[Christmas Party at the Nursing Home] Staff Take on the Challenge! Fun Performances Everyone Can Enjoy
At a nursing home’s Christmas party, the ideal performances are ones that residents and staff can enjoy together and really get excited about.
Activities everyone can join in create a sense of unity in the room and turn into wonderful memories.
In particular, performances that reveal an unexpected side of the staff—who spend time with the residents every day—are sure to be a big hit.
From music to handmade crafts to dance, we’ll introduce a variety of ideas that can liven up the event.
They can all be chosen to fit your preparation time and group size, so please use them as a reference! Let’s plan heartwarming Christmas performances that will bring smiles to everyone’s faces.
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[Christmas Party at the Nursing Home] Staff Take on the Challenge! Fun Performances to Get Everyone Excited (21–30)
puppet show
Puppet shows, which use puppets to present stories, seem to be something we see less often as we grow older.
This project aims to recreate well-known tales through puppetry and let audiences experience the world of those stories.
Even if you already know the plot, seeing it enacted through real movement may lead to new discoveries.
The variety of ways to arrange it—such as which kinds of puppets to use and what mechanisms to incorporate—is another point of enjoyment.
street performance
Street performance is a staple act at events, and the fun part is that you can see the effort behind it—whether it ends in failure or success.
To help people feel the excitement of street performance, it’s actually important to show some failures on purpose; the success that follows will stand out even more.
And since clowns are strongly associated with street performance, putting real thought into the costume can evoke a circus-like atmosphere.
We recommend taking on a variety of acts—like juggling or cigar boxes—and letting the audience watch you work hard as you rise to the challenge.
[Christmas Party at the Nursing Home] Staff Take on the Challenge! Fun Performances to Get Everyone Excited (31–40)
Escape Show
Among various magic shows, the grand finale that really brings the house down is often an elaborate escape.
Let’s challenge an escape from an impossible situation and give the audience a huge surprise.
The classic routine is being locked in a box, having swords thrust into it, then removing the swords and opening the lid to reveal the performer unharmed.
The mechanism is simple—there’s a hole at the back to slip through—but the key is figuring out how to carry it out without letting the audience catch on.
Use clever touches to heighten the surprise, such as showing an initial failure to lower their guard.
dance
How about an original staff dance set to a song that all the residents are likely to know? It’s perfect as a performance for a Christmas party, and if you use a familiar tune with easy-to-remember choreography, the residents can imitate it on the spot.
Combine simple movements like raising and lowering the arms, swinging them forward and back, and marching in place to enjoy dancing together with the residents.
By making it participatory, even winter recreation can warm up the body and help everyone enjoy their time at the facility even more.
A year-in-review slideshow
A slideshow collecting a year’s worth of memories is perfect for the Christmas party held at the end of the year.
By watching various events from the year and everyone’s everyday moments together, it’s sure to be heartwarming.
If staff add easy-to-read captions to the slides or share the stories behind each photo, it can also be a chance to reaffirm bonds with the participants.
It’s a recommended program that lets everyone welcome the New Year with the feeling that this year was fun, too.
Hand out Christmas cards
How about handing out Christmas cards with holiday greetings and messages to your clients? A key point is that you can try a variety of arrangements—designs that are fun just to look at, or surprising mechanisms.
Pop-up elements that spring out when opened, or designs that reveal a different motif upon opening, are classic choices.
While it’s important to delight and surprise, be sure to put care into the messages around the special features as well.
It’s essential to think carefully about the recipient and write a message with them in mind.
Science Experiment Magic
We’ll introduce four mysterious chemistry magic tricks perfect for Christmas, using candles and colors! The first trick makes a candle flame go out even though something is blocking the front, yet somehow the flame beyond it gets extinguished.
The second trick keeps water from spilling out of a tilted plastic bottle just by covering the opening with gauze.
The third trick lets you layer two different-colored waters without them mixing.
And the last trick puts out a candle flame simply by bringing a glass close to it.
All of these can be done with simple items you have at home, so give them a try! They’re easy, so it’s also a great idea to have an older adult play the role of magician.
