53 Engaging Activities to Do with Elderly Parents

Spending quality time with your loved ones is invaluable, and finding activities to do with elderly parents can make visits even more meaningful. Whether you’re creating a scrapbook, playing cards, or planting a windowsill garden together, these activities foster connection and joy no matter if they are living at home or in assisted living.

From gentle massages to jigsaw puzzles, you’ll discover ways to engage your parent’s mind, body, and spirit. These 53 activity ideas are designed to bring happiness, preserve memories, and enhance your bond. Dive in and find the perfect ways to brighten your time together.

53 Activities to Do with Elderly Parents

1. Talk about what you both have been up to since your last visit together…
2. Bring photos of family and friends–from days gone by or recent snapshots…
3. Create a photo album, framed photograph collection or poster to hang up…
4. Make a special scrapbook celebrating your older adult’s lifetime…
5. Write or tape your older adult’s autobiography…give copies to the family…
6. Share your own favorite stories and memories…
7. Bring vacation photos, souvenirs, postcards, maps and tales of your travels…
8. Read newspapers and magazines aloud to keep your older adult “in touch”…
9. Look together at magazines that have a lot of large colorful pictures…
10. Subscribe to your older adult’s hometown newspaper and bring it along…
11. Read religious or inspirational articles, magazines or books…
12. Read letters from family and friends…
13. Bring messages from friends recorded on a cassette tape to listen to…
14. Bring a videotaped greeting from family and friends…
15. Help your older adult write or tape letters or send cards out to people…
16. Find a pen pal and help your older adult correspond with this new friend…
17. Create a poster or mobile from pictures cut from magazines…
18. Bring things related to the season or upcoming holiday to do and talk about…
19. Have an indoor picnic with your older adult’s favorite picnic foods…
20. Enjoy a cup of a favorite beverage that you’ve brought in your thermos…
21. Bring the musical instrument you play for your older adult’s private concert…
22. Teach your older adult to play an instrument… Or learn together…
23. Sing…hum…whistle…together…
24. Play “name that tune” with records, tapes or music on the radio…
25. Listen to music together…
26. Play charades…
27. Wind yarn together for a knitting project one of you is working on…
28. Work on a craft project together…
29. Try a new artistic pastime together–such as drawing, painting, sculpture…
30. Make simple gifts for your older adult’s grandchildren…
31. Bring along your sewing basket…button box…toolkit…to organize together…
32. Build a bird feeder or house to hang outside your older adult’s window…
33. Bring along a bird book and see how many different types of birds drop by…
34. Bring out the mending to do while you visit– your older adult’s or yours…
35. Brush, comb or style the older adult’s hair…
36. Pamper your older adult with–make-up, perfume, aftershave or a manicure…
37. Ask for help in planning your garden and look through the seed catalog…
38. Plant and take care of an indoor, window sill garden together…
39. Create a terrarium to enjoy with very little care needed…
40. Play word and trivia games together to keep your adult’s mind alert…
41. Play cards or board games together– lifelong favorites and new ones…
42. Keeping a running tally of the scores in your own tournament…
43. Do crossword puzzles together…or on your own to see who can finish first…
44. Do jigsaw puzzles–one per visit–or a 1000 piece challenge that takes time…
45. Watch television together and talk about the programs you’ve seen….
46. Keep up on soap operas that your older adult watches and you may miss…
47. Rent a videotape to bring along an old favorite movie or musical…
48. Go shopping from catalogs for clothes, household or frivolous necessities…
49. Go “window shopping” in fancy catalogs filled with things you’d never buy
50. Bring a favorite recipe book to explore or to plan a meal from together…
51. Bring along a treat made from a recipe your older adult said sounded good…
52. Do some baking–or no bake cooking together…
53. Give your older adult a gentle massage with lotion to keep skin soft…

Making visits memorable is easy with these 53 activities to do with elderly parents. Whether you’re cooking, solving puzzles, or building a birdhouse together, these shared moments create lasting memories.

At CarePatrol, our mission is to help seniors find the best possible care. We begin by carefully assessing their individual needs and preferences. Then, we connect them with a select group of top-rated senior living communities that meet their specific requirements.

Our goal is to empower families with the knowledge and support they need to make confident decisions about their loved one’s care. Reach out to a local senior care advisor to find help.