work on legacy projects that they can share with their family members. Start the month by inviting residents to gather their recipes that can be recorded on recipe cards to give to their loved ones. During the activity, encourage residents to brainstorm and discuss the three recipes that they would like to share with family members. Then recruit volunteers throughout the month to help residents record their recipes onto free recipe templates. During the brainstorming session, serve watermelon pops as a snack for your residents. (If you're looking for more legacy projects, be sure to check out legacyproject.org for more fun ideas for your senior residents.)

2

• Birthday: Myrna Loy, America's favorite leading lady of the 1930s (1905)
• Birthday: Pierre Charles L'Enfant, French architect and city planner of Washington, D.C. (1754)
• National Coloring Book Day

Famous Painting Coloring Party

Host a fun coloring party for residents on this National Coloring Book Day. For the activity, provide each resident with a different coloring page of a famous piece of art, along with the picture of the original artwork so that each resident can color their coloring page in a way that mimics the original artwork. (To print out a copy of the original artwork, use the search bar on the wikiart.org site to find the art. Then hover your mouse over the image and right-click your mouse. Then click "Open image in new tab" to print from your browser.)

Do You Know Today's Leading Ladies?

See how well residents know today's leading ladies on this birthday of Myrna Loy, America's favorite leading lady of the 1930s. For the activity, use a tablet or pass around photos of popular actresses of the 2000s to see if residents can recognize and identify them.

Best Popsicle Stick House Contest

Invite residents to compete to see who can make the best popsicle stick house on this birthday of city planner and architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant. To make the houses, supply residents with lots of popsicle sticks, wood glue, toothpicks, beads, paper, and ribbon. Then once the houses have been completed, have residents display their finished houses, and award each house with an appropriate description, like "Biggest House," "Smallest House," "Prettiest House," "Creepiest House," "Most Modern House," etc.

Knitted Blanket Social

Use chunky yarn to teach residents how to finger-knit small blankets that they can gift to their grandchildren. Serve yogurt blueberry beach snacks.

3

• Birthday: Martha Stewart, American lifestyle consultant (1941)
• National Watermelon Day

Crafts: Watermelon Umbrellas

Invite residents to turn plain paper drink umbrellas into watermelon umbrellas by painting them with pink, green, and black paint on this National Watermelon Day.

Ready, Set, Reorganize

On this birthday of American lifestyle consultant Martha Stewart, who is famous for her lifestyle tips, invite residents to play a fun reorganizing game. To play, divide residents into two teams, and have each team stand facing the other. Then announce a category (e.g., first name - alphabetically), and have the teams reorganize themselves so that they line up in order by first name in alphabetical order. (Other possible categories include birthplace - alphabetically or geographically, height, number of grandchildren - numerically). Award a point to the first team who reorganizes itself in the order for the category that you requested.

Crafting Like Martha Stewart

Encourage residents to be as crafty as Martha Stewart, on this birthday of the lifestyle expert, by using coffee filters and watercolors to create paper roses. For the craft, first have residents cut out the flower templates from coffee filters. Then use floral wire to assemble the pieces, as instructed on the website. Next, use watercolors to paint the flowers. Once the flowers have dried, use bamboo skewers to curl the petals.

"What I Learned" Social

Persuade residents to share what they have learned over the years in a personal letter to a family member. Supply residents with printable summer stationery for their message. Serve granola bars as a snack.

4

• Braham Pie Day in Braham, Minnesota
• Coast Guard Day
• Trinbago 2023, an international youth sporting event in Trinidad and Tobago (August 4-11)

Pie-Piping Contest

On this Braham Pie Day in Braham, Minnesota, invite residents to compete in a fun pie-piping contest using cream cheese frosting. Before the activity, coordinate with Dining Services to provide residents with mini pumpkin pies to decorate. At the start of the activity, have residents practice using bags of cream cheese and piping tips (or plastic bags with the corner cut off) to pipe onto wax paper before piping their pie. Invite your facility's administrators to judge the best piping and award a blue ribbon to the winner. (Other color ribbons for second and third places.)

Guess Their Branch

In recognition of this Coast Guard Day, pass around the photos of famous celebrities, and ask residents to try to identify which branch of service they were in.

Can You Identify the Caribbean Islands?

For this first day of Trinbago 2023, an international youth sporting event in Trinidad and Tobago, quiz residents to see whether they can identify the locations of Caribbean countries. For the activity, provide residents with the third map from the website to fill in with the names of the countries. Then use the fourth map from the website to reveal the answers. (Simply click on the maps on the website to download.)

Scholarship Fund Social

Organize a fun bake sale fundraiser for residents to bake and sell items and use the proceeds for a local scholarship fund for local, deserving children (e.g., sending a child to camp). During the social, brainstorm ideas for easy-to-bake treats that can garner the most money for the fundraiser. Serve summer fruit kebobs as a snack.

