| Susan Berg's Activity Ideas Galore By Susan Berg, CDP, AD, BS(COTA/L) |
| ACTIVITY DIRECTOR COMMUNITY Join our Activity Director Community message board and network with Activity Professionals across the country. This is a free service. |
| ACTIVITY DIRECTOR TODAY E-MAGAZINE Be sure to subscribe to Activity Director Today E-magazine for the latest news and more about your profession. Only $19.95/year |
| ACTIVITY DIRECTOR TODAY Providing Internet Resources for Activity Professionals in Long Term Care Settings admin@theactivitydirectorsoffice.com Copyright 2004-Present The Activity Director's Office All Rights Reserved Disclaimer |
| ACTIVITY DIRECTOR NOVELTIES Activity Director Novelties features promotional materials and gifts for you, your residents, your facility and your Department. Be sure to visit. |
| Activity Director Books. Excellent Resources for Activity Professionals |
| Featuring supplies for parties, holiday celebrations and special events Click Here |
| Susan Berg Author, Activity Director Activities Director Blog Alzheimers Ideas |
| About Susan Susan Berg has been a healthcare professional and educator for over 20 years. She is the, activity director, of many years, at Hunt Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Danvers. While there, she has gained much dementia care and activity experience and knowledge. She has had special training in dementia care and dementia activities through the Alzheimer’s Association and other educational forums. Berg is the author of Adorable Photographs of Our Baby- Meaningful, Mind-Stimulating Activities and More for the Memory Challenged, Their Loved Ones, and Involved Professionals, a book for those with dementia and an excellent resource for caregivers and healthcare professionals. |
| Take a look at Susan's book |
| Flash Cards are available to use with Susan's Book Note: They can also be used without the book and are ideal for group use. |
November Activity Ideas - 2011
Nov 1st is National Authors’ Day. There are so many ways to celebrate this. You can
have the audience talk about their favorite authors or books. You can play a game of you
name the book and they name the author. To make is easier, you name the book and
the first or last name of the author and let them fill in the missing word. For a list of
books and authors go to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/2011/09/november-1-is-
authors-day.html
You can read one or more short stories by famous authors. It is best to read uplifting
stories making sure the participants are given a chance to discuss the story as you
read it. You can ask questions about the story or ask for comments about a particular
part of the story. By doing this you keep the audience involved and interested as you
read the story.
You can play a game of “Is this an animal story or not”. Actually you can change animal
to something else like “Is this a war, love story or, whatever kind of story type you
choose, or not.
You can have group members become “famous authors” by having them write stories
of their own. You can have a story with words from it missing. Let the audience
members fill in the blanks. You could play Mad-lib to make some really funny stories.
For directions and Mad-lib stories go to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.
com/2011/10/creating-mad-lib-stories.html
They could also become famous authors by doing a picture is worth a thousand words.
You could also have story starters and have participants complete the stories.
Basketball Day is November 6th. Why not celebrate it by playing a game of basketball
using round laundry baskets as the basketball hoops and soft or beach balls. You
could even have the participants toss other objects into the basket.
Here is a craft that uses unmatched socks and 500-1000 puzzles with missing pieces.
It is quite simple. Give each participant a sock and some puzzle pieces. Have the
person put the puzzle pieces in the sock. You can close the sock by tying a knot at the
end or using a rubber band to close it. You can then use the finished product to play
basket puzzle bag ball.
You can attach the act of throwing the ball or puzzle bag with answering a trivia question
or doing a simple math problem. Studies have shown that doing this improves thinking
skills.
You can play a game like “Horse” or “Pig”. These are similar games that are quite easy
to play. Of course you will have to adapt and modify it depending on your audience. The
object of the game is usually to do some trick shot to the basket. If the person that
follows the person shooting and making the first shot misses his shot he gets a letter.
The first player to spell out horse, pig or whatever word you choose is out. The last
person left is the winner.
There are several ways to adapt the game. You can have the group pick a word to spell
out. Instead of the making a trick shot, making any shot may do depending on the skill
level of the group. You can move the basket closer or farther away from the person
depending on his/her ability.
No need to have winners and losers. Just thank everyone for playing, or give everyone
who played a small prize for being there.
You can combine this with regular or basketball trivia. For fun facts about basketball go
to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/2011/09/easy-basketball-trivia.html
Now you and your residents enjoy these noteworthy November activity suggestions.
Nov 1st is National Authors’ Day. There are so many ways to celebrate this. You can
have the audience talk about their favorite authors or books. You can play a game of you
name the book and they name the author. To make is easier, you name the book and
the first or last name of the author and let them fill in the missing word. For a list of
books and authors go to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/2011/09/november-1-is-
authors-day.html
You can read one or more short stories by famous authors. It is best to read uplifting
stories making sure the participants are given a chance to discuss the story as you
read it. You can ask questions about the story or ask for comments about a particular
part of the story. By doing this you keep the audience involved and interested as you
read the story.
You can play a game of “Is this an animal story or not”. Actually you can change animal
to something else like “Is this a war, love story or, whatever kind of story type you
choose, or not.
You can have group members become “famous authors” by having them write stories
of their own. You can have a story with words from it missing. Let the audience
members fill in the blanks. You could play Mad-lib to make some really funny stories.
For directions and Mad-lib stories go to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.
com/2011/10/creating-mad-lib-stories.html
They could also become famous authors by doing a picture is worth a thousand words.
You could also have story starters and have participants complete the stories.
Basketball Day is November 6th. Why not celebrate it by playing a game of basketball
using round laundry baskets as the basketball hoops and soft or beach balls. You
could even have the participants toss other objects into the basket.
Here is a craft that uses unmatched socks and 500-1000 puzzles with missing pieces.
It is quite simple. Give each participant a sock and some puzzle pieces. Have the
person put the puzzle pieces in the sock. You can close the sock by tying a knot at the
end or using a rubber band to close it. You can then use the finished product to play
basket puzzle bag ball.
You can attach the act of throwing the ball or puzzle bag with answering a trivia question
or doing a simple math problem. Studies have shown that doing this improves thinking
skills.
You can play a game like “Horse” or “Pig”. These are similar games that are quite easy
to play. Of course you will have to adapt and modify it depending on your audience. The
object of the game is usually to do some trick shot to the basket. If the person that
follows the person shooting and making the first shot misses his shot he gets a letter.
The first player to spell out horse, pig or whatever word you choose is out. The last
person left is the winner.
There are several ways to adapt the game. You can have the group pick a word to spell
out. Instead of the making a trick shot, making any shot may do depending on the skill
level of the group. You can move the basket closer or farther away from the person
depending on his/her ability.
No need to have winners and losers. Just thank everyone for playing, or give everyone
who played a small prize for being there.
You can combine this with regular or basketball trivia. For fun facts about basketball go
to http://activitiesdirector.blogspot.com/2011/09/easy-basketball-trivia.html
Now you and your residents enjoy these noteworthy November activity suggestions.