Sample Assisted Living Activity Calendar

February 2018 Assisted Living Activity Calendar

For each day, find creative activities that you can easily add to your current senior activity calendar for your nursing home or assisted living.

TIP: Click on the links in the calendar box below to see more information about each activity.

Fun Assisted Living Activity Ideas for February
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28

TIP: Use the following monthly themes as inspiration for activity ideas.

February is ...

TIP: Click on the following days of the month to see activity ideas for that specific day.

TIP: Click on the highlighted links below to get more information (instructions, recipes, or pictures) to assist with completing the activity.

1

Crafts: Groundhog Treats

Gather residents to assist you with assembling groundhog treats to pass out to visitors on Groundhog Day. Use chocolate-covered nuts, cellophane bags, and labels for the craft.

Baking Club: Homemade Cherry Pie

During this National Cherry Month, encourage the Baking Club to make a homemade cherry pie for residents to sample. If time permits, teach residents how to make a lattice-top pie crust for the pie.

Snow Day

Persuade residents to take a "snow day" by checking out a book from your facility's library to read on this winter day. Set up several reading nooks throughout your facility to encourage residents to independently enjoy reading this winter.

Wedding Photos Social

Celebrate this National Wedding Month by inviting residents to bring their wedding photos to your afternoon social to pass around. Serve cake and champagne as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

2

Groundhog Day Breakfast

Coordinate with Dining Services to host a special breakfast for residents on this Groundhog Day. Consider serving breakfast foods that are native to Pennsylvania like Scrapple or Amish bread. Ask residents if they think that there will be six more weeks of winter.

Learn a New Language

During this romantic month of February, teach residents how to speak French, the language of love. Recruit a resident or staff member who knows a little French to teach the class.

#GoRedWearRed

Encourage residents and staff to wear red on this National Wear Red Day, in honor of American Heart Month. Take pictures of residents and staff members in their red to send to family members.

Groundhog Day Social

Educate residents about this Groundhog Day by sharing a few fun facts for residents to enjoy while sampling veggies, a favorite of the groundhog.

Back to Activity Calendar

3

Decluttering the Closets

For this Declutter for a Cause Month, assist residents with cleaning out their closets to donate items to a local homeless shelter.

Bubble Blowing Contest

On this Bubble Gum Day, encourage residents to have a contest to see who can blow the biggest bubble. Line participants up in a row and let 'em blow. Encourage other residents to be on the lookout to see who blows the biggest bubble.

Painting to Music

Persuade residents to tap into their inner Norman Rockwell, on this birthday of the famous illustrator, by painting to music. Supply residents with paint and canvases.

Tea Sampler Social

Keep residents warm by providing them with an array of hot teas for them to sample. Encourage residents to vote on which tea they prefer. Serve butter cookies.

Back to Activity Calendar

4

Crafts: Super Bowl Pom-Poms

Assist residents with making pom-poms for residents to shake during your upcoming Super Bowl LII Party.

USO Memories

Invite residents to reminisce about the United Service Organizations (USO) on this day that it was founded. Ask the residents about the USO parties that they have attended as you play music from the 1940s.

Front Page Social

Talk to residents about current events and newspaper headlines as you pass out coffee and pastries.

Super Bowl LII Party

Throw a fun Super Bowl party in your Activity Room in which residents watch the big game on your television. Encourage residents to root for their favorite team.

Back to Activity Calendar

5

Winter Predictions

On this National Weatherperson's Day, share interesting winter predictions for 2018 with your residents from the Farmers' Almanac. Afterwards, go around the room and ask each resident to discuss the worst winter storm that they have ever seen.

Pop-up Books

During this Children's Authors and Illustrators Week, encourage residents to create a pop-up book for their grandchildren by making pop-up cards and pasting them together to form a book.

History Review

For this National Black History Month, discuss the various inventions and discoveries made by African-Americans. Encourage residents to discuss the evolution of race relations in America.

Extreme Weather Social

In recognition of this National Weatherperson's Day, invite residents to learn more about weather by conducting a fun science experiment, like creating a tornado in a jar. Serve veggies and dip as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

6

Trip to the Library

For this Library Lovers' Month, take residents on a trip to your local library. Call ahead to arrange for a tour of the library for your residents.