5

• Birthday: John Huston, Hollywood actor and director (1906)
• National Mustard Day
• Sandcastle Day

Celebrity Mix-Up Game

On this birthday of Hollywood actor and director John Huston, invite residents to play a fun team game of Celebrity Mix-Up. To play, print out 20 pictures of celebrities from the 1950s for each team – 10 famous actors and 10 famous actresses. Then cut each picture into thirds. (To print out each picture to make it larger, hover your mouse over the picture and right-click the mouse, and click "Open image in new tab." Then print from your browser.) Finally, provide each team with tape and the pictures that have been cut into thirds to see which team is first at assembling all the celebrity pictures correctly.

Mustard Tasting

Host a mustard tasting for residents on this National Mustard Day by having residents dip mini hot dogs into a variety of store-bought mustard for residents to discover their favorites. Beforehand, coordinate with Dining Services to prepare a batch of mini crescent dogs for the activity.

Cardboard Sandcastle Contest

Invite residents to participate in a sandcastle contest on this Sandcastle Day using sand, Mod Podge, and cardboard boxes. For the activity, divide residents into teams, and provide each team with different sized cardboard boxes to glue together. Once the boxes are in the desired shape, have your residents use sponge brushes to apply Mod Podge over the boxes before pressing sand onto the wet glue. Set out the finished sandcastles for your facility's administrators to judge.

Mentoring Social

Schedule to have a group of students from your local Boys' and Girl's Club pair up with your residents for a fun mentoring session, where the kids practice their reading skills by reading books to your residents. Beforehand, stop by your local library to pick up books that fit the age group of the students who are stopping by. Serve peanut butter filled pretzel bites as a snack.

6

• American Family Day in Arizona
• Birthday: Louella Parsons, Hollywood gossip columnist (1881)
• National Disc Golf Day

Crafts: Faux Cacti Garden

Supply residents with green socks to create a faux cacti garden in recognition of this American Family Day in Arizona. To make the cacti, first have residents paint terra cotta pots in fun colors. As the paint dries, have residents turn green socks inside out and cut a wavy oval in the toe of the sock, and then use fabric glue to reattach the two pieces. Next, turn the sock right-side out and fill with stuffing. Then use more green socks to create cacti arms to attach to the side of the sock using fabric glue. To add more detail, cut colorful felt to make into flowers to attach to the cacti with glue. Finally, place the finished cacti into the pots.

Gossip Tellers

Invite residents to play a fun game of Gossip Tellers on this birthday of gossip columnist Louella Parsons. To play, seat residents in a large circle. Next, make up some funny gossip about a willing staff member (e.g., "I heard John's dog can bark the "Happy Birthday" song." or "I heard Diane sleepwalks to Walmart at night."), and whisper it to the first person in the circle. Then have them whisper it to the person sitting next to them, and so on. Next, encourage the last person that hears the gossip to stand to say the sentence out loud to see if it's the same piece of gossip you started.

Backyard Disc Golf

Use tomato cages and laundry baskets to create a fun backyard disc golf game for residents to play on this National Disc Golf Day.

Volunteering Social

Help your residents establish their legacy as volunteers in your community by arranging for residents to assemble no-sew blankets that can be donated to a local homeless shelter. As the residents work on the blankets, serve homemade trail mix as a snack.

7

• Birthday: Mata Hari, Dutch dancer, spy and double agent (1876)
• Emancipation Day in The Bahamas
• National Lighthouse Day

Bahamas or Jamaica?

Recognize this Emancipation Day in The Bahamas by sharing a few fun facts about The Bahamas and Jamaica to see if residents can identify which Caribbean country you are describing.

Lighthouse Painting Class

Watch a short lighthouse painting tutorial to learn how to paint a lighthouse on canvas so that you can teach your residents how to create the artwork on this National Lighthouse Day.

Whodunit? Riddles

In recognition of this birthday of spy and double agent Mata Hari, read a few whodunit riddles to residents to see if they can solve them.

Video Life Lessons Social

Show residents how to use their phones to create short videos of themselves sharing their life lessons that they can send to family members. Provide residents with a few words of wisdom questions to answer in their videos. Serve cheddar cheese popcorn as a snack.

8

• Birthday: Florence August Merriam Bailey, American ornithologist and nature writer (1863)
• Wear Your Mother's Jewelry Day

Giant Bubble Relay Contest

Celebrate the season by inviting residents to play in a fun summertime giant bubble relay game in your facility's backyard. To play, first divide residents into two teams. Then set out two trays of bubble solution, along with two bubble wands (made from string and straws, as shown on the website). Next, have a member from each team walk over to their bubble solution to create a bubble with their bubble wand. Whichever person makes the biggest bubble wins a point for their team. Then have the two participants return to their teams and tag the next player to come to the bubble solution. Then award a point for the biggest bubble, and so on. Award a prize to the team who has the most points at the end of the game.

