Fill your Thanksgiving Day with food and fun! But, more importantly, make this day the best time for the family to connect with your senior loved ones. That said, ask everyone to avoid using their mobile phones and tablets or limit their use to just taking photos so they can focus. We’ve collected some thanksgiving activity ideas that can make the celebration something to remember.
1. Prepare a Thanksgiving feast
The event will not be complete without a feast. Roast Turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and pumpkin pies are the traditional Thanksgiving meals; therefore, every family member expects to have these. You can also prepare mini Hasselback loaded potatoes, maple butter tart cheesecake, bacon butter tarts, and pumpkin swirl cheesecake squares. Check out the recipes from Food Network Canada. You can also bake whole wheat rolls, smoked salmon, roasted broccoli, and baked asparagus for your senior loved ones.
2. Excite everyone with a scavenger hunt
Print five turkey and five pumpkin pie pictures. Post them in areas throughout the house or in the living room. Form two groups: Team Turkey and Team Pumpkin Pie. Appoint two seniors as the leader of each group. They can either join in the hunt or wait for the members to hand them the pictures each time they collect one. The first group to complete the collection of pictures wins.
3. Hold a bingo game
Of course, it would be good to celebrate thanksgiving with activities that benefit seniors. Games like bingo are good games for seniors with dementia. Bingo requires participants to match shapes and numbers. It, subsequently, helps in improving their cognitive function. On the other hand, as they mark numbers that are called out, they get to strengthen their fine motor skills.
4. Decorate a pumpkin
One of the thanksgiving activity ideas best for seniors is the ‘decorate a pumpkin’ game. Form groups and give each a pumpkin to decorate. Provide them with art supplies (ribbons, paints, etc.). Let seniors participate in the pumpkin decoration or assign them as judges. The best-decorated pumpkin wins.
It’s this time of the year when we give thanks for all our blessings, good health, and being together. Make the family celebration more enjoyable and memorable with these thanksgiving activity ideas for seniors.
