Activity Director Ideas Newsletter
December 2023
Activity Idea of the Month
Making Holiday Wrapping Paper
Invite your senior residents to make Hanukkah dreidel wrapping paper (by mugmakes.wordpress.com) using potatoes as stamps and Christmas cookie cutter wrapping paper (by kidscraftroom.com) using cookie cutters as stamps. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Weekly-Themed Activity Calendar for Celebrating Hanukkah Week and in our December 2023 Assisted Living Activity Calendar .)
Creative Craft of the Month
Santa Containers
Recruit residents to recognize Saint Nicholas Day (December 6) by making Santa containers (by scraplifters.com). To create the containers, wrap empty oatmeal containers with red, black, and white paper to resemble Santa’s suit. Then complete the look by adding on black buttons and a gold belt. Use the containers to give homemade cookies to your facility’s volunteers. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Dementia Activity Calendar.)
Activity Ideas for Male Residents
Male Bonding Activity of the Month
Host a fun Gingerbread House Decorating Contest for the men on Gingerbread House Day (December 12), in which the men assemble wooden gingerbread houses (by realcreativerealorganized.com). For the contest, provide the men with wooden birdhouses for the men to paint and decorate. Then invite your facility’s administrators to judge the best gingerbread house. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Assisted Living Activity Calendar.)
One-on-One Activity of the Month
Encourage your resident to help you assemble hand-drawn Christmas cookies (by thehomesteady.com) on National Cookie Day on December 4. To make the cookies, simply top store-bought cookies with royal icing before drawing on holiday designs using food-grade markers. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Men’s Activity Calendar.)
Activity Ideas for Dementia Residents
No-Bake Recipe of the Month
Celebrate this Christmas season by making apple wreaths (by myheartbeets.com) with residents. To create the wreaths, spread nut butter on sliced apples before adding various toppings, including dried cranberries, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, slivered almonds, raisins, and seeds. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Dementia Activity Calendar.)
Sensory Stimulation Activity of the Month
Get your residents ready for the holiday season by helping you assemble ornament popcorn balls (by michellespartyplanit.com). To make the popcorn balls, first pop popcorn. Then melt marshmallows in the microwave. Next, pour the melted marshmallows over the popcorn and begin molding into a ball shape. Once the popcorn balls have been made, push red and green chocolate candies into the balls before sprinkling on red sugar. Finally, stick a miniature candy cane in the top of each ball. (This activity idea is also featured in our December 2023 Dementia Activity Calendar.)
Activity Resource of the Month
Christmas-Printables.com
Check out our resource for the month, christmas-printables.com, to find fun holiday cards, games, and crafts for your holiday activities.
Quick Tip:
Start a Newsletter Club featuring your facility’s residents as the writers and editors. Recruit volunteers to type the articles for a fun, monthly one-page newsletter.
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