Autism Awareness Month
International Guitar Month
Keep America Beautiful Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
National Frog Month
National Garden Month
National Humor Month
National Mathematics Education Month
National Poetry Month
Stress Awareness Month
1st-Boomer Bonus Day Celebrated by the older-than-50 crowd only. It's celebrated on April 1 because the whole thing gets to be a joke.
Materials Needed: Large Jar Pennies prizes Have everyone over 50 add the number of pennies as they are old to the jar. (55yrs=55pennies) Give everyone 1 week to add their pennies and another week to guess how many pennies are in the jar Closest guesser is the winner & gets a prize. Give a prize to the oldest resident & staff member Make all prizes gag gifts.
Materials Needed:
Penny
Net Fabric
Ribbon
Safety Pin
The penny is tied by a ribbon in two layers of gauzy or net fabric. Before you tie the bow tightly slip a safety pin under the ribbon in the back. A double knot in the ribbon works best so if the bow comes untied the penny will not fall out. Attach the pin to a piece of paper that says, "Wear a Luck Penny Pin for Good Luck" Let your residents make tons of these for them and employess to wear on Lucky Penny Day. Sell as a fund raiser!
You can Have Several Activities With The Printable Maps Below: Let residents choose a map and name their own state and towns. (I had one lady name her state Bliss and some of the towns were Happyville, Merryheart, Smiley it was great.) Have Residents place the names of as many towns as they can remeber on their home state map. Pass out glitter, sequins etc. and let residents design away colorful maps. I also play a game before lunch in the dining room where the residents go down the alphabet and name as many towns in our state as they can that begin with each letter. For instance A-Alton, Auburn, Atlanta B-Beardstown, Buffalo, etc. Most of the residents can't help but get involved in this activity. (we also do flowers, food, animals, countries, & more. The possibilites are endless and it gets their minds active and is great or those who aren't much for trivia.
9th-1st Public Library Opened
In 1833, in Peterborough, NH.
Library Ideas
1. Ask For book donations & start your own Facility Library Ask The Library to donate or sell you at discount Library cards. You could use an old medicine cart as a rolling library and take it with you when you make your rounds.
2. Ask your local Library if they will bring books to your facility weekly.
3. Start A pre-k story Time. At our facilty I started a "Story Time with Aunt Delilah" A resident read a story to the Pre-K while the other residents sat with the children & we had snacks after.
4. Start a Book review club. you or residents could take turns reading a chapter a day or a week then have residents discuss their feelings & thoughts on the story.
10th--Encourage A Young Writer Day
Writing Ideas
1.A lot of schools have young author contests ask your local school if your residents may be included as judges. You could even hold the awards ceremony at your facility a lot of times local banks & businesses are willing to donate prizes,food, decorations & tableware or you could create your own and notify local schools & newspapers. Let residents pick 1st, 2nd & 3rd place winners either best overall or by each grade of school. Be sure to keep names of entries secret so all is fair.
2. Start a short story writing group. Have categories such as Mystery, Western, Love & Humor You could even supply the theme such as (love)The one I let get away, (western) The gun slinger & the shady lady, (mystery) The disappearig Cat, (comedy) Wet socks & a dozen red roses. This is great fun, get the imagination going and residents love it. You could even have residents make book covers award prizes and invite family to a book showing.
3. Start a Poetry writing group. Give your residents a theme and let them all give their input. I did this at several facilities and the results were great. We published the poems in our newsletter & the local paper along with all the authors names For instance: one theme was Spring is and as one resident after another told me what spring meant to them they all created a poem together. (the 1st time I statrted this group I heard grumbles of "Me ? I can't write" and after the initial start the residents were eager to write more poems.)
11th--U.S. Navy Acquires its 1st Submarine
In 1900. It was a 53-foot craft designed by Irish immigrant John P. Holland.
Have a Submarine Day or Week
Make Submarine sandwiches Use a small kids pool and have boat races Invite A Naval Officer to Speak Rent a movie about under the ocean(20,000 Leagues Under The Sea)
14th-Titanic Struck The Iceberg
Shortly before midnight on April 14, the ship collided with an iceberg causing the ship to sink at 2:20 AM on April 15.
Remembrance Day Ideas
Show The Movie Titianic Serve:Ice Tea Iceberg Lettuce Chef Salad Ice Cream
15th-First McDonalds Opens
By Ray Kroc in Des Plaines, IL, 1955. Have An "Out To Lunch Bunch" and head for Mc Donalds Be adventurous and order "Happy Meals" (Aren't we all young at heart?"
Have A Special Eggs Benedict Brunch At one Facilty I worked we held a brunch once a week at 10:00 am The brunch was by invitation only. We invited different residents each week along with a guest speaker such as Our administrator, a local policeman, state or city official etc.
Plan An "Out & About" Group To: Visit a Pet Store or Animal Shelter Maybe even Adopt A Pet for your facility. But before adoption or purchase of a pet have a resident group discuss the pro's and con's of caring for & adopting a pet for your facility. Who or which residents would be willing to volunteer to share the responsibility for the care. Where would the monies come from for items needed,training/ feeding, care and Vet bills for the pet. And where the animal would be kept. Then have residents invite the Administrator to the next Resident Council Meeting to present the idea.
