CreativeProgramIdeas
April2016
April'sbirthfloweristhedaisywhichconveys
innocence,loyallove,andpurity.Itisalsoa
flowergivenbetweenfriendstokeepasecret;
thedaisymeans“I'llnevertell.”TheotherApril
floweristhesweetpea.Sweetpeassignify
blissfulpleasure,butarealsousedtosaygood-bye.
• Aprilis:
AmericanSocietyforthePreventionofCrueltytoAnimalsMonth:Setupafundraiser
foryourlocalanimalshelterorthenationalASPCA.Orhaveadogfood,bedpaddrive
todonate.
• CommunitySpiritDays/ArborDay:Invitethecommunitytoyourfacilitytoplant
flowersandotherplantsinandaroundyourfacility.
• DefeatDiabetesMonth:HaveaspeakercomeinfromyourlocalAmericanDiabetes
Organizationthoughthiswebsitehttp://www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/localoffices/?loc=imc-slabnav
• FrogMonth:ClayPotfrog:MatchyourStyrofoameyestothesizeofthepot,
useacrylicpaintandFeltforfeet
• HumorMonth:
o Hangflowerswithjokeswritenonthemthroughoutyourbuilding
o Encouragestaffinparticipatinginacrazydressday
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o HaveaRedNoseDay
o SingSillySongs
o InternationalGuitarMonth:SearchoutaGuitarclassandinvitethemtogivearecital
atyourhome.
JazzAppreciationMonth:Play,ListenanddiscussthedifferentversionsofJazz
KeepAmericaBeautiful:Manyofourelderswillrememberwhenthisfirstbeganand
canmeagreatreminiscingsession.Itcanthenbeincorporatedintothe
“Community/ArborDay”celebration
NationalCardandLetterWritingMonth:Provide/Makecardsandencourage
participantstowritetosomeone.
NationalGrilledCheeseSandwichMonth:Discussandcomeupwiththeultimate
GrilledCheese.Then,makethemfortheresidents,makethemandsellasafund
raiseroraskyourdietarydepartmenttoputtheonthemenuas“YourFacility’s”
UltimateGrilledCheese
NationalGardenMonth/NationalLandscapeArchitectureMonth:Makeafairy
garden!Theseareverypopularnow.Youcanmakeonbigoneforthefacilityand/or
smalleroneforeachparticipant.YoucanfindsomanyideasonPinterest.Justsearch
“fairygardens
NationalKiteMonth:Make,BuyandFly!
NationalLicoriceMonth:Licoricecomesinallkindsofflavorsnow.Howabouthosting
aLicoricetasting?
StrawHatMonth:Haveastrawhatdecoratingcontestforstaffand/orresidents.
Provideprizesforprettiest,silliest,andmostunique.
StressAwarenessMonth:Thisisagreatopportunitytohavesomeonecomeintotalk
aboutstressmanagementwithyourstaff!Manyhospitals,EmployeeAssistance
Programsandevenhospiceshavegreatspeakers.
DailyandWeekly
• 01AmericanCrosswordPuzzleDays:1-3:Makeyourowncrosswordpuzzlesat
http://www.crosswordpuzzlegames.com/create.html
• 01AprilFoolsorAllFoolsDay:
• 02NationalPeanutButterandJellyDay:Howlonghasitbeensinceyourresidents
havehadasimplePeanutButterandJellySandwich?Ifyouwanttobealittlemore
creativehavethemmakepeanutbutter&jellycookies,2peanutbuttercookieswith
jellyinbetween.
