October is just around the corner, and with it comes a wealth of opportunities for care home activity coordinators to plan engaging and meaningful activities. The cooler weather, vibrant colours of autumn, and festive occasions make it a fantastic time to shake things up and bring seasonal excitement to your care home.
Whether you’re looking for indoor activities to keep residents cosy or themed events to celebrate the season, here are some ideas to help you make the most of October.
October is synonymous with the beauty of autumn, and you can capture this seasonal magic in a range of activities:
Autumn Arts and Crafts:
Provide residents with leaves, acorns, and pinecones for creating autumnal artwork. Painting, collage-making, or even creating decorations for the communal areas can add a splash of the season to your care home.
Encourage residents to reminisce about their favourite autumn memories while working on their creations.
Pumpkin Decorating:
A timeless October tradition, pumpkin decorating is a fantastic group activity.
For those who may find carving difficult, offer alternative options like painting or using stickers to decorate the pumpkins. There are some lovely examples on Pinterest.
Why not hold a pumpkin display or competition to showcase the residents' work?
Autumn Nature Walks:
If your residents enjoy the outdoors, now is the perfect time to organise a stroll in the garden or nearby park. The crisp air and changing leaves provide a sensory experience that can be soothing and stimulating. Collect leaves or other natural treasures that can be used later for crafts or displays.
Baking and Cooking:
As the weather turns cooler, indoor activities like baking and cooking become even more appealing. Apples, cinnamon, pumpkin, and spices are ideal ingredients for a cosy baking session.
Apple Pie or Crumble Making:
Invite residents to help prepare traditional autumn treats like apple pies or crumbles. This is a great sensory activity, allowing residents to handle the ingredients, enjoy the aromas of baking, and then share in the delicious results together.
Pumpkin Soup and Bread:
Use pumpkins for more than just decorating! A cooking session where residents help make pumpkin soup or pumpkin bread can be both a practical and rewarding group activity. For those less able to join in the cooking process, tasting the warm autumnal flavours together can still be a lovely shared experience.
Storytelling Circles:
Hold a session where residents share stories about past autumns. Perhaps about bonfires, harvest festivals, or family traditions. These storytelling circles are not only a great way to bond but also help boost residents’ memory recall and communication skills. They are also super useful for gaining inspiration to help ensure that your activities are more meaningful for residents.
Chair Yoga or Stretching Classes:
Simple exercises, such as chair yoga or stretching, can help keep residents active while being mindful of mobility levels.
It’s a gentle way to stay fit indoors and can be combined with calming autumnal music.
Indoor Games:
October is a good time to revisit classic indoor games like bingo, skittles, and, of course, board games. Spice up the games by giving them a seasonal twist. Halloween bingo, for example, or a memory game using autumn-related items.
From autumn crafts and seasonal baking to themed celebrations and gentle exercise, there’s something to engage everyone. Embrace the season, get creative, and most importantly, focus on creating an atmosphere of warmth, comfort, and joy that will brighten the cooler days ahead.
Want more ideas for October activities, special dates and how to make activities more meaningful?
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