Music

A Happy Singalong - When You're Smiling

Des O Connor has a lovely happy smiling face, our clients love this song, his singing is happy and infectious and by the end of the song everyone is smiling and happy, that's a wonderful feeling.

2 Comments New Member Activity

Rat Pack Singalong: Instrumental and Song

Stimulate the mind and memories through music. For each song there is an instrumental versión and then the sung versión.

2 Comments Member Activity

The Laughing Policeman Sing-Along

LAUGHTER - You don't stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing (Michael Pritchard).

4 Comments Member Activity

I have lost my underwear Sing-Along

I play this funny song on the piano to our clients to the tune of Bye Bye Blackbird. You can also listen on YouTube.

3 Comments Member Activity

Calendar Girl - Neil Sedaka

I think we all need a bit of love at the moment - Calendar Girl will give us that! Join in and sing the Chorus, let your bodies do the talking-if you hands want to clap, clap them, if your toes want to tap, tap them, if your arms want to sway, sway them - ENJOY YOURSELVES.

Member Activity

Hands Knees and Boomps-a-Daisy Dance

HANDS KNEES AND BOOMPS-A-DAISY - A VERY OLD FUN DANCE

1 Comment Member Activity

Music Bingo

I downloaded instrumental versions of each song from YouTube to play in leu of calling cards. I use an iPad to play the songs for the residents and use the shuffle feature to start each new game.  If you're unable to actually play each song, I included calling cards.

2 Comments Member Activity

Gilly, Gilly... Story in Song

Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen by the Sea. Our clients love this song at the  Day Care Centre, because they can join in  by singing the words wih Max Bygraves.

1 Comment Member Activity

Macarena: Learn the Exercise, Then do the Dance

This may seem hard, but do it slowly and you will soon learn it,  and when you feel confident you will be able to do these steps  and DANCE THE MACARENA!

5 Comments Member Activity

The Happy Wanderer - Exercise and Singalong

March by lifting heels only off the floor up and down alternatively. Enjoy and have fun!

1 Comment Member Activity

Motown Quiz

Here is a fun Motown themed quiz for reminiscing and discussion. A great quiz for babyboomers!

2 Comments

My Favourite Things Singalong - Senior Version

Here is a hilarious version of My Favourite Things - adapted to be about seniors!

1 Comment

You're a Pink Toothbrush Song

This is a song on CD sung by the legendary Max Bygraves about the Pink tooth brush and the Blue tooth brush. It can also bye turned into a comedy by two volunteers or two patients acting the parts of the two tooth brushes.

Member Activity

Nursery Rhymes Quiz 4

In the UK it was World Nursery Rhyme Week from the 19th – 23rd November, so I put together a Nursery Rhyme Quiz.

4 Comments Member Activity

Elvis Presley Songs Crossword

Here's a fun Elvis Presley crossword - complete these song titles!

Music Bingo

I couldn't find a music bingo for seniors so I made one myself! My residents really love music activities and we do "Name that Tune" a lot. From those songs, I chose popular songs that my residents really enjoyed, sang along to, or had memories of.

6 Comments Member Activity

Group Singing with Props

This is a wonderful multi-sensory activity for residents living with dementia.

17 Comments

Baby Boomers Music Quiz 4

The next in the baby boomer's music quiz series!

3 Comments

Nursery Rhymes - Sing the Next Line

Most residents living with dementia will remember childhood rhymes. Sing these nursery rhymes together!

Name The Musical Instruments Visual Quiz

A visual quiz - see if you can name the musical instruments!

5 Comments

Musical Instruments Quiz

A musical instrument themed quiz!

Turntable Record Playing

We have a portable turntable and lots of records from back in the day, so I got a group of residents together for the afternoon. I gave them the choice of what they wanted to listen to but also chose a few to see if they could guess who was singing or what the song was called.

2 Comments Member Activity

Song Lyrics from Around the World

This is a list of songs and their words that I have collaborated from google of many songs from around the world...there are some that I have missed and would be interested to know what others you would include.  Enjoy!

