August 2022 Assisted Living Activity Calendar

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1

• Colorado became the 38th state (1876)
• Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established (1916)
• Rounds Resounding Day, a day to celebrate singing in rounds

Why Is It Called the...State?

On this day that Colorado became the 38th state, quiz residents about their knowledge of state nicknames. For the activity, ask residents to reveal the meanings behind the state nicknames.

The Singing Game

Encourage residents to participate in a fun singing game on this Rounds Resounding Day, a day to celebrate singing in rounds. To play, print out one line of popular songs that your residents would know, making sure to provide two residents with different lines from the same song. Then during the activity, have all residents walk around singing their line of their song to try to find the other person who is singing another line from the same song.

Hawaiian Terms

In recognition of this day that Hawaii Volcanoes National Park was established, share a few Hawaiian terms with residents to see if they know what they mean.

Summer Coastal Clay House Social

Have fun with residents throughout August as you show them how to do various summer-themed crafts throughout the month. Begin the month by assisting residents with assembling coastal clay houses by using air-dry clay and paint to create coastal houses that can be placed in fish bowls filled with sand. Serve strawberry cheesecake bites as a snack.

2

• Birthday: Lamar Hunt, American Hall of Fame sports executive in football, soccer and tennis (1932)
• Birthday: Myrna Loy, America's favorite leading lady of the 1930s (1905)
• National Coloring Book Day

Can You Guess the Actress?

On this birthday of 1930s actress Myrna Loy, see if residents can guess the Old Hollywood actress when you show them an modernized image of their photo.

Color Therapy

Supply residents with adult coloring pages to color on this National Coloring Book Day.

Debating Sports

Host a debate among residents about sports on this birthday of Hall of Fame sports executive Lamar Hunt. Raise several sports topics for residents to debate.

Summer Sun-Print Art Social

Show residents how to make sun-print nature art using sun-print paper and items of nature (e.g., leaves, flower petals). Serve frozen coconut lemonade as a snack.

3

• Birthday: Maggie Kuhn, American activist against age discrimination after she was forced into retirement at 65 (1905)
• Birthday: Martha Stewart, American lifestyle consultant (1941)
• Birthday: P. D. (Phyllis Dorothy) James, English crime novelist (1920)

Mystery Riddles

In recognition of this birthday of crime novelist P. D. (Phyllis Dorothy) James, share a few mystery riddles with residents.

Summer Craft-a-Thon

Supply residents with a full day of fun summertime crafts to do in recognition of this birthday of well-known crafter Martha Stewart. Set up fun crafts like assembling pool noodle luminaries, crafting summer fruit coasters, and painting Mason jars in fun summertime colors to use as decoration or vases.

How People Discriminate Against Age

Chit chat with residents about age discrimination on this birthday of age discrimination activist Maggie Kuhn. Ask residents to share a list of everyday examples of ageism.

Summer Starfish Social

Assist residents with making paper plate starfish using paper plates and paint. Serve watermelon fries with cream cheese dip as a snack.

4

• Birthday: Percy Bysshe Shelley, English Romantic poet (1792)
• Double Seven Festival in China, similar to Valentine's Day
• Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis, Wisconsin (August 4-14)

Crafts: Heart Wreaths

Invite residents to make tissue paper heart wreaths on this day of the Double Seven Festival in China, similar to our Valentine's Day. For the activity, cut out heart-shapes from cereal box cardboard (use two different sized hearts to create the heart-shaped wreath form), and provide residents with white glue, paintbrushes, pencils, and small squares of pink and red tissue paper. Use the wreaths as decoration today, and save them afterwards for next year's Valentine's Day festivities.

Emotional Reading

On this birthday of English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, invite residents to participate in a fun emotional reading. For the activity, cut up pictures of emoticons and place them in a hat. Then have residents pick out an emoticon from the hat and read a small paragraph from your local newspaper using the emotion they picked.

Having Fun With Cheese

Assist residents with creating cheesy animal snacks on this first day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis, Wisconsin.