Bird Paintings

Show residents how to paint birds on this birthday of ornithologist Florence August Merriam Bailey. To make the paintings, first print out the bird templates onto colored cardstock and then have residents use paint pens or skinny paintbrushes to trace the bird outline and fill in any details. (To print out the templates, simply click on the template links on the website and print from your browser.)

Felt Flower Brooches

Teach residents how to make their own felt flower brooches to wear on this Wear Your Mother's Jewelry Day. Use hot glue to attach the folded circles together before attaching pin backs to the back of the flower. Encourage the ladies to wear their brooches for the day.

Tree Planting Social

Invite residents to leave their environmental mark on your facility by helping you plant small trees, bushes, and plants in your facility's yard. Serve popsicles as a snack.

9

• Birthday: Michael Kors, American fashion designer (1959)
• Birthday: Tove Jansson, Finnish artist and cartoonist (1914)
• Birthday: Whitney Houston, American pop singer (1963)

Michael Kors Knockoffs

Invite residents to help you make a few cardboard purses on this birthday of fashion designer Michael Kors. To make each purse, unfold two macaroni boxes and decorate by dipping sponges into paint and creating a pattern on the brown cardboard. Use hot glue to reattach one box, leaving one side open. Then trim the other macaroni box and glue it onto the first box to act as the flap for the purse. Finally, attach ribbon for the strap. Donate the finished purses to a local nursery school class for their dress-up activities.

Playing Telestrations

On this birthday of cartoonist and artist Tove Jannson, invite residents to play the fun doodling game Telestrations. For the activity, seat residents in a large circle and provide each resident with a spiral pad and pencil. (Before the game, write a different word or phrase on the top sheet of each pad.) To play, have each person look at the word or phrase on the top sheet of their pad and flip it over to reveal the second sheet of their pad where they will have 60 seconds to draw the object. When 60 seconds has passed, have everyone pass their pad to the person on the right who will look at the drawing and try to guess what the drawing is. They will then have 60 seconds to write out what they think it is on page 3 of the pad of paper. Again, when 60 seconds is up, have everyone pass their pad of paper to the person on the right to look at what was written on page 3 and then turn to page four to begin doodling the object, and so on. Once all the pads of paper have made a complete rotation through all the participants, show residents the beginning word of each tablet and show the pictures that were drawn. (Remind residents that when they are passing their pads of paper to not flip through any of the previous pages, which might reveal previous drawings or words.)

Name the 1950s Pop Song

For this birthday of pop singer Whitney Houston, quiz residents to see if they can identify the 1950s pop songs that they hear.

Timeline Collage Social

Pass out old magazines for residents to find and cut out pictures that relate to different parts of their lives as they create timeline collages of their experiences. Serve ice cream and homemade granola as a snack.

10

• Birthday: Henri Nestlé, German inventor of baby formula and founder of the Nestlé company which later went into the chocolate business (1814)
• Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa (August 10-20)
• Smithsonian Institution was founded (1846)

Crafts: Hershey Houses

On this birthday of chocolatier Henri Nestlé, invite residents to team up to compete in a fun Hershey house-building contest. For the activity, supply each team with chocolate candies to see who can build the best chocolate house.

State Fair Food on a Stick

For this first day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, coordinate with Dining Services to provide a variety of foods on sticks for residents to sample, like corn dogs, deep-fried cookies, and even chocolate-covered bacon.

Mini Art Museum

Provide residents with colorful cardstock, white paper, colored pencils, markers, cardboard, glue sticks, clay, and tape to create mini art museums on this day that the Smithsonian Institution was founded. Display the finished museums in your Activity Room. (Video on how to construct the mini museum; Part 2)

Casting Social

Whip up a batch of salt dough for residents to create salt dough handprint ornaments to give to loved ones. Serve no-bake peanut butter oatmeal cookies as a snack.

11

• Birthday: Alex Haley, American novelist (1921)
• Perseid Meteor Showers (August 11-13)

Tie-Dyeing Marshmallows

Invite residents to celebrate this summer season by showing them how to tie-dye marshmallows. Provide residents with cupcake liners to use in place of a muffin pan that is shown on the website. Simply place whipped topping into the cupcake liners and add food coloring before swirling with a wooden skewer. Then dip and roll around a large marshmallow in the cupcake liner until the marshmallow is coated. Next, allow the dyed marshmallows to dry before assembling in creative ways on a wooden skewer, using mini marshmallows and more cupcake liners as decoration.

Guess the Novel

On this birthday of novelist Alex Haley, read the descriptions of popular books to see if residents can correctly guess the novel.