8 Comments Member Activity

Oh Soldier Soldier Song Reenactment

Print out the words to 'Oh soldier won't you marry me'. Put out clothing according to the song, coat, boots hat, gloves and the volunteer puts these on as the song is sung.

3 Comments Member Activity

Christmas Songs - Sing the Next Line Quiz

Get into the Christmas spirit with this music quiz featuring over 20 well known Christmas carols, hymns and songs.

2 Comments

Baby Boomers Song Quiz 3

These songs were famous in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Get acquainted with the songs to give clues and help out with the singing!

Weather Song Titles Quiz

Here is a fun music quiz of 20+ popular songs with weather conditions mentioned in the song titles.

2 Comments

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 6

Baby-boomers will love this one! Reminisce about boyfriends or husbands at the time, fashion, hair styles, popular movies and food.

Sundownder Music

Between 5pm and 6 pm in the Dementia-Specific House, Residents are agitated and restless. To help calm them down, I pull out an iPad and go to Youtube.

15 Comments Member Activity

Drum Circle Activity for the Elderly

A Drum Circle, as the name suggests, is a circle of people, each with a drum or another percussion instrument and one facilitator.

11 Comments

How to Celebrate International Music Day

Listening to music is a wonderful activity to enjoy with seniors in nursing homes. It leads to reminiscing and can significantly improve the well-being of individuals. Here are some ideas to help appreciate the significance that music has on our lives.

Match Songs with Movies

Match these well known songs to the films they were featured in. A fun reminiscing activity for seniors who will remember many of these much loved movies.

7 Comments

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 3: Baby Boomers

The next installment in our baby boomer song quiz! A lovely reminiscing activity.

2 Comments

Musical Masterpieces

This game is like musical chairs, but creative. It can be adapted for all fitness levels. Tell each participant to start drawing and when the music stops they give the picture to the person next to them. Continue to play music, change and draw until everyone has their original drawing back. Admire the strange masterpieces you have all created together. It makes for a lot of laughter.

5 Comments Member Activity

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 5: 1960s

1960s! Match the song titles with the artist or band that performed them.

5 Comments

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 4: 1950s

1950s! Match the song titles with the artist or band that performed them.

7 Comments

How to Plan Music Activities for Dementia Care

Everyone responds instinctively to music. A person’s ability to engage in music often remains intact far into the advanced stages of dementia. Music triggers certain networks of the brain that benefit people suffering from difficulties with language, cognition, or motor control.

10 Comments

Nursery Rhyme Quiz III

Depending on the age group, and of course personality traits, few have said they find them quite juvenile, and others love it and try to complete them... and are pleasantly surprised at , after all these years, how much they have retained!

3 Comments Member Activity

Nursery Rhyme Quiz 2

Nursery Rhymes are a good topic for conversation and reminiscing for people with dementia. Take your time when doing this quiz and encourage clients to sing and share memories.

1 Comment

Songs for Seniors Quiz

Here is an over 80s song list. It includes lyrics to over 80 popular songs from yesteryear to enjoy in a sing-along. Sing the first line, and then ask residents to sing the next line!

79 Comments Member Activity

Musical Bingo

Musical Bingo improves recall and provides opportunities to reminisce. It is also an enjoyable and sociable game. This game was created by a Music Therapist I worked with and it was very popular in our Dementia Care Unit. If you don't have time to put the game together, ask a volunteer to help you. All you need is a computer, a printer and a laminator. This activity includes downloadable song cards and calling cards.

12 Comments

Sing-Along with Picture Cards

Singing is a favourite activity for many people and if movements are added with the hands and arms then singing can also become a gentle exercise actitvity.

11 Comments

Red Hat ladies

I have found a booklet I put together of Red Hat songs and Christmas Carols...feel free to use, I gleaned these from the internet many years ago.

1 Comment Member Activity

Independence Day Sing-along

Celebrate Independence Day as a theme day, focusing on food, desserts, music, movies, and more!

1 Comment

Karaoke Happy Hour

I put a karaoke video on a big tv screen and gave some of the residents microphones. They sang songs that they knew. Some just watched and enjoy the activity.

1 Comment Member Activity

Poetry in Popular Songs

Read poetic lines from popular songs and ask your audience to guess the songs they belong to. Then listen to the songs on You Tube!