• 03FanDanceDay:TherearesomebeautifulvideosonYouTubetoshowtheresidents
orwatchthemtoinspireyourself,havetheresidentsmaketheirownfansthenguide
themthroughyourownversionofthisdance,
04isNationalFloridaTomatoMonth:Haveahappyhourfeaturing-FloridaFreshTomato
SunshineMary
Instructions
Yields:6Servings
Ingredients
6largeripeFloridatomatoes,peeled,seededanddiced
3tablespoonsfreshlysqueezedlemonjuice
3tablespoonsfreshlysqueezedlimejuice
2tablespoonsWorcestershiresauce
4clovesfreshgarlic,minced
2teaspoonshotsauce,(optional)
2teaspoonsfreshhorseradish(optional)
1teaspoonskoshersalt
1teaspoonseafoodboilSeasoning(Cajunseasoningwilldo)
2teaspoonscelerysalt
1teaspoonfreshgroundpepper
Preparation
Inablender,combineallingredientsuntilsmooth.Tasteandadjustseasoningtopreference.
PoursunshineMarymixintoafoodstoragecontainerorpitcher,coverandchill.
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05NationalDeepDishPizzaDay
05ReadARoadMapDay:GetamapoftheU.S.andlettheresidentstalkaboutthe
tripstheyhavetakenorwouldliketotake.Search“Freeprintableroadmaps”and
printoutspecialplacestheresidentmentionedandhavethemcutoutheartshapes
fromthemapandlaminatethem.
06HostessTwinkieDay:MakeyourownTwinkieCake:Providetheresidentswiththe
itemsreadytoassemble,aTwinkie,vanillapuddingpre-madeworkswell)choicesof
pineapple,strawberries,blueberries…,andwhippedtopping.CutTwinkieinhalf,
layerpudding,layerfruit,layerwhippedtoppingandenjoy,
06NationalWalkingDay:Encouragethestafftotaketheresidentsoutsideforawalk,
evenifit’sjustaroundyourparkinglot.Theresidentswillloveit.Evenbettermakeit
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agroupeventincorporatingallthedepartmentsandhaveaboomboxwithuplifting
musicplaying.
07NationalBeerDay:Haveabeertastingifpossibleifnotmakebeerbread:3cupsof
selfrisingflour,onebottleofbeer,stir,throwintoaloafpanandbake1hourat350.
08DrawABirdDay:Thereisabeautifulstorythatyoucansharewithyourresidentsof
howthisdaycameaboutathttp://www.dabday.com/index.htmlthenhavethethem
drawtheirownbirdsandsubmitpicturestothewebsite.
09NationalCherishAnAntiqueDay:Lettheresidentsshareandbragaboutoneof
theirCherishedpossessions.
10NationalFarmAnimalsDay:Inviteyourlocalpettingzootovisit
10NationalSiblingDay:Reminisceaboutsiblingsaschildren,Writealetterorcardto
asibling.
11BarbershopQuartetDay:YouTubeBarbershopQuartets.Haveagroupcomein.
12GrilledCheeseSandwichDay:WorkwithyourDietaryDept.toprovide“NotYour
EverydayGrilledCheeseSandwiches”andhaveatasting.Findsomegreatrecipesat
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/articles/50-grilled-cheese.html
13ScrabbleDay:14DictionaryDay:Greatdayforwordgamesor
usescrabblepiecesforacraftprojectlikethis:
14NationalPecanDay:ButterPecanCookiesRecipeIngredients
3/4cupchoppedpecans
1/2cup(1stick)unsaltedbutter,roomtemperature
1/3cupsugar,plusmoreforcoating
1teaspoonvanillaextract
1/8teaspoonsalt
1cupall-purposeflour
Directions
1Preheatovento350°.Onabakingsheet,toastpecansuntilfragrant,about6
minutes.Letcoolcompletely;finelychop.
2Withanelectricmixer,creambutterforaboutaminute.Add1/3cupsugarand
creamuntillight,about1minutemore.Beatinvanilla,salt,andflour,scrapingdown
sidesofbowl,justuntildoughcomestogether.Foldinpecans.
3Separatedoughinto12pieces;squeezedoughtoshapeintoballs.Rollinsugar.
Place,3inchesapart,onabakingsheet.
4Gentlyflattenwiththebottomofaglass(reshapesidesifnecessary).Sprinklewith
sugar.
