Level: Easy Length: 5 minutes + Overview: Non-verbal communication using rhythmic sounds Materials: Table top, drum or percussive instrument if available. How: Sit facing each other with access to a table top or drum. Person 1 makes a sound. Maintaining eye contact person 2 mimics that sound... and so on. If the person makes vocal
Level: Medium Length: 1 - 2 hours Overview: Bring the seaside inside. Materials: Buckets, spades, sand, seashells, starfish, pebbles, picnic blanket, old holiday postcards, ice cream with cones. How: Allow people to explore the sand with their hands and feet. Pass around the objects and postcards, allowing conversation to flow around memories of holidays to the
Level: Easy Length: 30 minutes Overview: Stamping with fruit and vegetables. Materials: Fruit or vegetables e.g. broccoli, Brussels sprouts, apples. Paint, paint brushes, paper. How: Take your chosen fruit or vegetable and cut in half, dip or paint your vegetable and stamp onto your paper. You can also add stems and leaves to your painting. Holmer Manor
Level: Easy Length: 30 - 60 minutes Overview: Matching the hands and what those hands have done in their lifetime to the person. Materials: Paper, scissors, glue, decorating materials - sequins, crayons, ribbons, stamps. How: Trace around your hand, cut out and decorate. Write on the back what these hands have done in your lifetime. Try
Level: Difficult Length: Long-term Overview: Grow your own ingredients for moisturisers and lotions. Materials: Plants - cucumber and aloe vera are good for moisturiser, rose and lavender are great for their scent. How: Plant outside or in pots. Once the plants are growing well, cuttings can be taken for making your own lotions, with soothing
Level: Medium Length: 1 - 2 hours Overview: Watch the horse racing, place bets and play games. Materials: Large pictures of horses, giant dice, chocolate coins. How: Prepare for a day out at the races, wear your fancy clothes and hats. Create a race track with a start and finish point. Place bets on the winning
World Music Day Level: Medium Length: 1 hour Overview: Play music to evoke memories and conversation. Materials: Record Player, records. How: Ask participants, family members or friends to bring in records to play. Have a chance to listen, sing along and talk about memories evoked by the music. Hazelhurst Nursing Home
Level: Easy Length: 30 minutes Overview: Use the alphabet to encourage discussions around flowers. Materials: Whiteboard or large piece of paper, pens. How: Sit with the whiteboard or paper visible to all. Go through the alphabet naming flowers. It can lead to conversations about favourite flowers and what you have grown in the garden. Holmer Court Care
Level: Easy Length: 10 minutes + Overview: Use hats as a prop for encouraging a fun, imaginative story to develop. Materials: Hats. How: Try on different hats, and get into character of who would wear the hat. What would your job be? Where would you live? What do you like doing? Let your imagination run wild...
Level: Medium Length: 1 hour Overview: Taste different ciders and apple juices. Materials: Small glasses, a variety of ciders and apple juices. How: Pour a variety of ciders and apple juices into glasses. Guess which cider is which. Encourage conversation around apple growing and making cider in Herefordshire. West Eaton House Care Home