Summer Beach-Themed Oreos Social

Encourage residents to assemble beach-themed Oreos using Oreo cookies, seashell molds, candy melts, frosting, and brown sugar.

5

• Abbotsford International Airshow in Canada (August 5-7)
• Birthday: John Eliot, American translator who was known as the "Apostle to the Indians" who translated the Bible into Indian language (1604)
• Birthday: Joseph Justus Scaliger, French scholar who founded scientific chronology (1540)

Paper Airplane Golf

For this first day of the Abbotsford International Airshow in Canada, invite residents to play a fun game of airplane golf in your Activity Room. Before the activity, set out several boxes throughout the room, making sure to number each box. Then for the activity, have residents make their own paper airplanes to see how long it takes them to get through the "course" by tossing their airplane until it lands in the first box ("hole") before moving on to the next hole.

Name the Biblical Character

On this birthday of John Eliot, the American translator who was known as the "Apostle to the Indians" who translated the Bible into an Indian language, use your phone to read the descriptions of Biblical characters for residents to identify.

Chronological Order of Events

Divide residents into teams to see which team can put the most events of the 20th century in chronological order on this birthday of Joseph Justus Scaliger, the French scholar who founded scientific chronology. For the activity, write the 18 events on a white board without the date, and have the teams try to write down the events in order of when they occurred.

Summer Kool-Aid Painting Social

Teach residents how to paint with Kool-Aid on cotton napkins. Use cotton napkins or placemats, Kool-Aid packets, sponge brushes, and fabric markers for the project. Serve Kool-Aid marshmallow pops as a snack.

6

• Electrocution was first used to carry out the death penalty (1890)
• National Disc Golf Day
• Sandcastle Day

Backyard Sandcastle Contest

In recognition of this Sandcastle Day, cover your backyard patio tables with plastic bags before dumping sand in the middle for residents to have fun making sandcastles. Give residents paper cups, water, and 20 minutes to see who can create the best sandcastle. Ask your facility's administrators to vote on their favorite.

Frisbee Baseball

On this National Disc Golf Day, invite residents and their visiting grandchildren to play a fun game of Frisbee Baseball in the backyard. To play, have residents throw the Frisbee. Then have their grandchildren run the bases while encouraging the outfield (staff and volunteers) retrieve the thrown Frisbees.

The Death Penalty

Start a debate among residents about the death penalty on this day that electrocution was first used to carry out the death penalty. Ask residents whether they believe that the death penalty is justified.

Summer Ornament Social

Invite residents to make colorful salt-dough ornaments for the season, using flour, salt, water, and paint. Serve ice cream cone Oreo balls as a snack.

7

• French juggler and street performer Philippe Petit made a tightrope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center (1974)
• National Doll Day
• Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish holiday that is celebrated as a holiday of love, like Valentine's Day (begins at sundown on August 6)

Crafts: Doll House Artwork

Assist residents with creating doll house artwork on this National Doll Day that can be given to their grandchildren. Use watercolor paper, colored pencils, wooden coffee stirrers, and glue for the craft.

Valentine Taboo

Invite residents to play a Valentine Taboo game on this Tisha B'Av, an annual Jewish holiday that is celebrated as a holiday of love, like Valentine's Day. (On the website, click on the images to print out the Taboo cards.)

Scarf Juggling Tricks

Teach residents a few scarf juggling tricks in recognition of this day that French juggler and street performer Philippe Petit made a tightrope walk between the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

Summer Pebble Social

Supply residents with pebbles and flat stones, cardboard, and tacky glue to create summer pebble art, like birds, insects, or even abstract art. Serve frozen yogurt bites as a snack.

8

• Birthday: Florence August Merriam Bailey, American ornithologist and nature writer (1863)
• Happiness Happens Day
• International Cat Day

Emoji Lemon Contest

In recognition of this Happiness Happens Day, pass out lemons and black markers to residents to see who can create the funniest emoji faces on the lemons.

Pinch Pot Kitties

Invite residents to form pinch pot kitties using clay on this International Cat Day.