Meteor Shower Art

Teach residents how to paint a meteor shower during this beginning of the Perseid Meteor Showers. To make the artwork, first have residents draw a landscape at the bottom of watercolor paper. Then have them use orange and yellow pastels to draw comets falling on the page. Next, have residents use blue watercolors to fill in the sky before using oil pastels to fill in the landscape at the bottom of the page.

Adopt a Hero Social

Recruit your facility's bakers to join together to vote on which local fire station or police station to adopt, in which your residents bake several batches of cookies each month to deliver to the heroes in your community. Each month, pick a specialty cookie for residents to bake. Serve piña colada smoothies as a snack.

12

• Middle Child Day
• National Bowling Day
• World Elephant Day

Bowling Bingo

Celebrate this National Bowling Day by inviting residents to play a game of bowling bingo. For the activity, set up a few bowling sets in your Activity Room for residents to play. Have residents mark their bingo card whenever they bowl what is mentioned on their bingo card. (On the website, click the green "20 Cards - FREE" button. Then click the blue "Open PDF in Browser" button to print from your browser.) (Please note that a Curve Ball in bowling is when you roll the ball so that it curves before hitting the ball; a Turkey is when you get three strikes in a row; a Foul occurs when a player extends beyond the line that they are supposed to roll from.)

Clay Animal Pictionary

On this World Elephant Day, invite residents to play a game of Animal Pictionary. To play, divide residents into teams, and provide a member of each team with playdough or clay to mold an animal for their teammates to guess in just 60 seconds to win a point. If the teammates are unable to correctly name the animal, allow the opposing teams to take a guess to try to win the point.

Oldest, Middle or Youngest?

For this Middle Child Day, read a trait that relates to the oldest, middle, or youngest child in the family to see if your residents can correctly identify which birth order is associated with the trait.

Autobiography Social

Pass out questions for residents to answer on video to create an autobiography that can be passed on to family members. Beforehand, recruit volunteers or even the grandchildren to work with residents to record them while they answer the questions about their lives. Serve watermelon as a fun snack.

13

• Birthday: Don Ho, Hawaiian singer who introduced Hawaiian music to America (1930; some sources say August 19)
• Birthday: Lucy Stone, American women's rights pioneer (1818)
• International Left-Handers Day

Crafts: Tissue Paper Leis

Encourage residents to assemble Hawaiian leis on this birthday of Hawaiian singer Don Ho. To make the leis, first provide residents with 18-inch strips of colorful crepe paper to fold into flowers, using two strips per flower. Then have residents attach the flowers to twine by tying the twine around the base of the flower. Finally, fluff out each flower before wearing the lei. Use the finished leis for your upcoming festivities celebrating Hawaii's statehood on August 21st.

Left-Handed Pictionary

Celebrate this International Left-Handers Day with residents by playing a fun game of Left-Handed Pictionary, in which players draw objects using their less-dominant hand for their teammates to guess. (Use easy or medium words for the activity.)

Women's History Trivia

In recognition of this birthday of women's rights pioneer Lucy Stone, quiz residents with women's history trivia.

Family Heirloom Social

Invite residents to bring a trinket or heirloom of theirs during a fun show-and-tell activity with other residents, in which residents can share stories of how they acquired the artifacts. Serve rainbow fruit salad as a snack.

14

• Largest Gothic church in northern Europe, the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, was completed (1880)

Bible Pictionary

On this day that the largest Gothic church in northern Europe was completed, play a fun game of Bible Pictionary with residents.

Cologne Cathedral Paper Model

Gather residents into groups to assemble a paper model of Germany's Cologne Cathedral on this day that the Gothic church was completed.

Water Balloon Toss

Help residents cool off on this summer day by playing a fun game of water balloon toss, in which pairs of residents toss a water balloon back and forth without having the balloon burst. Have each team of two face each other and stand two feet apart. Each time a player catches a balloon without it bursting, have one member of the team take one step back. Award a prize to the team who is last to have their balloon burst during the game.

Immigration Social

Host a story circle, in which residents gather to share stories of how their families immigrated or arrived in the United States. Encourage residents to bring keepsakes and photos of their ancestors to pass around. Serve tasty cupcakes as a snack.

15

• Birthday: Ethel Barrymore, American actress of famous acting family (1879)
• Birthday: Julia Child, American cook and author (1912)
• Independence Day in India

What Am I Making?

List the ingredients of a classic comfort food recipe to see if residents can identify what dish the ingredients are for on this birthday of chef Julia Child.

Peacock Batiks

On this Independence Day in India, assist residents with creating peacock batiks. To make the artwork, first have residents use pencil to draw a peacock onto white cotton fabric. Then have residents use school glue to trace over the pencil lines. Next, have residents use acrylic paint to fill in the peacock and the background, making sure to paint over the glue. Once the paint dries, remove the glue to reveal the white outline of the peacock.

