Forum Messages

Hi Okesha,

You said you are new and looking for ideas. We recently constucted a nice looking cardboard box, covered it with pretty paper....cut a hole in the lid and placed a rubber sheet in the top with an x cut in it to allow someones hand to reach inside the box. We place common household items (one at a time) inside the box....spool of thread, clothespin, sponge, bag of marbles, cottonballs, pack of playing cards, yarn and more... nothing sharp ....we have the residents reach inside the box and feel the item and guess what it is. They really like it.

See if you can arrange a talent show or gong show...have staff and families sign up to sing, tell jokes , put on a skit or magic trick, the residents can be the judge of who gets first prize.

We use fly swatters to volly with a balloon while listening to peppy music.

Play what's in Grandma's Pocketbook...Get an "old lady looking" handbag, put in 10 items you would find in Grandma's bag...a picture of Grandpa, handkerchief, teabags. lipstick, eyeglasses, a spool of yarn for knitting, the Bible, a kerchief ( babooshka) a huge bra or huge underpants ( bloomers) ...as a joke  a perscription bottle of pills ( use tic tacs instead of pills) Take the items out one at a time and place in a brown paper sack, then ask them how many items they can remember.

Leave me your fax or e mail and I will send you some sample pages of memorystreets question and answers for you to try with your residents, it is really good to help break the ice and the residents love them. You can check their website at www.memorystreets.com    good luck!