Bird Watching Bingo

For this birthday of ornithologist Florence August Merriam Bailey, invite residents to play a game of Bird Watching Bingo. For the activity, pass out bird bingo cards for residents to mark whenever they see a bird in your backyard that resembles one of the birds on their card.

Summer Beach Sign Social

Help residents assemble beach signs to hang on their apartment doors for the season, using craft sticks, glue, small pebbles, seashells, paint, and twine. Serve no-bake peanut butter bars as a snack.

9

• Birthday: Michael Kors, American fashion designer (1959)
• Birthday: Whitney Houston, American pop singer (1963)
• Elvis Week in Memphis, Tennessee (August 9-17)

Who Sang That?

Name a popular 1950s song and award a point to the first person who correctly identifies the singer on this birthday of singing icon Whitney Houston.

Drinking Like Elvis

Set up a blender in your Activity Room to pass out Elvis-inspired banana and peanut butter smoothies for residents to sample on this first day of Elvis Week in Memphis, Tennessee.

Guess the Fashion Styles

Pass around photos of fashion styles for residents to identify on paper on this birthday of fashion designer Michael Kors. Beforehand, write the names of the fashion styles on a white board for residents to choose from.

Summer Nature Mandala Social

Supply residents with white paper and colorful flowers to assemble nature mandalas by removing the flower petals and creating a design on the paper. Serve strawberry shortcake trifle as a snack.

10

• Birthday: Eddie Fisher, American singer and actor (1928)
• Birthday: Henri Nestlé, German inventor of baby formula and founder of the Nestlé company which later went into the chocolate business (1814)
• National S'mores Day

How Many Times Did They Marry?

On this birthday of Eddie Fisher, who was one of Elizabeth Taylor's husbands, pass around photos of Old Hollywood stars who married multiple times to see if residents can correctly guess how many times they walked down the aisle. Award "bonus points" whenever a resident can correctly name the spouses.

Let's Get Creative!

Set up a fun s'mores bar in your Activity for residents to assemble their own s'mores on this National S'mores Day. Beforehand, coordinate with Dining Services to provide different ingredients for residents to try a few creative s'mores.

Chocolate Personality Test

In recognition of this birthday of Henri Nestlé, the founder of the Nestlé company which later went into the chocolate business, invite your residents to participate in a fun chocolate personality test. For the activity, place Hershey's miniatures in the center of the table and ask residents to pick one piece to sample. Then, based on the candy that they chose, share a bit more about their chocolate personality.

Summer Necklace Social

Supply residents with colorful polymer clay to make polymer clay beads to string as summer necklaces. Serve cookie salad as a snack.

11

• Full Sturgeon Moon, so-called by Native Americans because of the prevalence of sturgeon fish at this time of year
• Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa (August 11-21)
• National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa (August 11-14)

Crafts: School of Fish

Assist residents with making painted clay fish on this day of the Full Sturgeon Moon, so-called by Native Americans because of the prevalence of sturgeon fish at this time of year. To make the fish, first draw fish shapes onto construction paper to cut out and use as templates. After the fish have been cut from clay, use toothpicks to make a hole in the fish (for hanging) and to create details on the fish. Once the clay fish have dried, paint them, and hang them using string.

The Hobo Drinking Game

On this first day of the National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa, host a fun hobo-inspired drinking game for residents, in which residents sample different dark-soda drinks (e.g., Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, root beer, etc.) to try to identify each by taste.

Biggest Agricultural Exports

In recognition of this first day of the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa, name a state to see if residents can identify their biggest agricultural export.

Summer Napkin Ring Social

Recruit residents to help you assemble seashell napkin rings that can be used for your facility's summer meals. Serve no-bake marshmallow butterscotch Chex cookies as a snack.

12

• Birthday: Cecil B. DeMille, Hollywood producer (1881)
• Birthday: Michael Kidd, American dancer and choreographer (1915)
• World Elephant Day

Chair Dancing

Invite residents to follow along with a simple chair dance routine in honor of this birthday of choreographer Michael Kidd.

Guess the Movie

Pass around photos of classic movie scenes for residents to try to identify on this birthday of Hollywood producer Cecil B. DeMille.

