25 Fun and Easy Activities For Children with Grandparents In A Nursing Home
With a little planning and some items you already have at home, you can create special memories with your toddler and their family member in a nursing home. Here is a list of 25 activities you can do with a toddler and their grandparents when visiting a nursing home. You can read my previous post to learn about important questions to ask and the initial planning for a nursing home visit. Once you have chosen the best time for a visit, think about activities that your toddler and your loved one really enjoy. (In this article I will use “grandparent” but you can fill in whatever relationship your loved one is to your toddler.) This source has a helpful article about discussing things your child may encounter upon visiting a nursing home.
These activities can be divided into 3 categories: In Room/Indoors, Outdoors, and Away from Facility. If you would like a free printable with an easy to read list, you can provide your e-mail in this form and I will send you a copy to keep for your reference or to share with a friend.
I have worked in long-term care for over 12 years and am the mother of 2 toddlers. We have also spent a lot of time visiting our family members in nursing homes. These are activities that I have witnessed in my work and also practiced in my own life. Try the ones you are comfortable with. Not all of them might be possible depending on your loved one’s health situation. Because there are many variables out of our control, I like to be prepared with some alternate ideas. This is in case what I had planned isn’t going to work on a particular day. It is a great idea to have a few backup ideas. Also, if your toddler or loved ones start to show signs of tiredness or agitation, its ok to keep the visit short.
- Coloring: Toddlers and adults alike can really enjoy coloring. You can bring coloring books from home and crayons, colored pencils or markers. The dollar store has a good selection of coloring books and adult coloring books as well. If their grandparent doesn’t have a good surface to color on in their room, you can find a space outside of their room, even a dining room table between mealtimes.
- Do A Simple Craft: Toddlers and older adults can both enjoy crafting, even if they may need a little help. The Dollar Tree now has a lot of great craft supplies. You may even have all you need at home already! Pinterest has some fun and easy craft ideas as well.
- Reading a Favorite Book: You can bring one or more of your toddler’s favorite books and have their grandparent read it to them if able or you can read to both of them.
- Balloon Play: I always keep a few balloons in my purse. They make a great and easy game for hitting back and forth. Nursing home residents often love to bat balloons too! It can be a great ice breaker for everyone.
- Puzzles: Simple puzzles that can be done as a team effort can be a great way to engage toddlers and their grandparents.
- Looking at Pictures: You can bring in family albums, photo books or even share recent photos or videos from your phone. See if you can find some pictures from their past to help encourage reminiscing.
- Spa Day: If you’re visiting a woman, you can bring some soothing lotions, makeup and nail polish and even a hairbrush or styling supplies. Men can also enjoy lotions, a hair trim or hand massage as well. Give your toddler a job to help with in the “spa day” and then give them a turn to try the lotions or nail polish if they are old enough to be still for a little while. You can take a “glamor” photo once you’re finished!
- Sending Cards: Your parents might enjoy sending cards like birthday cards or holiday cards to their friends and family. You can bring in cards and crayons for your toddler to join in. They could decorate the blank side of envelopes or cards, or you can have them color or draw on separate paper to insert into the card.
- “Tickle Bugs”: One of my toddlers’ favorite activities is to be tickled. Having their grandparents tickle them can be a fun icebreaker and bonding experience. It is also fun to turn the tables and have them play “Tickle Grandma!”
- Sharing a Meal or Snack Together: You can have an indoor picnic if the weather is cold or your loved one can’t go outside. Keep it simple and easy and bring disposable plates and silverware. Double check to make sure they don’t have any dietary restrictions. Since meals are covered at nursing homes, you can also just bring a special treat. You can ask them about their favorite drink like an iced coffee or milkshake for example, or any food from out that they don’t get to have often.
- Movie Time: I usually try to avoid screen time on visits except for video calls with family members or for looking at pictures together. There are times however that watching a movie or show together can be an option. If your loved one has more advanced dementia and has difficulty communicating or engaging with others, or is overstimulated by an active child, watching together may be calming while still being a shared experience. I would recommend a movie that appeals to both children and adults. Classic movies are a great example because they can be meaningful to your parent as well. You don’t have to watch the whole movie together and can even watch a little bit each visit. The library has a great selection of classic DVD’s if you can bring in or purchase a DVD player for them to keep. “Mary Poppins”, is one example of a movie that is cross-generational.
- Join in the Activity Programs: Check in to see if there are any special activities that you can all participate in. It can help your loved one to grow more comfortable in activities in the future and they will enjoy “showing off” their cute grandchildren to their friends and staff members! Be sure to ask for an extra schedule to take home to help in planning when to come again. It could be fun to bring along a “movie-time” snack to share!
