Activities for Visiting a Nursing Home Girl Scout Service Project
Updated November 2021
Because we are still under many Covid restrictions, you may not be able to do some of these things. Girls can do alternative activities, like singing outdoors, do a Zoom meeting and entertaining the adults with a Talent Show, or doing an easy craft with them.
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Visiting a nursing home can be an incredibly rewarding experience for Girl Scouts of all ages. Until I was a high school senior, I took hours of dance classes each week. One of the things my dance teacher insisted we do is visit nursing homes in the area and give performances to the residents that lived there. We did this several times a year, and these visits had an impact on me.
When my son was in elementary school, he performed in our synagogue’s Youth Choir, which visited local nursing homes every six weeks. The children sang songs and interacted with the residents. The smiles on their faces made this a very meaningful experience for our entire family, who attended each event.
Photo from Pixabay and altered by the author in Canva
Twice a year, my preschool class visits the nursing home across the street from us. We bake treats for the residents and sing songs for them as well. Classes take turns going, and the children bring such smiles to those who are there. They sing along to the songs they sang once in their youth. When my Nana had to move into a nursing home due to her frailty, she told me how she loved the visits from the youngsters who performed for them.
Connecting with others from another generation, taking the time to listen to their stories, and making someone’s day by just being there makes visiting a nursing home one of the greatest community service projects a Girl Scout troop can do.
Before Starting This Project
Before you undertake visiting a nursing home as a Girl Scout community service project, you need to do your homework. First, you need to consider when you will visit. Will it be during your regularly scheduled meeting time, which is already carved out in the girls; schedules, or will it be on a weekend when there may be family and sports obligations (and if that is the case, then you cannot be upset if a girl cannot attend).
Once you have figured that out, you will have to call various senior residences and ask if they would like your troop to visit. If the answer is yes, then you need to arrange a time frame and date. You also need to ask what you would like them to do. This is where the home’s Activities Director can come in as a reference. Do the residents like to be entertained? Do they like to play Bingo or do crafts? Are there dietary restrictions you need to be aware of if you hand out treats? Are there supplies at the home available for you to use or do you have to bring your own?
Permission slips and other forms need to be filled out and handed in by the parents. You also need to decide if the girls will be picked up by their parents at the senior residence or if you are taking anyone home. Parents need to know the exact time and place of pick up so you are not stuck waiting for them (this happened to me several times over the years).
Time of Year You Visit
The time of year you visit can be a great guide as to what you will be doing with the residents. If you go during any kind of holiday, that can be the road map to follow. Thanksgiving songs and crafts, Christmas or Chanukah songs and crafts, Valentine’s Day or Veteran’s Day…these can make planning your activities easier for you.
Are You Giving Gifts?
If you are visiting during the holiday season, you may want to give the residents gifts. Again, check with the Activities Director as to what residents can eat (if giving some hard candy) and items they might like to have. See how many you will need to make (this is a great troop meeting activity).
Some ideas are:
- Lip balm
- Small packages of tissues
- Travel size lotion
- Puzzle books
- Hand soap
- Toothbrush and travel size toothpaste (ask a dentist to donate)
Available in an 8 inch size or 12 inch size on Amazon
12 bags in each set
Set of 100 snowflake cellophane bags in three different sizes
Available on Amazon
100 Pcs 10 in x 6 in(1.4mil.) Clear Flat Cello Cellophane Treat Bags
Pack of 100 Cello Bags, 6 x 10 inches, Gold Stripe and Gold Dot
You can cut the cost of buying items by having your girls ask for donations. The girls can ask family and friends for travel sized items they took home from hotel visits. Girls can also talk about their project at the next Service Unit meeting and then be there again the next month for a collection. Leaders can send reminder emails out to fellow leaders. This is what other troops have done at our meetings and it makes it so easy to contribute to another troop who is doing good in our community.
Ideas to Try
Have your girls organize this part of the activity. Once you know exactly what the senior home wants and needs, ask the girls to plan the activities they wish to do. Here are some ideas:
- Play bingo
- Sing songs
- Color with them
- Reverse trick or treating…girls dress in costume but hand out small treats (tissues, candy, decorations for room) to the residents instead of receiving candy
- Do word searches together
- Paint pumpkins for Halloween, ornaments for Christmas, do a Chanukah painting project, paint wood hearts for Valentine’s Day
- Simple crafts like these:
12 Pack Snowman Kit from Amazon
- For Veteran’s Day, girls can sing patriotic songs, made a craft and have a treat
- Tea party with the residents with the girls all dressed up for the occasion
- Retired Junior Across Generations badge can be earned
- Write letters for the residents- be their scribe. Some may have medical issues that prevent them from writing or writing legibly.
- Each girl can read books to a group of residents
- Paint nails
Visiting a nursing home as a Girl Scout community service project does not have to be a one-off, it can be something you do several times a year.
Has your troop ever visited a nursing home? What activities were successful for you?