Cardboard Elephant Toys

Encourage residents to make cardboard elephant toys on this World Elephant Day using cardboard or cardstock, an elephant template, wooden skewers, beads, string, markers, and glue. Donate the finished toys to a local Boys' and Girls' Club.

Summer Lantern Social

Supply residents with glass jars, paint, sand, battery-operated tea lights, and twine to create summer jar lanterns to hang in the backyard for the season. Serve no-bake granola bars as a snack.

13

• International Left-Handers Day
• National Bowling Day
• Somerset Antique Show and Vintage Fair in Somerset, Pennsylvania

Vintage Tea Party

On this day of the Somerset Antique Show in Somerset, Pennsylvania, host a vintage tea party for your residents featuring a vintage tea set with cups and saucers. Coordinate with Dining Services to serve tea sandwiches and cookies for residents to enjoy.

Table Bowling

For this National Bowling Day, play a fun game of table bowling with your residents. To play, set up small pins (e.g., toilet paper rolls) at the end of the table and have residents exercise their arms as they roll a foam ball down the table to knock down the pins.

Summer Button Social

Supply residents with your surplus of buttons to create summer button signs that they can hang on their wall. Use buttons, hot glue, and the summer printable. Serve no-bake Oreo cheesecake parfaits as a snack.

Left-Center-Right Night

In honor of this International Left-Handers Day, teach residents how to play the Left-Center-Right (LCR) dice game. If you do not have the LCR dice game, use regular dice and poker chips instead.

14

• Largest Gothic church in northern Europe, the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, was completed (1880)
• National Aviation Week (August 14-20)
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act (1935)

Crafts: Stained Glass

In recognition of this day that the largest Gothic church in northern Europe, the Cologne Cathedral in Germany, was completed, assist residents with making stained glass art. To make the artwork, simply add glue to the glass of inexpensive photo frames. Then add a few drops of food coloring before blending the colors with toothpicks. Allow the glue to dry before displaying.

How Much Do You Know About Social Security?

Quiz residents with a few questions about Social Security on this day that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act.

Geography Bee

For this first day of National Aviation Week, see how much knowledge your residents picked up on their past travels as you host a fun geography bee.

Summer Rope Bowl Social

Teach residents how to use rope and colorful yarn to assemble no-sew rope bowls that can be used for the season. Serve mini summer fruit tarts as a snack.

15

• Birthday: Julia Child, American cook and author (1912)
• Independence Day in India
• Woodstock music festival in Bethel, New York began (1969)

Food Council

In honor of this birthday of famous American chef Julia Child, start a separate monthly Food Council meeting for your residents to discuss food-related issues with your facility's kitchen staff (instead of bogging down your traditional Resident Council meeting with food-preference questions). Host the event after breakfast in your Dining Room.

Henna Scratch Art

On this Independence Day in India, show your residents how to make henna scratch art. For the project, first have residents use pencils to outline their hands onto white cardstock. Then pass out crayons for residents to color the whole hand. Next, cut out the hand and paint it using black tempera paint. After the paint has dried, show residents how to use a wooden skewer to create designs on the hand, revealing the color beneath the paint.

Hippies Contest

Recruit volunteers to assist residents with picking out hippie-style clothing to wear in a fun hippies contest in your Activity Room on this anniversary of the Woodstock music festival. Invite other residents to judge the best dressed hippie. Serve tie-dyed popcorn for residents to enjoy during the contest.

Summer Flamingo Social

Pass out small glass jars and summer-themed figurines, like flamingos and palm trees, for residents to create their own summer snow globes, using glycerin, hot glue, and glitter. Serve Jell-O grapes as a snack.

16

• American baseball legend Babe Ruth died (1948)
• National Rum Day
• National Tell a Joke Day

Baking Club: Rum Cake

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

Playing Ha!

Invite residents to play the fun game Ha! in recognition of this National Tell a Joke Day. To play, seat residents in a circle and have the first person exclaim "Ha!" Then have the next person exclaim "Ha-Ha!", and the third person exclaim "Ha-Ha-Ha!", and so on. Whenever a person incorrectly gives the number of "Ha"s or laughs, then they are out of the game.