How Old Hollywood Entertainers Lived

For this birthday of Ethel Barrymore, an American actress of the famous Barrymore acting family, borrow a tablet to show and discuss with residents how Old Hollywood stars lived.

Legacy Quilt Social

Recruit a volunteer who enjoys quilting to help gather interested residents in creating a quilt that can be displayed in your facility. Consider starting a Quilting Club, where the members meet the same time each week to work on the next stage of the quilt. During the social, use a tablet to bring up pictures of popular quilt block patterns to get residents excited about starting up a new quilting club in your facility. Serve berry yogurt bark.

16

• Gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon (1896)
• National Rum Day
• Singer Elvis Presley died (1977)

Baking Club: Rum Cake

Encourage residents to bake a rum cake for passersby to sample on this National Rum Day.

Clay Inukshuks

Assist residents with making clay inukshuk scenes on this day that gold was discovered in the Klondike region of the Yukon. Use air-dry clay, a wooden skewer, and a rolling pin for the craft. Once the clay dries, invite residents to paint their artwork.

Name That Elvis Hit

In recognition of this day that singer Elvis Presley died, play Elvis Presley songs for your residents to enjoy. Award a point to the first person to correctly identify the song as it's being played.

Treasure Box Social

Supply residents with plain boxes to decorate as treasure boxes for their keepsakes. Show residents how to decoupage the boxes using colorful paper or magazine photos. Serve cranberry almond energy bites as a snack.

17

• Birthday: Mae West, American stage and screen actress (1893; some sources say 1892)
• National Thrift Shop Day
• Novel Animal Farm by George Orwell was published (1945)

Crafts: Animal Thread Organizers

In recognition of this day that the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell was published, invite residents to help you organize your embroidery thread with the use of animal thread organizers. To make the organizers, cut out rectangles from colored cardstock and cut out one slit on each side (one near the top and the other near the bottom). Next, cut out ears from the rectangle, and use a marker to draw in the animal's face. Finally, wrap embroidery thread around the animal card and store in your activity closet.

Was It Mae, Katharine or Joan?

On this birthday of actress Mae West, read the movie titles that starred Mae West, Katharine Hepburn, and Joan Crawford to see if residents can identify which actress starred in the movie.

Coupon Clipping

Recognize the idea of saving money on this National Thrift Shop Day by inviting residents to help you clip coupons. Provide residents with scissors and the coupons from your newspaper's circulars before donating them to an organization that collects coupons.

Heirloom Gardening Social

Invite residents to brainstorm a list of plants that can be planted in your facility's garden this year that your residents can tend to. Encourage residents to pick "heirloom" plants that will come back year after year. Serve cinnamon apple chips as a snack.

18

• Birthday: Roberto Clemente, Major League Baseball Hall of Fame player (1934)
• Birthday: Virginia Dare, the first child of English parents born in the New World (1587; Old Style date)
• National Ice Cream Pie Day

Baseball Logo Bingo

In recognition of this birthday of Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente, invite residents to play a game of baseball team logo bingo. To play, pass out bingo cards, and name a baseball team so that residents can find the logo on their bingo card.

Ice Cream Pie Party

Host an ice cream pie party featuring a variety of ice cream pies for residents to sample on this National Ice Cream Pie Day. As residents are enjoying their ice cream pies, quiz them with ice cream trivia.

U.S. History Trivia Challenge

Quiz residents to test their knowledge of early American history on this birthday of Virginia Dare, the first child of English parents born in the New World. (More history trivia)

Genealogy Social

Supply residents with genealogy charts to fill out with the names of their ancestors that they can pass down to family members. Serve ants on a log as a snack.

19

• International Geocaching Day
• National Aviation Day
• World Photography Day

Craft-Stick Puzzles

On this World Photography Day, invite residents to make craft-stick puzzles using photographs of themselves. Before the activity, take fun pictures of your residents and print them out. To make the puzzles, use masking tape to tape craft sticks together side-by-side. Then turn the sticks over and add glue before attaching the photograph. Next, use a craft knife to cut the craft sticks apart. Finally, remove the tape from the back of the craft sticks. Encourage residents to send the puzzles of themselves to their grandchildren as gifts.

Nature Hunt Bingo

In recognition of this International Geocaching Day, take residents outdoors to go on a scavenger hunt as they play a game of nature hunt bingo. For the activity, pass out pencils for residents to mark their bingo cards when they encounter an object in nature (the backyard) that is on their card. Award a prize to all the participants.

Remember These Airlines?

Reminisce with residents about their favorite airlines on this National Aviation Day. Encourage residents to discuss how airline travel has changed over the years as you use a tablet to share photos of airline travel from each decade.