High Tea

Host a high tea for your residents this afternoon in celebration of this day that Elizabeth II became Queen of England. Add tablecloths to your Activity Room tables and serve hot tea and warm scones.

Best Female Comedians

Reminisce with residents about the best female comedians during this Spunky Old Broads Month. Start a debate about the best comedienne of all time.

Strawberries and Cream Social

Enjoy this Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month with residents by serving strawberries and cream. Ask residents if they have ever had a fruit tree or small fruit orchard in their garden.

Back to Activity Calendar

7

Heart-Healthy Exercise

Invite residents to improve their heart health by joining your Exercise Class today during this American Heart Month.

Low-Vision Support Group

Encourage your low-vision residents to meet during this Low Vision Awareness Month. Invite several department coordinators to attend to discuss ways in which their departments can improve services for low-vision residents, like enlarging the print on Dining Room menus or adding more large-print books to your facility's library.

Afternoon at the Ballet

In honor of this day that ballet was first brought to the United States, show residents a popular ballet in your Activity Room, like Swan Lake.

Supermarket Circulars Social

In recognition of this Return Shopping Carts to the Supermarket Month, pass out weekly supermarket circulars for residents to compare prices of today with those of yesteryear. Serve cookies as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

8

Crafts: Crepe Paper Roses

Celebrate this birthday of Portland, Oregon, also known as the "City of Roses," by encouraging residents to make beautiful crepe paper roses.

Baking Club: Cupcakes

During this Bake for Family Fun Month, invite the Baking Club to make tasty cupcakes for the afternoon social.

West Coast Bias

In honor of this birthday of Portland, Oregon, invite a few of your West Coast natives to explain why the West Coast is better. Afterwards, encourage your East Coast natives to list the benefits of living closer to the Atlantic.

Winter Memories Social

Invite residents to reminisce about their past winters and the wintertime traditions that they had with family, like ski vacations or snowball fights. Serve the cupcakes that were made earlier by the Baking Club.

Back to Activity Calendar

9

Midday Politics

On this birthday of President William Henry Harrison, tune your Activity Room television to a national news station for residents to catch up on what's going on in politics.

Older, But Wiser

For this Spunky Old Broads Month, reminisce with the women of your facility – now that they are older and wiser – about the life lessons that they have learned over the years. Ask the women to share a few funny stories about the mistakes that they have made in the past.

Romantic Read

Honor this Creative Romance Month with residents by hosting a weekly reading session where you read a chapter of a romantic novel.

Presidential Trivia Social

Quiz residents with presidential trivia on this day that President William Henry Harrison, who had the shortest term in history with 32 days as President, was born. Serve warm cookies as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

10

Baking Club: Strawberry Pizza

In recognition of this Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month, encourage your Baking Club to bake a unique strawberry pizza.

Mentoring Program

For this Youth Leadership Month, host a mentoring session with residents and their grandchildren. Set up several different activity stations, like a sewing station or a woodshop station, where the residents can teach the kids so that the kids can lead and teach others.

What Is It? Social

Borrow antiques from your local antique store and pass them around to residents. Invite residents to guess what the antique is and how to use it. Serve nuts as a snack.

Saturday Night Date Night

Host a fun date night for the couples in your facility. Encourage residents to dress up for a night on the town at a local restaurant.

Back to Activity Calendar

11

Crafts: Candy Roses

Have fun with residents as you assist them with making candy roses that can be passed out on Valentine's Day.

Inventor's Day Projects

Invite residents to create toys for their grandkids, like a sailboat or a tambourine, on this day that inventor Thomas Edison was born.

Winter Fair

During these first few days of the Florida State Fair, host a fun winter fair in your Activity Room. Set up several carnival games, like Ring Toss or Bean Bag Toss, for your residents to enjoy.

Tart Trivia Social

In celebration of this National Grapefruit Month, host a tart trivia social in which you ask trivia questions. If a resident gives a wrong answer, then he or she must drink a shot of grapefruit juice.

Back to Activity Calendar

12

(Log) Cabin Fever

To honor President Abraham Lincoln who was born in a log cabin on this day, host a checkers tournament to help residents fight off their cabin fever during winter.