Big League Chew Contest

Host a fun bubble-blowing contest among residents featuring the baseball-themed Big League Chew bubble gum in recognition of this day that baseball icon Babe Ruth died.

Summer Fan Social

Assist residents with making paper fans to use for summer. Simply use colorful scrapbook paper, ribbon, rulers, wooden clothespins, and glue for the craft. Serve Greek yogurt berry smoothie pops as a snack.

17

• First transatlantic trip in a balloon was completed (1978)
• Independence Day in Indonesia
• Novel Animal Farm by George Orwell was published (1945)

Animal Pictionary

In recognition of this day that the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell was published, invite residents to play a game of Animal Pictionary. To play, cut out animal pictures, and place them in a hat. Then have a resident take out a picture to draw for their teammates to identify. (More animal pictures)

Balloon Faces

On this day that the first transatlantic trip in a balloon was completed, recruit residents to have fun with balloons by creating fun balloon faces with markers. For the activity, use double-sided tape to attach inflated balloons to tables to make it easier for residents to draw faces. Add hats to the balloons to make it easier for residents to see the balloons as people.

Glue Batik

For this Independence Day in Indonesia, introduce the Indonesian art of batik (a fabric dyeing technique) with glue batik art. For the craft, provide residents with cotton fabric, paint, and white glue.

Summer Tie-Dye Social

Show residents how to create colorful tie-dye using just baby wipes, rubber bands, and markers. Encourage residents to be creative with their designs. Serve chocolate-dipped fruit as a snack.

18

• First mail-order catalog was published by Montgomery Ward (1872)
• Sun Prairie's Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin (August 18-21)

Crafts: American Indian Corn

On this first day of the Sun Prairie's Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, supply residents with orange pipe cleaners and seed beads to assemble American Indian corn. Use the corn as decoration for your upcoming autumn festivities.

Sweet, Sour, Salty or Bitter

For this first day of the Sun Prairie's Sweet Corn Festival in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, invite residents to sample different foods to determine whether they are sweet, sour, salty, or bitter. For the activity, first provide each resident with a sweet food (sugar), a sour food (lemon wedge), a salty food (salt), and a bitter food (baker's chocolate). Then provide residents with other foods for them to taste to see which of the four basic tastes the food is most similar to.

Mail-Order Catalogs

Reminisce with residents about ordering from mail-order catalogs on this day that the first mail-order catalog was published by Montgomery Ward. Share a bit of history about the catalogs as you pass around photos of old catalog pages.

Summer Toy Social

Put residents to work to help you make summer toys, like cardboard whirligigs to donate to a local Boys' and Girls' Club. Use cardboard, string, glue, wooden skewers, and whirligig patterns for the craft. Serve chocolate-dipped sundae marshmallows as a snack.

19

• Birthday: Coco Chanel, French fashion designer (1883)
• Kool-Aid Days in Hastings, Nebraska (August 19-21)
• National Aviation Day

Does Kool-Aid Make Everything Better?

Recognize this first day of the Kool-Aid Days in Hastings, Nebraska, by providing residents with Kool-Aid pickles to sample to see if Kool-Aid really does make everything taste better. (Note that the pickles need to remain in the Kool-Aid brine for about a week before eating.)

Most Colorful Planes

In recognition of this National Aviation Day, invite residents to paint craft sticks to assemble colorful planes. Award a prize for the "best summer airplane."

Graphic Hair Pins

Recruit residents to create graphic hair pins to wear in recognition of this birthday of fashion designer Coco Chanel. To create the pins, first use hot glue to fill in letter molds. Then pop out the letters and cut off any excess glue before painting. Then once the paint has dried, use hot glue to attach the letters to the tops of bobby pins.

Summer Foil Art Social

Teach residents how to use aluminum foil, markers, and yarn to create foil embossed art to hang in their rooms for the summer. Serve no-bake Oreo cheesecake parfaits as a snack.

