Fun Halloween recreation activities at a nursing care facility
When it comes to big events in October, Halloween is the first that comes to mind!
Many day service staff may be thinking, “We want our elderly clients to experience the excitement of Halloween that’s so popular among younger generations!”
In this article, we introduce recommended recreational activities for Halloween events held at care facilities.
We’ve gathered a variety of content to liven up Halloween at care homes—from easy-to-play games to Halloween decorations that brighten up the facility.
Let’s help older adults fully enjoy the fun of Halloween!
- [For Seniors] Challenge Your Brain with a Halloween Quiz! Fun Trivia Questions to Learn and Enjoy
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
- [For Seniors] Fun Halloween Games: Ideas to Enjoy with Ghosts, Mummies, and Spiderwebs
- Exciting Halloween games! Ideas that will captivate both kids and adults
- [For Seniors] Handmade Halloween Treats to Enjoy: Fun Ideas with Pumpkins and Ghosts
- [For Senior Care Facilities] Fun! Recommended Events for October
- Recommended recreational activities to help seniors enjoy their time in care facilities
- [For Seniors] Let’s Get Excited with Halloween Crafts! Fun and Easy Decoration Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recreation Games Related to October Events
- [For Seniors] Highlights of Fun Events at Day-Service Centers
- Explaining interesting initiatives at nursing care facilities! We also introduce seasonal recreational activities.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Day Service: A Collection of Fun Event Ideas
- [For Seniors] Liven Up November Day Services! Fun Autumn Event Ideas
Fun Halloween Recreational Activities at a Nursing Care Facility (41–50)
Snack activity: pumpkin pudding
Let’s make pumpkin pudding using pumpkins, the first thing that comes to mind as a Halloween motif! The ingredients are pumpkin, eggs, milk, granulated sugar, sugar, and water and hot water.
Peel the pumpkin, cut it into rough chunks, boil it, then pass it through a sieve and mix in the sugar.
Beat the eggs, add the granulated sugar, and mix well; then add milk warmed to about 60°C and stir in the pumpkin paste.
Pour the mixture into pudding cups lined with caramel on the bottom, heat in a steam convection oven or similar, and you’ll have a pudding with the exquisite, rustic sweetness of pumpkin.
Fun Halloween Recreation Activities at Care Facilities (51–60)
Ghostly Brownie
Let’s combine store-bought sweets to make easy Halloween treats! This recipe is perfect when you don’t have much time to prepare for a Halloween party.
The cute ghost brownies are made by pairing store-bought brownies with marshmallows.
All you do is layer the brownies and marshmallows on a baking tray and toast them in a toaster oven.
Finish by drawing faces with chocolate or decorating them however you like.
Of course, if you have extra time, homemade brownies would be a hit as well.
pumpkin
How about using bright orange pumpkins for a Halloween craft? They also make stylish decorations for Halloween, so give it a try! If you use paper tape, you can simply roll and shape it to create pumpkin parts.
After that, just attach the parts to a base made by rolling up paper.
You can freely create the shape, and the facial expressions can vary depending on your ideas, so it may give older adults a real sense of accomplishment.
You can also use felt fabric from a 100-yen shop to turn it into a soft, touch-friendly pumpkin.
This lets you enjoy the tactile sensation and provides a great opportunity to stimulate the senses, so be sure to give it a try!
pumpkin cookies
Adorable to look at and sure to delight seniors too! How about pumpkin cookies that look just like real pumpkins? You only need five ingredients: pumpkin, butter, powdered sugar, cake flour, and a bar of chocolate.
You might be surprised at how firm the pumpkin is, but that’s part of the fun of cooking.
Draw faces on the cookies with a chocolate pen to bring out the Halloween vibe even more.
The gentle sweetness of the pumpkin and the richness of the butter, followed by a hint of bittersweet chocolate, come together into a deeply flavorful treat!
pumpkin dumplings
How about serving simple, homey pumpkin dumplings as treats for your Halloween event? Dumplings are familiar and comforting even for older adults, and adding pumpkin boosts their nutritional value! Soften the pumpkin in the microwave, then while it’s still hot, mash it with a fork and mix in potato starch and salt.
Shape the dough into flat rounds, brown them in a frying pan, and they’re ready to serve! The potato starch gives them a pleasant, chewy texture that makes them fun to eat.
The method is simple, too, which can help reduce staff workload.
Whirling Ghost
When it comes to easy Halloween costumes, a sheet ghost might be the go-to choice.
All you have to do is throw a white sheet over yourself, so it’s simple to put on and easy to take off when you’re done.
If you’re making it yourself, cut a white piece of fabric into a rectangle, fold it, and cut a hole in the folded edge to create an opening for your head.
Then make a ghost face out of felt or similar material and stick it on.
You can probably make one with a white plastic trash bag, too.
Wearing a white T-shirt and drawing a ghost face on it is also fine! It’s a costume that’s easy to try regardless of age, so seniors are welcome to join in as well.
Endless Piñata
This is a craft idea where candy pops out when you hit it—perfect for surprises! It’s one of those items that will liven up a Halloween party, so be sure to enjoy making it together with older adults.
First, decorate a deep paper plate with masking tape or similar materials, and stick a strong magnet around the rim of another paper plate.
Next, punch a hole at the top of the plates, thread twine through, and fasten the two plates together.
Finally, put in the candy and hang it up—and you’re done! It looks like a traditional Japanese kusudama, but older adults might not be very familiar with it.
Precisely because it’s unfamiliar, it could be an exciting experience.