Writer's Corner

During this Freelance Writers Appreciation Week, encourage residents to write a love poem for Valentine's Day. Supply stationery and pens to residents.

Staying Warm Social

Serve a variety of hot drinks for residents on this cold day, like hot tea, hot cocoa, and hot toddies.

Scary Movie Night

Show residents the popular movie Dracula (1931) on this day that it premiered. Borrow the DVD from your local library or online. Serve popcorn.

Back to Activity Calendar

13

Baking Club: Chocolate Mousse

Encourage the Baking Club to make a delicious chocolate mousse for residents to enjoy for the upcoming Chocolaty Social.

They Call Me...

For this Get a Different Name Day, ask residents which name they would like to be called today. Encourage residents to pick a name that they have always liked. Write their new name on a name tag or label, which residents can stick on their clothing for the day.

Chocolaty Social

Get ready for Valentine's Day by serving a tasty favorite: chocolate. Serve a variety of chocolates, including the chocolate mousse that was made earlier today.

Mardi Gras Masquerade Dinner

Host a fun masquerade dinner for your residents to celebrate this Mardi Gras. Coordinate with Dining Services to serve N'Orleans food, like gumbo, red beans and rice, and cajun shrimp. Before the dinner, assist residents with making their own Mardi Gras masks for the event, using feathers, felt, colorful pipe cleaners, plain masks, and hot glue.

Back to Activity Calendar

14

Valentine's Day Cards

Have fun with residents as they make valentine cards for Valentine's Day.

Valentine Bingo

Create bingo cards on your computer with the names of famous couples in each of the squares. During the bingo game, list facts or trivia about a particular couple and have the residents place a chip on the correct couple's names.

Manicures & Make-up Social

Encourage residents to get ready for tonight's big ball by inviting a make-up consultant to give free make-overs to residents. In addition, ask staff members to give manicures to the residents. Serve appetizers on toothpicks so the manicures will remain intact.

Valentine's Day Ball

Invite residents to get all gussied up for tonight's Valentine's Ball. Hire fun, musical entertainment to keep the residents on the dance floor all night!

Back to Activity Calendar

15

Crafts: Chinese Lanterns

Assist residents with making Chinese lanterns for your Chinese New Year Tea Party on February 16. (On the website, scroll down to view the instructions.)

Women's Suffrage

Host a discussion about the history of women's voting rights on this day that Susan B. Anthony was born. Ask residents about their past voting experiences.

Whiteout Conditions Social

On this wintry day, set up your afternoon social near a large picture window for residents to enjoy the winter scenery. Then, serve a variety of "whiteout" snacks, like powdered donuts and hot white chocolate with marshmallows.

Strawberry Daiquiri Night

Play fun music as you hand out Virgin Strawberry Daiquiris to residents during this Fabulous Florida Strawberry Month.

Back to Activity Calendar

16

Baking Club: Ginger Cookies

Encourage the residents to bake ginger cookies for this afternoon's Hot Cocoa and Warm Cookies Social.

Chinese New Year Tea Party

Host a Chinese tea party for your residents on this Chinese New Year. Serve Chinese teas, like green tea and oolong tea, and fortune cookies.

Mahjong Tournament

On this Chinese New Year, set up several Mahjong table games in your Activity Room, and recruit residents to play one another to become this year's Mahjong Tournament Champion.

Hot Cocoa and Warm Cookies Social

Keep your residents warm on this cold day by serving them hot cocoa and the warm ginger cookies that were made earlier today by the Baking Club.

Back to Activity Calendar

17

Bird Count

On this second day of the Great Backyard Bird Count, supply residents with binoculars to view the birds in your backyard from one of your facility's large picture windows.

Family Baking Fun

Invite the grandkids over to bake delicious snowflake cookies with the residents during this Bake for Family Fun Month.

Winter Gardening Social

Recruit residents at this afternoon social to help plant flower bulbs in indoor planters so that your facility can have beautiful flowers during the wintertime. Serve hot coffee and pastries as a snack.