5Bakeuntilgoldenbrown,rotatingsheethalfwaythrough,about15minutes.Sprinkle
withmoresugar.Coolcookiesonawirerack.
• 15IncomeTaxPayDay:Provideafreepoorboysandwichlunchforstaff
• 16NationalWearYourPajamasToWorkDay:It’saradicalideabuthowmuchfun
couldthisbe.EncourageyourstafftoweartheirfavoriteJammiestowork.
• NationalKaraokeWeek:Celebrateallweekwitheachdaydedicatedtoerasofmusic
orstylesofmusicsuchasswing,jazz,rockandroll,folk,easylistening,….
• 17EllisIslandFamilyHistoryDay:Thisisawonderfultopicofdiscussionandwriting
familystoriescanbesuchblessingstoyourresidents’families.
Therearelotsofsitesthathelptrackfamilyhistories
• 18NationalGolfDay:Setupaminiaturegolfcourse.Foratunnel,cutoutthebottom
ofanemptyoatmealbox,andplacetheboxonitsside.Decorateashoeboxupside
downandcutoutanentrancefromoneend,andtheexitfromtheotherend.Folda
pieceofcardboardinhalfandsetituplikeatentfortheballtogothrough.Place
cups,plantsorconesonthefloortoformacurvedfairwayfortheballtogothrough.
Becreative!
• 19NationalHangingOutDay:Givetheresidentsachancetojusthangout.Setup
tableswithmagazines,puzzles,coloring/paintingpages,ect.Providedrinksand
snacks.
• 20ChineseLanguageDay:GetresidentsnameinChineseandmoreat
http://www.mandarintools.com/chinesename.html
• 21Queen'sBirthday:TheQueencelebratestwobirthdayseachyear:heractual
birthdayon21AprilandherofficialbirthdayonaSaturdayinJune.HaveanEnglish
teapartyinhonoroftheday.ThereisavideoonYouTubethathasgreatideassearch
howtohostanEnglishTeaAfternoon.FormoreinformationontheQueenandEnglish
traditionsgotohttp://www.royal.gov.uk/HMTheQueen/TheQueensbirthdays.aspx
• 22MotherEarthDay:Celebratethedaybyplantingatreeintributetoallorthe
residentsinyourfacility,getasmallplaquetoputatthebasewiththededicationand
date.Gettheresidentsinvolvedwithchoosingthetypeoftreetoplant.
• 23TalkLikeShakespeareDay:Fortipsandguidestoplanninganfunideasgoto
http://www.talklikeshakespeare.org/
• 24CelebrateSpring:MakepapertoiletrollDaisies.
• Cut
• Paint
• Bend
• Glue
• 25LicensePlatesDay:Therearelotsofgreatsitesandbooksto
findVanityPlateGuessinggames.
• 25SenseofSmellDay:bringinspices,flowers,andotherscentsforresidentstoenjoy.
• 26AudubonDay:Dosomebirdwatchingwithbinoculars,buildbirdhouses,plant
hummingbirdbushes.
• NationalPretzelDay:Makepretzelswithdifferenttoppings/dips
Makethemfromscratch,getthefrozentobakefreshorifyou’reluckyenoughto
haveafreshpretzelcompanyusethem.Havetoppingsordipssuchascinnamon
sugar,caramel,dilldip,…..
• 27BabeRuthDay:PlayDiceBaseball:
http://www.notmeusa.com/baseball_dice_game.htmlandserveBabyRuth’s
• 28Marylandbecameastate1788:http://www.visitmaryland.org/
• 29InternationalDanceDay:Watchadancevideoorjustmovetothemusic
• 29"Peace"RoseDay:Peacerosesareinexpensiveandbeautiful.Plantaroundyour
facility
• 30Louisannabecameastate1812:http://www.louisianatravel.com/
• 30NationalHerbDay:Startanherbgardenforyourdietarydepartmentandyour
department