50 group activity ideas for nursing homes

A full activity calendar needs a lot of ideas. Here are 50 that work in a nursing home activity room, grouped by kind. Many come with an ElderWit game you can put on the big screen in seconds; the rest need only a table, a few supplies and a willing group.

Trivia and quiz ideas

  1. Decade trivia: the 1940s. Game: The 1940s
  2. Decade trivia: the 1950s. Game: The 1950s
  3. Decade trivia: the 1960s. Game: The 1960s
  4. Which decade did it happen?. Game: Which Decade?
  5. Classic movie quiz. Game: Classic Movies
  6. Radio and TV long ago. Game: Radio and TV Long Ago
  7. Fifty states quiz. Game: The Fifty States
  8. Fact or fiction round. Game: Fact or Fiction
  9. Team quiz with two teams. Game: Two Teams
  10. Song title trivia. Game: Songs by Title

Bingo ideas

  1. Number bingo on the big screen. Game: Number Bingo
  2. Word bingo with clues. Game: Word Bingo
  3. Have you ever bingo. Game: Have You Ever Bingo
  4. Bingo in your head. Game: Bingo in Your Head
  5. Answer board, a quiz played like bingo. Game: Answer Board

Talk and story ideas

  1. Would you rather. Game: Would You Rather
  2. Show of hands poll. Game: Show of Hands
  3. Remember when. Game: Remember When
  4. Spin and share story wheel. Game: Spin and Share
  5. Picture talk. Game: Picture Talk
  6. Dinner guests from long ago. Game: Dinner Guests
  7. Desert island picks. Game: Desert Island
  8. Time capsule. Game: Time Capsule
  9. Recipe box stories. Game: Recipe Box
  10. Birthday months. Game: Birthday Months

Word game ideas

  1. Finish the saying. Game: Finish the Saying
  2. Famous sayings. Game: Famous Sayings
  3. Word scramble. Game: Word Scramble
  4. Guess the word. Game: Guess the Word
  5. Crossword on the big screen. Game: Crossword Lite
  6. Word chain around the circle. Game: Word Chain
  7. Gentle jokes. Game: Gentle Jokes
  8. Riddle time. Game: Riddle Time

Theme and seasonal ideas

  1. Holiday quiz. Game: Holidays and Celebrations
  2. Weather and seasons. Game: Weather and Seasons
  3. Season baskets. Game: Season Baskets
  4. Garden day. Game: Gardens and Flowers
  5. Road trip day. Game: Cars and the Open Road
  6. Baking day quiz. Game: Baking and Desserts
  7. Dance through the years. Game: Dances Through the Years

Calm ideas for small groups and one on one

  1. Jigsaw together. Game: Jigsaw
  2. Coloring. Game: Coloring
  3. Word search. Game: Word Search
  4. Card games at the table. Game: Klondike Solitaire
  5. Checkers with a partner. Game: Checkers
  6. Dominoes. Game: Dominoes
  7. Spot the difference. Game: Spot the Difference
  8. Thankful garden. Game: Thankful Garden
  9. Letter writing hour with a short talk game first.
  10. Window bird watch with a bird quiz after. Game: Birds

Pick five ideas for next week, put them on the calendar at the same times, and ask the group which ones to keep. The ideas residents vote for are the ones that fill the room.

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Questions people ask

How many activities should a nursing home offer each week?

Most activity teams plan at least one or two group sessions each day, plus one on one visits for residents who stay in their rooms. Our monthly calendar template shows one way to lay out a month.

What group activities work for mixed abilities?

Games with an Easy level, talk games with no wrong answers and bingo all work for a mixed group. Read questions out loud and let the room answer together.

Do these ideas need special equipment?

Most need only a TV or tablet with a web browser. A few, like letter writing and bird watching, need paper or a window seat.

Ideas for your setting

More guides for activity teams

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