20

• Birthday: Eero Saarinen, Finnish-American architect and furniture designer (1910)
• Oregon Trail Rodeo in Hastings, Nebraska (August 19-21)
• World Mosquito Day

Grandma's Home Remedies

On this World Mosquito Day, reminisce with residents about their grandmother's home remedies, like using ice for bug bites. Ask residents whether those homemade remedies ever worked, and whether they ever created their own remedies for their kids.

Pipe Cleaner Pictionary – Furniture Edition

For this birthday of architect and furniture designer Eero Saarinen, invite residents to play a fun game of pipe cleaner Pictionary. To play, divide residents into teams and provide a member of each team with pipe cleaners to create pieces of furniture for teammates to guess. Give each team 15 minutes to see how many furniture types their teammates can guess from the pipe cleaner shapes. (Before the game, recruit a volunteer to write down different types of furniture onto small pieces of paper that residents will pick from a hat.)

Walking Tour

Recognize this first day of the Oregon Trail Rodeo in Hastings, Nebraska by creating your own walking trail through your facility using your facility's Sales Coordinator. Ask her to give your residents the walking tour of the facility that she normally gives family members who want to check out the facility for their loved ones.

Summer Pinwheels Social

Invite residents to make paper pinwheels by first watercoloring paper. Serve graham crackers and a lemon meringue dip as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

21

• Hawaii became the 50th state (1959)
• National Sweet Tea Day
• World Senior Citizens Day

Crafts: Tea Towels

Invite residents to use paint to create unique tea towels that they can give to their loved ones as gifts on this National Sweet Tea Day.

Hawaiian Fruit Tasting

Organize a fun Hawaiian fruit tasting for residents, featuring tasty fruits like pineapples and mango, on this anniversary of Hawaii's statehood.

Swapping Stories

Encourage residents to reminisce and swap stories on this World Senior Citizens Day. Pass around photos to get residents remembering about their childhood.

Summer Beach Social

Supply residents with seashells, paint, and puffy paint to create painted seashells to use as decoration for the season. Serve no-bake vanilla bean cheesecake squares as a snack.

22

• Be an Angel Day, a day to serve someone else with one small act
• Birthday: Dorothy Parker, American poet and author known as the "Wittiest Woman in America" (1893)
• National Tooth Fairy Day (also celebrated on February 28)

Fairy Dolls

Assist residents with assembling fairy dolls on this National Tooth Fairy Day. Use wooden beads, pipe cleaners, felt, and tulle for the craft.

Funny Riddles

On this birthday of the "Wittiest Woman in America" Dorothy Parker, share a few funny short riddles with residents.

Rustic Angels

Recruit residents to assemble rustic angels on this Be an Angel Day, a day to serve someone else with one small act. Use wooden peg dolls, cheesecloth, ink, hot glue, and floral wire for the craft.

Summer Rose Art Social

Encourage residents to create rose watercolor art using white glue, black paint, watercolors, and a rose template. Serve carrot cake bites as a snack.

23

• Birthday: Ernie Bushmiller, American comic strip artist of the "Nancy" strip (1905)
• Birthday: Gene Kelly, American actor and dancer (1912)
• Birthday: Kobe Bryant, NBA star (1978)

Morning Paper and...

Reminisce with residents about reading their morning paper on this birthday of comic strip artist Ernie Bushmiller. Ask residents what they used to do and eat while reading their morning paper.

Basketball Bingo

Invite residents to play a game of basketball bingo on this birthday of basketball player Kobe Bryant. For the activity, pass out bingo cards, and name a team for residents to try to find on their cards. (Ask a volunteer who's knowledgeable in sports teams to call the bingo game so that they can correctly identify the logos.)

Tap Dance Party

Teach your seated residents the basic steps of tap dancing in honor of this birthday of dancer Gene Kelly. After the short lesson, play music for residents to dance to in their chairs.

Summer Keychain Social

Show residents how to create summer keychains by braiding strips of t-shirts around a key ring. Serve no-bake chocolate-covered coconut bars as a snack.

