Top 20 Activities to do with Nursing Home Residents

1. Look at old photos together
2. Look at recipes together
3. Read a book together
4. Bring a pet or kids for them to meet (note: ask the nursing home’s policy on pets first)
5. Sort playing cards, poker chips, or beads by color
6. Look at the daily newspaper
7. Listen to music together
8. Toss a ball to each other
9. Color in a coloring book (a children’s coloring book or adult–depends on their preference)
10. Have a spelling bee 
11. Dress up together (hats and jewelry)
12. Make a collage (possibly bring some leaves to trace and color, or cut out of magazine)
13. Paper crafts (paper dolls they can color, decorations they can make from paper, etc.)
14. Sing together (favorite songs, hymns, or nursery rhymes)
15. Give them a manicure
16. Sculpt with play dough or clay
17. Do a puzzle (simple or complicated, depending on their interest/ability)
18. Ask them trivia (again, simple or complicated, depending on their interest/ability)
19. Make jewelry from beads and string
20. Play board games like checkers or pictionary