Grandparent/Grandchild Book Club Social

Organize a fun book club activity in which your residents discuss a book that both they and a grandchild have read. Before the activity, help residents contact their grandchildren to decide on what book to read. Then during the activity, invite the grandchildren to stop by or FaceTime with Grandma and Grandpa to discuss the book together. Serve candied pecans as a snack.

20

• Birthday: Benjamin Harrison, American president (1833)
• Birthday: Eero Saarinen, Finnish-American architect and furniture designer (1910)
• World Mosquito Day

Crafts: Mosaic Houses

Supply residents with colorful scrapbook paper, cereal box cardboard, pencils, glue, accessories, and scissors to assemble mosaic houses on this birthday of Finnish-American architect and furniture designer Eero Saarinen. Encourage residents to be creative with the colors and objects that they choose for their houses. Hang the finished houses as wall art for the season.

Can You Guess Their Home State?

On this birthday of President Benjamin Harrison, read off a president's name to see if residents can identify the leader's home state.

D.I.Y. Bug Spray

Assist residents with making their own bug repellant on this World Mosquito Day. Use essential oils that repel bugs, like lavender and lemon oils.

Scrapbooking Social

Provide residents with fun scrapbooking supplies to create their own scrapbooks. Encourage your world travelers to create traveling scrapbooks featuring all the places that they have traveled, while encouraging your cooks to create cooking scrapbooks that feature the meals that they like to cook. Beforehand, contact your local library to gather their old travel, gardening, and cooking magazines that residents can use to cut out pictures and add to their scrapbooks. Serve funfetti cookies as a snack.

21

• Hawaii became the 50th state (1959)

Hawaiian Shirt Contest

Supply residents with tropical scrapbook paper, buttons, rulers, and glue to see who can assemble the best origami Hawaiian shirt on this anniversary of Hawaii's statehood. Before the activity, use a paper cutter to cut out the tropical scrapbook paper to 4-inches by 6-inches for residents to use for their shirts.

Hula Girl Clothespins

Assist residents with making hula girl clothespins on this anniversary of Hawaii's statehood. To make the girls, use wooden clothespins, rhinestones, flower gems, raffia, satin ribbon, paint, paint pens, and glue.

Hawaiian Shirt Fashion Show

Invite residents to wear their Hawaiian shirts to participate in a fun Hawaiian shirt fashion show in your Activity Room in celebration of this day that Hawaii became the 50th state.

Photo Album Social

Show residents how to make their own inexpensive photo albums using their photos, scrapbook paper, and tape. Serve watermelon skewers as a snack.

22

• Birthday: Claude Debussy, French musician and composer (1862)
• Birthday: Henri Cartier-Bresson, French-born photojournalist (1908)

Baguette-Making Class

Host a fun baguette-making class where you teach residents the simple method for baking baguettes in recognition of this birthday of French musician and composer Claude Debussy. While the bread is resting and baking, quiz residents with French trivia to see how much they know about French culture. Then once the baguettes have baked, serve butter and jam for residents to sample with their bread.

French Bistro

On this birthday of French musician and composer Claude Debussy, turn your Activity Room into a French bistro, and encourage residents to stop in for a quick break to sample French coffee and pastries. Supply residents with a French blend of coffee to try along with fresh pastries from your facility's kitchen. Play French bistro music in the background.

Newspaper Hunt

Invite residents to play a game of newspaper hunt on this birthday of photojournalist Henri Cartier-Bresson. Beforehand, collect newspapers from the day before or gather free city newspapers for the activity. In addition, go through the paper and select article names, people names, titles, etc. that you want residents to find. Then during the activity, divide residents into teams, and provide each team with the same newspaper. Next, announce something that you want them to find in their newspaper, and award a point to the first team who finds it.

Poetry Social

Host a poetry-writing tutorial to teach residents how to form their thoughts into a narrative poem, which does not need to rhyme. Serve ice cream cones as a snack.

23

• Birthday: Gene Kelly, American actor and dancer (1912)
• Find Your Inner Nerd Day
• National Sponge Cake Day

Cupcake Decorating Challenge

Coordinate with Dining Services to bake lots of plain cupcakes for a cupcake decorating competition with residents on this National Sponge Cake Day. For the activity, supply each resident with six unfrosted, plain cupcakes to decorate based on the theme that they pick from a hat. (Beforehand, cut out several different themes to place in the hat.) For the competition, residents can place the six cupcakes together to form a cake, or decorate them separately in the same theme.

Classic Literary Tea

Honor all the book lovers in your facility on this Find Your Inner Nerd Day by hosting a literary tea, in which you and residents discuss a classic novel that your residents have read, like F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby or Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Serve tea and cookies during the discussion.

Can You Guess This Hollywood Dance Scene?

