24 Nursing Home Activity Calendar Ideas For Seniors
Brittany Anderson
Editor
When planning your recreational assisted living calendar, you want to find new ideas to keep the seniors and residents excited and entertained. Activities that are seasonal or related to holidays are a great place to start with entertainment ideas for seniors.
We’ve put together a list of nursing home activity calendar ideas, outlined monthly, that you can add to your assisted living calendar. Besides the classic board games and other physical activities, these entertainment ideas will be fun for nursing home residents, a retirement community, and their family members.
Download or print this assisted living activity calendar with nursing home entertainment ideas to keep on hand the next time you're planning.
Here are 24 exciting and fun nursing home activity calendar ideas:
January
Jazz Musician
Photo: The Music Boutique NYC
Ring in the new year with some classical live jazz music. With the horns and vocals, residents can dance to the hits of Ella Fitzgerald and Miles Davis and kick off the New Year in a memorable way.
Elvis Impersonator
Photo: Lamar Peters
Celebrate the king's birthday (January 8th)! Your residents will love the opportunity to hear their favorite Elvis hits. The appearance will make for a great photo opportunity too!
February
Pianist
Photo: Phil Thompson
Plan a sweet Valentine’s Day celebration and let a pianist serenade those in attendance. Whether the seniors want to dance or sit back and enjoy the tunes, you know love will be in the air.
Marilyn Monroe Impersonator
Photo: Marilyn Monroe
Between the famous hit songs, interactions with the audience, and pictures that’ll be cherished forever, you can’t go wrong with a visit from a Marilyn Monroe Impersonator.
Find a Marilyn Monroe Impersonator
March
Bagpiper
Photo: The Happy Bagpiper
Nothing screams St. Patrick’s Day quite like a visit from a bagpiper. Have this traditional Irish music throughout your nursing home while the bagpiper plays from room to room.
Caricaturist
Photo: Rafael Diaz
A couple of hours with a caricaturist will be exciting for all seniors and residents. Most caricaturists can draw individuals in a short time, and you have your own picture to take back with you.
April
Comedy Magician
Photo: Robert Berry
No April fools jokes here! Residents will be transfixed on the magic tricks, while laughing through the comedy show—the best of both worlds!
Easter Bunny
Photo: Bubbles Productions
Whether it’s for nieces, nephews, grandchildren (even great grandchildren), or just a quick visit for the seniors, the Easter Bunny is a great nursing home entertainment idea for all ages.
May
Mariachi Band
Photo: Trio Sol de Mexico
You can’t celebrate Cinco de Mayo without a real mariachi band. Bring in a mariachi duo or trio to walk through the assisted living facility and play some traditional mariachi music. You never know who might get up and dance!
Photo Booth
Photo: Digisnaps
From Mother’s Day to Memorial Day, there’s plenty of days to bring in a photo booth. Coordinate props with the holiday or work with the vendor to have them supply what they have in stock. These days, you can even have an easy-to-use open air photo booth.
June
Balloon Twister
Photo: Perry Yan
While this may not seem like a traditional nursing home entertainment activity, balloon twisters can be fun for all ages! Plan to have this vendor attend on a weekend when friends and family will be visiting for extra fun.
One Man Band
Photo: Andy Arowana
Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with a one man band. Find a performer who can play hits from all decades with various instruments to make sure there’s something for everyone.
July
Guitarist
Photo: Annalisa Ewald
Play some American classic hits for 4th of July. Set up outside, enjoy the sunshine, and have everyone listen to mellow, laid back music, together.
Clean Comedian
Photo: Sam Adams
Liven up a night in with a clean comedian. A clean comedian will have seniors belly laughing without sharing anything too inappropriate.
August
Hula Dancers
Photo: Mahana Dance Company
The end of the summer is the perfect time for a luau. Hula dancers can perform and even teach some lessons to the nursing home residents.
Steel Drummer
Photo: Mello Vibes Entertainment
Transport seniors to the tropics with the cool vibes of a steel drummer. We guarantee their quality of life will be improved after a few minutes of the steel drum tunes while sitting outside on a summer day.
September
Face Painter
Photo: Austin Artsy Texas
Cue the back to school vibes, invite family and friends, and let the seniors and residents spend time feeling nostalgic and reliving their youth.
Interactive Games
Photo: Doug Shannon
Host a casino or trivia night when you book an interactive game show! Split seniors up on teams and get ready for an afternoon or night of competitive fun.
October
Magician
Photo: Joe Ferranti
Get into the spirit of the season with a magician! With many magicians you can choose whether they perform a show or strolling magic—both of which are a good idea to add to your assisted living facility activity calendar.
Psychic
Photo: Eve Love & Light
Right before Halloween, bring in a psychic to talk with seniors and learn more about their lives. They’ll enjoy talking about the past and future with a whimsical psychic.
November
Singer Guitarist
Photo: Brielle Liebman
Serenade Thanksgiving dinner! Nursing home and senior residents will love listening to music during their meal together. A singer guitarist can play a wide range of music fit for any nursing facility.
Silhouette Artist
Photo: Cindi Harwood Rose
Seniors living in the nursing homes will love to frame and hang up a custom silhouette. This unique activity is perfect for older adults.
December
Christmas Carolers
Photo: Christmas Matters Holiday Carolers
A sing-a-long with classic holiday tunes and some professional Christmas carolers will be an unforgettable experience to add to the activity calendar.
Santa Claus
Photo: Santa Phil Dunn
Nothing will get you into the holiday spirit more than a visit from Santa Claus (any maybe Mrs. Claus!). Whether it’s the weekend before or a Christmas eve appearance, this will be a special moment the seniors will cherish.
Now that you have tons of nursing home activity calendar ideas, you can start booking the entertainment here on The Bash.