- Sing Along: I’m a music therapist and a huge believer in the power of music. Singing classic childhood songs with your toddler can encourage their grandparents to sing along too. Songs are stored in long-term memory and often come back to our loved ones even if they have dementia. You can also ask their grandparent to sing their favorite song. Hymns are also great songs to sing along to.
- Dance Party: Toddlers love to dance! Their grandparents would enjoy watching them dance and might even join in. You can bring in a CD of fun music for them to dance to, or even play some tunes on your phone. It could be fun to introduce your toddler to great music from their grandparent’s generation. This also validates your parent’s taste in music and brings back memories for them as well.
- Reminiscing and Conversation: If your loved one is able to reminisce, it can be a wonderful way for your toddler to get to know them more. You can talk about questions your toddler would like to ask ahead of time and even write down a list. Some examples are: “What was your childhood like?” “Where did you meet your spouse?” “What did you like to do for fun when you were growing up?” The possibilities are endless, and you might even learn more about them yourself!
- Help Decorate Their Room: for the season or holiday approaching. Toddlers love to help decorate, especially around the holidays. Decorating a small Christmas tree can be a special memory maker.
- Bring a Pet: Children and pets are one of the ultimate uplifting combinations for many older adults. You can check with the facility’s policy on pet visiting and see if it is alright to bring your dog or cat to visit. Often, as long as the pet is on a leash and well behaved as well as up to date on their vaccinations, they are welcome in many nursing homes.
- Video Calls/Facetime: It is a blessing to be so connected by technology in these times. Arranging ahead of time to call an out-of-town family member or friend by video-call, or even a regular call can be so beneficial. It can also be a great way for your child to “meet” other family members they don’t normally get to see.
- Tour the Facility: Getting a resident out of their room can be really important. You can walk with them or push their wheelchair and see the sights of the facility. Many long-term care centers have neat activities that a toddler would also enjoy like watching fish in a tank, a bird aviary or other things to see. Your toddler might like to “help” push their grandparent’s wheelchair, or even ride in their lap if able!
- Show and Tell: Have your toddler bring a favorite toy, stuffed animal or game to show their grandparent. This can give the toddler security to have a favorite item and also help them connect with their family member.
- Easy Games: You can always keep some games in mind to do with your toddler and loved one in case other activities only last a little while. “I Spy”, “Charades/Guessing the Animal Sound”, “Hide and Seek” or “Hiding and Object” are all great games that don’t require you to bring anything for them to be played.
- Going Outside: Many facilities have great outdoor spaces like courtyard gardens, picnic areas or a walking path. If the weather allows, your loved one and toddler can both enjoy getting fresh air and seeing new sights. You can ask about the procedure or ask for help getting out and let someone know you are taking your family member outside.
- Going out for a Trip: If your loved one is able to leave the facility, you can arrange for an outing, preferably if you have someone else with you as well to help. It may be hard to take your parent out as well as your toddler if you are by yourself. You could go out for ice-cream, take them shopping for a new outfit, go out to eat or even visit your own home. There are many possibilities. With a little planning and taking into account your loved one’s mobility, getting your loved one out to familiar places can be wonderful.
- Bubbles: Being outdoors and blowing bubbles is a simple activity that can bring much enjoyment for your toddler and their grandparent. It can be fun to have them try to pop the bubbles, blow bubbles themselves or see if they can catch them with the wand.
- A Special Family Dinner: Birthdays, holidays, and even a regular day can be a great time to get the whole family together. You can plan with one of the facility activity staff to have a room reserved and let them know how many people to expect. You can assign each family member or friend to bring a different dish and someone can bring plasticware, cups and plates and disposable table cloths for easy clean-up. Seeing the whole family can be very enccouraging for a nursing home resident. It can also be a great experience for a toddler to see that they can still have special times together, even with their grandparent in a nursing home.
Download Your Free List of 25 Activities for Visiting a Nursing Home with Toddlers
Final Tips for Activities for Toddlers and their Grandparents at a Nursing Home
This list of 25 activities is meant to provide ideas for you to try with your family. You know your child and loved-one best and you can come up with creative ideas of your own that they would enjoy too! Even if you show up with little planned, great memories can still happen when you observe and be with them in the moment.
Flexibility is the key. Toddlers and older adults’ attention spans may differ widely from each other. You may find that an activity is not liked equally by everyone. Your visit might not go according to plan depending on variables that we don’t have control over. Being flexible and ready to move on and try something else will help to make the visit smoother. You can always ask your parents/family member what kinds of things they would like to do next time.
Most of all, remember that you are there to show love and spend time together. Enjoy this special time and try to relax and focus on your family.
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