24

• Birthday: Duke Kahanamoku, Hawaiian Olympic gold medal swimmer known as the "Father of International Surfing" (1890)
• British invaded and raided Washington, D.C. (1814)
• New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York (August 24 - September 5)

Baking Club: Hawaiian Banana Nut Bread

Encourage residents to bake Hawaiian banana nut bread on this birthday of Hawaiian Olympic gold medal athlete Duke Kahanamoku, using crushed pineapple, flaked coconut, and maraschino cherries.

Ping Pong Bounce

Create a ball toss game for residents to play on this first day of the New York State Fair in Syracuse, New York. Create the game by gluing small paper cups to the inside of a cardboard box and writing point values on each of the cups. Then for the game, set the game at the end of a long table, and invite residents to bounce ping pong balls on the table so that they land in the cups.

Can You Name the Landmarks?

Pass around photos of Washington, D.C. landmarks for residents to identify on this day that the British invaded and raided Washington, D.C.

Summer Magnet Social

Help residents create nautical magnets using nautical scrapbook paper. For the activity, print out circle templates on the back of nautical scrapbook paper for residents to cut out and attach to flat-bottom gemstones before attaching magnets. Serve no-bake rainbow chip granola bars as a snack.

25

• Independence Day in Uruguay
• Sunset Bonfires in Stearns Park Beach, Michigan
• U.S. National Park Service was founded (1916)

Crafts: Colorful Weaving

In recognition of this Independence Day in Uruguay, teach residents Uruguay's popular pastime of weaving, using colorful yarn and twig frames.

Twig Names

Invite residents to create their name using yarn and twigs on this day that the U.S. National Park Service was founded.

Cactus Sunset

Show residents how to paint a cactus sunset painting on canvas in recognition of this day of the Sunset Bonfires in Stearns Park Beach, Michigan.

Summer Dragonfly Social

Provide residents with wooden craft sticks, craft jewels, glue, and pipe cleaners to assemble dragonflies. Serve oatmeal, peanut butter, and Nutella energy bites as a snack.

26

• National Dog Day
• National Toilet Paper Day
• Women's Equality Day

Who's Actually Smarter?

Settle the debate as to which gender is smarter by hosting a fun 1950s trivia game for residents on this Women's Equality Day to see whether the women or the men answer the most questions correctly.

Toilet Paper Unravel

On this National Toilet Paper Day, invite residents to play a fun team game using toilet paper. To play, divide residents into teams to see which team is first at unravelling a roll of toilet paper and rolling it back up again.

Doggie Date

Invite the staff members of your facility to bring their well-behaved dogs to show off their dog tricks in the backyard for your residents on this National Dog Day. (Beforehand, ask staff members to bring a copy of their dog's vaccination papers for you to keep on file for visiting dogs.)

Summer Sand Handprints Social

Provide residents with Plaster of Paris, sand, and seashells to create sand handprints for the season. Serve M&M's cookie bites as a snack.

27

• Birthday: Mother Teresa, Catholic nun (1910)
• National Pots du Creme Day, honoring the French custard dessert
• U.S. Senior Amateur (Golf) Championship in Marion, Massachusetts (August 27 - September 1)

Golf Ball Roll

Encourage residents to play a game of Golf Ball Roll on this first day of the U.S. Senior Amateur (Golf) Championship in Marion, Massachusetts. For the activity, seat residents in a large circle. Then use masking tape to attach a bullseye to the floor in the middle of the circle. Next, provide each resident with a golf ball to see who can roll their golf ball so that it lands on the target. Award points based on where the ball lands (i.e., award one point if it touches the outer red ring, award two points if it touches the inner red ring, or award three points if it touches the inner circle).

What's This French Dessert?

Pass around photos of popular French desserts for residents to identify on this National Pots du Creme Day, a day honoring the French custard dessert. (To print out the photos, hover your mouse over the image and right-click the mouse. Then click "Open image in new tab" to print the image from your browser.)

Nun Peg Dolls

Invite residents to assemble nun peg dolls on this birthday of Catholic nun Mother Teresa. Use black and white felt, wooden clothespins, glue, paint, and markers for the craft.