1. Have Staff And Residents Dress Silly 2. Tell Jokes during the day over the intercom Pass out jokes that require an answer and have residents and staff place their answer with their name in a sealed (so no one peaks) box or boxes placed at disignated places. At the end of the day draw until you have a correct answer (1 resident & 1 staff memeber) Award a prize to each. 3. Have a resident Staff best laugh contest. Winner is whoever receives the most applause or you could have judges. 4. Invite a comedian to perform at you facility.
21st-Kindergarten Day
The first kindergarten was founded by Friedrich Froebel in Germany in 1837.
Kindergarten Day Ideas
1. Invite a Kindergarten Class over to: Have a residents read stories. or do art Pages with Check Out Printable Art pages on my Year Round Activity IdeasPage 2. Call a local school. Ask if some of your residents can deliver a treat bag to their kindergarteners. Find out the number of children and make small individual treat bags. Fill bags with candy(no hard candy),cookies,stickers etc. Make sure to ask if any of the children have food allergies.
23rd-International Sing Out Day
Sing Out Day Ideas
1. Invite Local Singing Groups Or Church Choirs To Perform 2.Hold a "Singing Talent Contest" at your facility Print up an entry form and place in stores and local newspaper. If you want County Talent to apply place in several papers. Be sure to have your residents who sing sign up. Purchase 1st, 2nd & 3rd place ribbons It would also be a great idea to present Award Certificates You could even charge an entry fee and make this a fundraiser. But if you do it would be nice to offer a percentage taken in as prize money. Don't forget to pick non-partial judges.
Materials Needed:
Small Box
Tissue Paper
Glue
paper
Instructions:
Cut many approximately 2 inch x 2 inch squares from the tissue paper.
Cut out plenty because you will be covering the whole box!
Water down the glue - 2 parts glue to 1 part water. Lightly brush some glue
on the box and stick on the tissue paper squares you cut out.
You want them to overlap so you do not see the box. Work in small sections
until the entire box is covered. Set aside to dry. Once it is dry,
you can lightly brush over your box with the glue and water mixture to make
it more durable and shiny; however this is optional.
Once dry, tie with curly ribbon as you would a wrapped present
and attached a gift tag which reads:
This is a very special gift
That you can never see
The reason it's so special is
It's just for you from me.
Whenever you are lonely
Or are ever feeling blue
You only have to hold this gift
And know I'm hugging you.
You never can unwrap it
Please leave the ribbon tied
Just hold the box close to your heart
It's filled with hugs inside.
26th-Administrative Professional's Day
Ideas For Observance
1.Card or letter of Thanks From Supervisor ,Staff & Residents
2.Candy, flowers or other gift
3.Luncheon With Staff Supervisor or Residents
4.Certificate of Appreciation
5.Day off
Gift Suggestions: Appropriate business-related items such as
personalized business cards, a desktop nameplate,
a gift certificate, desk accessories or equipment,
computer hardware/software upgrade,
or a monetary bonus for exemplary performance.
27th-Walter Lantz's Birthday
The creator of Woody Woodpecker.
Plan and organize a day at your facility for staff
to bring in their children to interact with your residents
Ask for resident volunteers to help with the little ones
Make sure to plan a full day of activities to keep them busy
Ideas For Bring Your Son & Daughter To Work Day
Set Up Centers For The Children
Get as many residents and staff who
have the day off to volunterr to help with the centers
or ask for community volunteers.
You Could Have Game Centers Where The Childen Win Prizes.
A Coloring Center.
A Story Time Center.
A Food Tasting Center .
A Juice Tasting Center .
A Kids Trivia Center.
You could have a Room Visit Center with a guide..
to take small groups around to the residents
rooms who can't get out.
A Small Group Tour Center To Show The Children
The Different Departments And Jobs At Your Facility.
And Of Course Their Parents Job!
The Ideas Are Endless
Send Out A Forms In Advance
So You Know How Many Children Will be attending.
Make sure you state on your form if it is not in by
a certain date children will not be allowed to attend.
Decide Ahead How Many Children Will be
allowed at each center at a time.
Post at each center the number allowed at one time.
Print Up A List Sheet of All Your Centers.
Have the adult in charge check off each center
as the children visit.
One Idea I find great is to pass out
clothes pins with the childs name on it.
Have a piece of cardboard at each center
for the children to clip their clothes pin to.
Once The decided number is at that center students
must find another center to visit.
They can tell if their is room for them by counting
the clothes pinsat that center.
Have sack lunches for the children.
Make sure to give the children a tour of your facilty
Have Fun & Get Your Residents Involved!
1.Plant A Tree In Memory Of Residents Who HAve Passed On Have A Local Minister Perform A Dedication Ceremony Invite Your Mayor To Attend And Say A Few Words Invite Your Community. 2.Start A Gardening Group Both Flower And Vegetable Perhaps Find A Local Gardener Who
Will Volunteer Some Time To Help Residents
Plan And Plant Your Gardens
Check With Your Local Garden Center & See
If They Will Donate Plants Or Seeds
30th-National Honesty Day
George Washington inaugurated as first US president in 1789.
Singing In The Rain