Ladies' Margarita Night

In honor of this Spunky Old Broads Month, invite the women of your facility to have nonalcoholic margaritas while listening to big band music. Purchase a nonalcoholic margarita mix at your local grocery store.

Back to Activity Calendar

18

Crafts: Soapbox Dragsters

Invite the grandsons over for a fun Daytona 500 viewing party in your Activity Room. Before the race begins, invite the residents to make soapbox dragsters with their grandkids.

Red Hat Ladies Volunteer Project

Encourage the red hatters to make no-sew fleece hats to be donated to a local homeless shelter.

Armchair Travel: Antarctica

In recognition of this snowy season, take your residents on a fun trip to Antarctica. Show a DVD that showcases penguins and other wildlife, like National Geographic: Antarctic Wildlife Adventure (1991). Borrow the DVD from your local library or online.

Sour Social

Entice residents to enjoy the afternoon with a piece of fresh grapefruit during this National Grapefruit Month.

Back to Activity Calendar

19

Presidents' Day Visit

On this Presidents' Day, invite a local elementary school to stop by to do a Presidents' Day craft with your residents, like constructing pretzel stick log cabins.

Baking Demo

Celebrate this Bake for Family Fun Month by having a staff member from Dining Services demonstrate how to create a tasty baked good, like cinnamon twist bread.

Educational Series

For this National Engineers Week (February 18-24), show a documentary about the engineering of Egypt, like Egypt: Engineering an Empire (2006). Serve popcorn for residents to enjoy while watching the documentary.

The Feminine Mystique Social

Encourage residents to reminisce about the women's movement on this day that author Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique. Ask residents if they recall the contents of the book. Serve warm bread as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

20

Flannel Shirt Fashion Show

While it may be too cold to take residents outdoors, have fun with residents indoors as you encourage staff and residents to wear their favorite flannel shirts today. Host a fashion show for staff and residents to show off their warm shirts.

Library Tour

Take your facility's new residents on a tour of your facility's library during this Library Lovers' Month.

Roaring Twenties Social

On this 20th of February, play music from the Roaring Twenties and encourage residents to dance at this fun, afternoon social. Serve cheese and crackers.

Long Johns & Cocoa Nightcap

Encourage residents to stop by your Activity Room for a hot cocoa nightcap before they turn in for the evening. Set up a hot cocoa bar with marshmallows and peppermint sticks.

Back to Activity Calendar

21

Heart-Health Program

During this American Heart Month, invite a speaker, like your facility's dietitian, to speak to residents about healthy foods that are good for the heart.

Assembling Birdhouses

For this National Bird-Feeding Month, invite residents to assemble birdhouses that can be painted during the Crafts activity on February 22. Purchase inexpensive birdhouse kits from your local activity supply store.

Name That Monument

Share pictures of U.S. monuments and invite residents to guess "what and where" on this day that the Washington Monument was dedicated to George Washington.

Winter Cocktail Happy Hour Social

Host a fun happy hour for residents before dinner on this wintry day. Provide warm appetizers and wintertime drinks, like Hot Toddies or Hot Whiskey Punch.

Back to Activity Calendar

22

Crafts: Painting Birdhouses

During this National Bird-Feeding Month, invite residents to paint the birdhouses that they assembled on February 21. Once the houses are dry, add bird feed and set the houses outdoors.

Baking Club: Russian Apple Cake

Encourage the Baking Club to make a delicious Russian apple cake on this day that the U.S. hockey team upset the Soviet team during the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Washington and the Cherry Tree

For this birthday of President George Washington, share the fable about Washington cutting down the cherry tree. Ask residents what they think about the myth.

Lunch Counter Memories Social

Reminisce with residents about the five and dime store Woolworth's on this day that it opened. Serve the Russian apple cake that was made earlier today by the Baking Club.

Back to Activity Calendar

23

Show & Tell

In honor of this day that the U.S. flag was raised over Iwo Jima, invite residents to show and tell about their military mementos. Invite residents to discuss their time (or their husband's time) in the military.

Winter Cruise

Dust off your shuffleboard game and host a shuffleboard tournament in the dead of winter! Pretend that you are aboard a cruise ship and serve fun tropical drinks with umbrellas.

Do You Remember?