Summer Shell Ornaments Social

Show residents how to make shell ornaments using clay, glue, and yarn. Serve no-bake Oreo peanut butter squares as a snack.

28

• 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 they did not serve alcohol at White House receptions (1831)
• Birthday: Roger Tory Peterson, American naturalist and author (1908)

Crafts: Nature Jewelry Dishes

Assist residents with forming clay jewelry dishes using fresh flowers from outdoors on this birthday of naturalist Roger Tory Peterson. Use polymer clay, rolling pins, fresh flowers, and paint for the craft.

Little Known Rooms in the White House

Share a few fun facts about the rooms in the White House on this birthday of First Lady Lucy Hayes, the American First Lady to President Rutherford B. Hayes who was nicknamed "Lemonade Lucy" because the Hayes did not serve alcohol at White House receptions.

Private Education

Start a debate among residents about private education on this birthday of Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American-born saint who established the first Catholic girls' school in America. For the activity, separate residents into two groups – those for private education and those against it. Then have each group give the pros and cons of private education, having those who are for it give arguments against it, and having those who are against it give arguments for it.

Summer Bracelets Social

Show residents how to create friendship bracelets using colorful yarn and a cardboard loom. Serve a chocolate chip cookie icebox cake as a snack.

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• U.S. Open Tennis Championship in Flushing, New York (August 29 - September 11)

Activity Charades

For this first day of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York, invite residents to play a fun game of activity charades, in which they act out various activities for their teammates to guess. For the game, divide residents into two teams and have each team act out a different charade for their teammates to guess. Award a prize to the team who correctly guesses the most charades.

Tennis Bounce

Pass out plastic rackets and have residents work on their hand and eye coordination as they bounce tennis balls on their rackets in recognition of this first day of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York. For the activity, have residents hold the racket so that the face of the racket is facing up. Then have them place a tennis ball on the racket for them to gently bounce. See who can bounce the ball on their racket the longest without the ball falling off.

Tennis Ball Emojis

Ask staff members to donate any of their unused tennis balls for your artistic residents to have some fun creating tennis ball emojis on this first day of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New York. Provide residents with pencils to draw the faces before going over the lines with markers. Use the finished emojis as a fun display in your Activity Room.

Summer Bean Frame Social

Use dried beans and plain frames to show residents how to create bean mosaic frames. Serve frozen banana yogurt as a snack.

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• First White House presidential baby was born to President Grover Cleveland (1893)
• National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Baking Club: Marshmallow Pies

For this National Toasted Marshmallow Day, encourage residents to make a few marshmallow pies for residents to sample.

Diaper Babies

On this day that the first White House presidential baby was born to President Grover Cleveland, provide residents with diapers, baby washcloths, and baby socks to create diaper babies to donate to a local charity for new moms.

Marshmallow Art

Supply residents with jumbo marshmallows to use as their canvas on this National Toasted Marshmallow Day. Provide residents with food-grade markers to use on the marshmallows.

Summer Seashell Social

Provide residents with plain seashells and colorful markers to create colorful seashells. Place the finished shells in a glass container as decoration. Serve a berry salad as a snack.

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• Birthday: Maria Montessori, Italian physician, educator, and developer of the Montessori method for engaging with children (1870)
• Diana, Princess of Wales died (1997)
• Love Litigating Lawyers Day

If You Were the Judge, What Would You Do?

In recognition of this Love Litigating Lawyers Day, organize a criminal justice activity with residents. For the activity, read five different criminal scenarios, and ask each resident to rank the scenario by the amount of years they would give each convict.

Flower Crowns

Take residents outdoors to pick flowers to tie into knots to create flower crowns on this day that Diana, Princess of Wales died.

What About Charter Schools?

On this birthday of educator Maria Montessori, start a debate among residents about charter schools. Ask residents to share a few pros and cons of charter schools.

Summer Weaving Social

Pass out sticks and colorful yarn to create God's Eyes for residents to hang in their rooms for the season. Serve popsicles as a snack.