Christmas Carols Quiz

A fun Christmas carols themed quiz to enjoy!

2 Comments

Thanksgiving Song

Here is another fun songwriting activity you can do with your groups for Thanksgiving. My Thanksgiving Foods (to tune of "My Favorite Things")

7 Comments Member Activity

Halloween Carols

My groups love to do songwriting activities. A favorite thing to do is rewrite lyrics to a familiar song. Here are some examples. O Pumpkin Pie (to the tune of O Christmas Tree)...

6 Comments Member Activity

Rhythm game - Name That Tune

Pass out rhythm instruments. Leader has a drum and leads group with game. The game is a variation of "Name that Tune" using rhythms only.

3 Comments Member Activity

Teaching Songwriting Ingredients

Hi! I thought I’d share a fun musical activity to use with songwriting.

2 Comments Member Activity

Puppetry for the Elderly

Joyous interaction with self and others is vital to health. I do not believe that puppetry is too childish for the aged.

3 Comments Member Activity

Match the Songs with The Movies

Match these well-known songs to the movies in which they featured!
A wonderful reminiscing quiz for seniors.

2 Comments

Prize Walk

I placed numbers on the floor 1-20 in a circle (just like a cake-walk). I played music as the residents danced and walked the circle.

5 Comments Member Activity

Finish the Melodies

Here's a fun finish the melodies quiz with songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. If clients cannot guess them, reveal the names of songs and singers. A lovely reminiscing activity for seniors.

Reminiscence - Childhood Nursery Rhymes

Nursery Rhymes from the 1930s to Sing, Discuss & Reminisce about.

6 Comments Member Activity

Free Music Playlists for the Elderly

Music has been proven to be very beneficial for the elderly in long term care, particularly those living with dementia or Alzheimer's Disease. Here are some wonderful free playlists of famous songs from the 40s, 50s & 60s!

28 Comments

Mulitcultural Songs

Here is a list of songs I have started to compile for the Olympics....feel free to add more for me.

8 Comments Member Activity

Listening to Mozart

Music is an activity intrinsic to most cultures of the world. The benefits of listening to music can include improving memory, relaxing the mind, focusing attention, and healing the body.

Name a song with a girls name in the lyrics

Name a song with a girls name in the lyrics

3 Comments Member Activity

Yesteryear Song Quiz

Sing the next line of these songs... This quiz includes prompts for a reminiscing session.

2 Comments

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 2

Match the song titles with the artist or band that performed them.

9 Comments

Engaging through discussion and music

In the United States, there have been some events and happenings that are etched in people's long term memory.

3 Comments Member Activity

Ukulele fun

Last month I began this course on the net, now I have a repertoire of 20 songs that we have fun singing!

9 Comments Member Activity

Birthday Celebration Song

At our Day Centre we recently celebrated a milestone birthday of 90 years young. I came across this version of 'MY FAVOURITE THINGS' that Julie Andrews sang when she turned 70 years old.

5 Comments Member Activity

Match Songs with Artists Quiz 1

Match these famous songs of yesteryear with the correct singers!

6 Comments

Musical Games

This idea is a great sing-along game to use any time of the year and a good Happy Hour activity. Thank you Joanne!

2 Comments Member Activity

Multicultural Sing-Along

If you have participants from the referred countries, encourage them to help out and perhaps to sing one verse in their native language.

3 Comments

Themed Sing-along - Songs starting with: I'm

This activity is suitable for almost anybody and is lots of fun!

7 Comments

Multicultural Radio Guide

For facilities that have people from a cultural and linguistic diverse background (CALD) it is a good idea to make a 'Radio Guide' with musical and talk-shows programs to suit each individual.

1 Comment

Recycled Percussion Instruments

These easy percussion instruments will reward you with a happy and very noisy sing-a-long! Remind participants how important percussion instruments are for mankind; indeed every culture has some sort of percussion instrument.

1 Comment

Sing a Song Backwards

Have fun singing this well known song backwards!

Nursery Rhyme Game

Memory recall and reminiscing

6 Comments