On this birthday of actor and dancer Gene Kelly, see how well your residents remember classic Hollywood dance scenes from movies as you use a tablet to show a photo or short dancing scene so that residents can identify the movie. (On the website, click the link underneath each photo to view the dancing scene.)

Picasso Social

Help your residents express their creativity on canvas by hosting a fun painting session in the backyard. For the activity, set up chairs and easels on the back patio, and encourage residents to paint what inspires them. When your residents are done, encourage them to sign the painting and give it to a loved one. Serve butterscotch popcorn as a snack.

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• British invaded and raided Washington, D.C. (1814)
• National Waffle Day
• Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status (2006)

Crafts: Painting a Watercolor Galaxy

Show residents how to paint a watercolor galaxy on this day that Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet status.

Healthy Waffle Fruit Cones

For this National Waffle Day, pass out waffle cones for residents to create their own waffle fruit cone. Coordinate with Dining Services to provide a variety of cut fruit and toppings for residents to add to their waffle cones.

Guess the Antique

On this day that the British invaded and raided Washington, D.C., use a tablet and enlarge the pictures of antiques for residents to see if they can correctly guess what they are. (Please note that the correct answer in the multiple choice is always the first pick.)

Share and Compare Social

Host a share and compare activity, in which you pick a life stage (e.g., motherhood, bootcamp, first job) and invite residents to share their stories of their experiences. Encourage residents to bring any relevant mementos to the activity to show others. Serve ranch pretzels as a snack.

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• Be Kind to Humankind Week (August 25-31)
• Birthday: Althea Gibson, American tennis champion (1927)
• U.S. National Park Service was founded (1916)

Tennis Volley

Divide residents into pairs to hit inflated balloons back and forth using plastic tennis rackets in a fun tennis volley activity on this birthday of tennis champion Althea Gibson. See which pair is able to volley the longest without losing the ball. (To make the game harder, have residents hit a foam ball back and forth instead of a balloon.)

Welcome Cards

Recruit your residents to help you assemble welcome cards for the new residents in your facility on this first day of Be Kind to Humankind Week. Supply residents with colorful paper, glue sticks, and scissors for the craft.

Making Clay Birds

Pass out air-dry clay to residents to sculpt air-dry clay birds in recognition of this day that the U.S. National Park Service was founded. Once the clay has dried, have residents paint their birds.

My Dream List Social

Supply residents with paper and pen to write down their dreams for their children and grandchildren. Encourage residents to place their list in an envelope that they can keep to share later with their family members. Serve sweet potato chips as a snack.

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• Birthday: Benjamin Bradlee, American newspaper editor (1921)
• National Dog Day
• National Toilet Paper Day

Toilet Paper Bounce

On this National Toilet Paper Day, place several rolls of toilet paper on a table for residents to play a game of Toilet Paper Bounce to see how many ping pong balls land on the tubes.

D.I.Y. Dog Cones

Set out ice cream cones and ice cream for residents to assemble ice cream cone puppies to enjoy on this National Dog Day.

Newspaper Flowers

Show residents how to craft newspaper flowers on this birthday of newspaper editor Benjamin Bradlee. To make the flowers, first use different sized circles (e.g., a large bowl, a small bowl, and a glass) to trace onto newspaper sheets. Then paint the circles with colorful watercolors. After the newspapers have dried, cut out the circles and assemble into flowers using craft wire and a button as the center of the flower. Use the finished flowers as a wall display by taping them together on an empty wall in your Activity Room.

Jewelry Box Social

Gather unfinished wooden boxes for residents to paint and decorate as jewelry boxes to keep their jewelry or to pass along to a loved one. Serve a sweet and salty snack mix for residents to sample.

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• Independence Day in Moldova
• National Pots du Creme Day, honoring the French custard dessert
• The Duchess Who Wasn't Day, honoring the works of author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford whose pen name was The Duchess

Crafts: Clay Castles

Invite residents to show off their castle-sculpting skills as they assemble clay castles on this Independence Day in Moldova. Provide each resident with an empty Pringles potato chip canister to cover with paper and masking tape. Then have residents roll out air-dry clay to cover the paper. Next, provide residents with clay tools and more clay to add details to their castles, like steps, windows, and turrets.

Can You Guess the French Dessert?

Use a tablet to share pictures of popular French desserts to see if your residents can identify them on this National Pots du Creme Day, a day honoring the French custard dessert.

King's Corner

Teach residents how to play a royal-inspired card game, King's Corner, on this The Duchess Who Wasn't Day, honoring the works of author Margaret Wolfe Hungerford whose pen name was The Duchess.

Journaling Social

Pass out small journals to encourage residents to start chronicling their day on paper. Share a few journaling tips with residents to get them started. Serve chocolate-covered pecans as a snack.

