Fall is here, the leaves are changing color
It’s refreshing to feel the crisp fall air and watch the leaves change color.
To celebrate the new season, we’ve rounded up 6 festive activity ideas that you can enjoy with your older adult.
They’re all simple, inexpensive, and fun!
6 festive fall activities for seniors
1. Enjoy fall-themed coloring pages
Coloring is an activity that everyone can enjoy, from the very young to the very old, as a solo activity or with others.
As an added bonus, psychologists say that coloring has stress-busting abilities similar to meditating.
There are hundreds of free, printable, fall-themed coloring pages available online.
Here are some of our favorites:
- Festive fall images with autumn leaves, pumpkins, apples, sweaters, owls, scarecrows, and more
- A variety of fun fall scenes including fall scenes and animals, trees/leaves, pumpkins/squash, and Halloween-themed pages
- Fun Halloween designs including a few classic Disney characters
2. Make decorations
Making and putting up fun decorations is a nice way to mark the change of seasons and get in the mood for fall holidays.
It’s also a good opportunity to display some of those finished coloring pages!
Simple and fun DIY ideas:
- Fall leaf garland – bring some gorgeous autumn color inside with these leaf templates or go outside to collect fallen leaves
- Clove-studded orange pomanders – delicious-smelling and beautiful
- Ribboned pumpkins – a few ribbons transform pumpkins into lovely decor
3. Work on a fall-themed jigsaw puzzle
Sitting at the table with a warm beverage and a festive puzzle is a great way to celebrate the season.
Here are some of our favorites:
- Rocky Mountain Wildlife – 35-piece sequenced puzzle with color coded pieces, peaceful mountain scene with dozens of animals, designed for people with Alzheimer’s or dementia
- Mystic Hour – 100-piece puzzle, a cozy cabin in the woods at sunrise
- Birds On A Flowering Branch – 300 large-piece puzzle, five beautiful birds on a lovely branch
- Signal Point – 500-piece puzzle, a quaint lighthouse and charming seaside cottage
4. Prepare festive (and easy!) homemade treats
Baking, mixing, and assembly are fun activities that many older adults will enjoy.
Mmmm! Try these delicious and easy-to-make treats:
- Baked apple roses – easy to make and they truly look like gorgeous roses
- Baked apples with oatmeal streusel topping – simple, healthy, and delicious
- No bake pumpkin cheesecake – cheesecake, pumpkin, no baking…what could be better?
- Soft glazed pumpkin sugar cookies – add some pumpkin spice to a classic cookie
5. Prepare for Halloween trick-or-treaters
If you’re planning to hand out treats to children in the family or neighborhood kids, your older adult might enjoy helping with the preparations.
For a safer, no-contact Halloween, prepare individual treat bags in advance and place them on the porch so trick-or-treaters can help themselves.
Some ideas:
- Prepare fun little pumpkin pouch goody bags
- Use the completed coloring sheets and other decorations to make the front door more festive
- Someone with dementia might enjoy sorting a mixed bag of candy into different containers. It’s a great no-fail activity that helps them feel included – even if you don’t really need the candy to be sorted.
6. Enjoy the natural scenery and fresh air
Fall is a wonderful time to enjoy nature with your older adult.
Bundle up and breathe the fresh air, admire the beautiful colors on display, and hear the crunch of fallen leaves as you walk.
Be sure to wear face masks (unless it’s not safe for your older adult’s health conditions) and keep a safe distance from other people.
Adapt activities to suit different mobility levels:
- Open a window to smell the fresh air and take in the scenery
- Relax in the backyard or on the porch
- Walk to the mailbox and back
- Stroll a block or two in the neighborhood
- Walk through a local park
By DailyCaring Editorial Team