Reminisce with residents about vaccinations in the 1950s on this day that children received the first polio vaccine.

Sing Along Social

Play folk music and encourage residents to sing along on this day that folk singer Woody Guthrie wrote "This Land is Your Land." Borrow a folk music CD from your local library. Serve peanuts and ginger ale.

Back to Activity Calendar

24

Heart-Healthy Breakfast

In recognition of this American Heart Month, coordinate with Dining Services to provide a heart-healthy breakfast for residents, like fat-free yogurt with granola, cantaloupe with fat-free cottage cheese, or avocado toast with egg.

Nurse's Notes

For this Wise Health Care Consumer Month, invite your facility's nurse to speak to family members and residents about the types of health care decisions that should be made at this time.

Talent Show

Encourage residents to participate in a talent show on this day that the U.S. Supreme Court defended the right to satirize public figures. Persuade residents to share their talents with other residents.

Mexican Fiesta Social

On this Flag Day in Mexico, teach residents a few Spanish words and phrases. Serve guacamole and chips as a snack.

Back to Activity Calendar

25

Crafts: Still Life Artwork

On this cold day, encourage residents to enjoy the indoors by persuading them to show their artistic side as they paint a bowl of fruit. Set the residents around a table and place the bowl of fruit in the middle of the table. Give each resident a canvas and paint. Afterwards, invite residents to reveal their paintings and compare the different viewpoints of the same bowl of fruit.

Baking Club: Oatmeal Grapefruit Quick Bread

Encourage residents to make a grapefruit recipe like oatmeal grapefruit quick bread during this National Grapefruit Month.

Banking Memories

Begin an interesting discussion with residents about the services that they used to receive from their local banks, on this day that the first national bank was chartered by Congress. Ask residents about the gifts that their banks gave them for being good customers, like free toasters.

Your Show of Shows Social

Take residents back to the comedy of the 1950s on this day that the television show Your Show of Shows premiered, featuring Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca. Show the funny DVD The Honeymooners: The Lost Episodes (1952-1954), which you can borrow online. Serve the Oatmeal Grapefruit Quick Bread made earlier today by the Baking Club.

Back to Activity Calendar

26

Heart-Health Quiz

Quiz residents about their heart health during this American Heart Month.

Sweet Treat Demonstration

For this National Cherry Month, host a fun sweet treat baking demonstration of Double Chocolate Cherry Muffins. Allow the muffins to cool before serving them at the upcoming Chocolate & Cherries Social.

Wear Your Jeans Day

Encourage staff and residents to wear their dungarees on this day that jean manufacturer Levi Strauss was born.

Chocolate & Cherries Social

During this National Cherry Month, invite residents to sample the delectable double chocolate cherry muffins made earlier today during the Sweet Treat Demonstration.

Back to Activity Calendar

27

Black History

Invite residents to watch the PBS documentary A History of Black Achievement in America (2005) during this National Black History Month.

Famous Women Trivia

Question residents about famous women on this day that the U.S. Supreme Court declared the 19th Amendment, the women's right to vote, constitutional.

Which Husband Was It? Social

On this day that actress Elizabeth Taylor was born, reminisce with residents about actress Elizabeth Taylor's eight husbands as you quiz residents to guess which husband you are describing. Serve wine and cheese as a snack.

Movie Night: Father of the Bride

Show the popular movie Father of the Bride (1950) starring Elizabeth Taylor on this day that the actress was born. Serve popcorn.

Back to Activity Calendar

28

Tissue Paper Flowers

On this Floral Design Day, encourage your seniors to make fun and easy tissue paper flowers to decorate your facility.

Genealogy Project

Invite residents to bring photos and mementos to your Activity Room to discuss their family history on this day that scientists discovered the double helix structure of human DNA.

Genealogy Scrapbooking

In your Activity Room, provide residents with special paper and scrapbooking materials so that they can create a genealogy book featuring their family photos and mementos.

Tooth Fairy Social

For this National Tooth Fairy Day, provide residents with a healthy snack for their teeth, like raw carrots, celery, or cucumbers. Discuss whether any of the residents left money "from the Tooth Fairy" under their kids' pillows.

Back to Activity Calendar