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• Birthday: Elizabeth Ann Seton, first American-born saint who established the first Catholic girls' school in America (1774)
• Birthday: Lucy Hayes, American First Lady to President Rutherford B. Hayes who was nicknamed "Lemonade Lucy" because alcohol was not served at White House receptions (1831)
• Birthday: Roger Tory Peterson, American naturalist and author (1908)

Watercolor Geodes

In recognition of this birthday of naturalist Roger Tory Peterson, invite residents to use watercolors to paint watercolor geodes. Before the activity, print out some pictures of geodes for residents to view to get an idea of what they are painting. Start the project by picking a color scheme and then ripping two ovals, one larger than the other, to attach to the center of the watercolor paper. Next, have residents use markers to draw circles around the center before adding watercolors to create larger circles around the exterior.

The School Debate

Host a fun debate among residents about schools on this birthday of educator Elizabeth Ann Seton, who established the first Catholic girls' school in America. Invite residents to debate the pros and cons of single-sex education.

Citrus Resist Art

Teach residents how to make citrus resist art on this birthday of First Lady Lucy Hayes, who was known as "Lemonade Lucy."

Draw the Memory Social

Pass out sketch pads and colored pencils for residents to participate in a fun memory drawing. For the activity, name a topic like wedding day or first home, and give residents 10 minutes to draw or sketch whatever comes to mind relating to that topic. Encourage residents to keep their sketch pads handy so that they can feel free to draw whenever they feel inclined to do so. Serve no-bake peanut butter cookies as a snack.

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• According to Hoyle Day, a day promoting games to be played according to the rules
• Birthday: Charlie Parker, American jazz saxophonist (1920)
• The Fugitive television series concluded with one of the highest-rated shows, holding a ratings record for over a decade (1967)

What Type of Horn Is That?

Play different brass instruments on a tablet for residents to try to identify on this birthday of saxophonist Charlie Parker. (The answers are given at the end of the video.)

Playing Slapjack

Set up several gaming tables in your Activity Room for residents to sit and play the game Slapjack on this According to Hoyle Day, a day promoting games to be played according to the rules.

Greatest T.V. Characters

In recognition of this day that The Fugitive television series ended, use a tablet to show the photos of great television characters and movie characters from the 1960s to see if your residents can identify them.

Handwritten Notes Social

Provide residents with note cards to make handwritten love notes to send to their loved ones. Serve warm cookies and tea as a snack.

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• First White House presidential baby was born to President Grover Cleveland (1893)
• La Tomatina, the world's biggest food fight (tomatoes) in Spain
• National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Sock Fight

On this day of La Tomatina, the world's biggest food fight (tomatoes) in Spain, host a fun sock fight in your Activity Room among residents. To play, use masking tape to create a line down the center of your Activity Room. Then place chairs on either side for residents to sit in. Next, provide residents with balled up socks (or small white balloons if you do not have enough socks) to toss to the other side. Have residents continue tossing the socks to the other side. After five minutes, stop the game. Whichever team has the least number of socks on their side of the line wins.

Microwavable S'mores Bar

Set up a s'mores bar near your microwave for residents to help themselves to make their own microwave s'mores on this National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

Guess the Baby

In recognition of this day that the first White House presidential baby was born to President Grover Cleveland, invite staff members to bring in baby pictures of themselves to post on a bulletin board to see if residents can identify who's who. Add a number to each photo on the board, and then pass out blank sheets for residents to fill in the names of the staff members for each photo.

Life Revisions Social

Pass out a life revisions list for residents to fill out and pass along to their loved ones to share their outlook on what was important to them throughout their lives. Serve fresh berries as a snack.

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• Birthday: James Coburn, American actor in The Magnificent Seven (1928)
• Diana, Princess of Wales died (1997)
• South Dakota State Fair in Huron, South Dakota (August 31 - September 4)

Crafts: Ripped Mountain Art

In recognition of this first day of the South Dakota State Fair in Huron, South Dakota, the state of Mount Rushmore, invite residents to make unique mountain art. To make the artwork, first have residents paint white cardstock with paint. Then once the paint has dried, turn the paper over and draw a mountain shape on the back to use as a guide as you rip the page to look like a mountain. Repeat to create several mountain layers. Then use glue sticks to attach the ripped mountains onto cardstock to create the artwork.

Do You Remember These Events?

On this day that Diana, Princess of Wales died while fleeing paparazzi, share a list of other memorable events from the 20th century to see if your residents remember them.

Who Starred in...?

For this birthday of actor James Coburn, quiz residents about their knowledge of actors. For the activity, name a movie and award a point for each correct answer of an actor that starred in the movie.

Life Layers Social

Invite residents to fill in their life layers, in which they write down the different accomplishments and milestones that have happened during each decade of their lives. Serve ice cream sandwiches as a snack.