Skip to main content

Game Night

Every so often I put on my calendar a program that I simply call Game Night. I advertise it as a night that the residents can come to the auditorium and play whatever game they want to. It is a place where they can find people who might be interested in learning their favorite game, so that in the future they can get together and play.

I ask the residents to sign up for the evening and list what game(s) they are interested in playing. This helps me because I know how many tables to set up and also which games I need to bring to the event. I invite the residents to bring their game and supplies also. I also made name tags for everyone on my list, and had blanks for those "last minute Marys" that like to show up.

I had about 30 people sign up and about 30 people attend..... but not the same people that signed up showed up.... but that is typical in my community. I provide a 6ft table full of games - some that the community owns and some that I personally own.  The games included Life, Clue, Monopoly, Rummikub, Backgammon, Chess, Checkers, Cards, Phase 10 Twist, Dominoes, Yahtzee, Othello, Scrabble and others. 
  


The residents played bridge, Rummikub, Mexican Train Dominoes, Backgammon and a card game called PIT. What was fun was to see the residents who were prepared to learn something new, I had a table that was teaching Rummikub, one that was teaching the Mexican Train Dominoes game and another that was teaching the PIT game.  I also had a lady that took the Phase 10 Twist game home so that she could learn it. She has since come to me and told me that she is going to have a few game playing ladies over to her apartment and they are going to learn it together!

I had a resident who really wanted to play Backgammon and there was no one else interested, so I volunteered to play with him. I thought that I knew how to play the game, but it has been awhile since I played, and if I recall, was beaten by my teenage son!  Thankfully the resident was willing to teach me as we went along and as we played, I learned that he was a tournament Backgammon player! YIKES! All I can say was that if I embarrassed myself by the way I played, I was to dumb about it to even realize it! Guess that is one of the best part about the job.... being the young one in the room most of the time with lots of good senior knowledge to share with the youngster!


It was an easy night to put together and the response was very positive. I might do it more often, and I don't think that I need to be there to make it work! That is even better.
Labels:

Comments

  1. MasterShake13September 30, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    This is such a great idea! Game nights are a great way to bring communities together, make friends and meet people, welcome newcomers, and spend quality time with those closest to you, all while having fun at the same time! I'm trying to plan a First-of-Fall Fun Night at my local park, where we'll ave barbecue and other grilled goodies, team games, spinning wheels for small prizes, and maybe even set up a projector to watch a movie and enjoy the cool night, beautiful leaves, and fireflies that always make Fall so special! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousSeptember 30, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    It is so funny that you leave this comment when just today I was working on an outdoors event that sounds similiar. We're talking about an outdoor movie also, horse and buggy ride and "fair" food. I like the link for the spinning wheel. Have you bought from them before or are you an associate with them? Just wondering. I have a very outdated wheel in my storage unit. Those look much nicer! Thanks for sharing your ideas! - Martha

    September 30, 2011 7:54 PM

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

3 Styles of Scavenger Hunts

Boy is it hot outside! If you are like me you may still be looking for indoor activities that are fun for your residents to do. This activity that I will share with you can be done for different levels of care in your retirement community. I encourage you to share it with the other activity professionals that work in those other areas within your own community. The activity is the Scavenge Hunt. This can be done in three different ways and I will describe them below: 1)       The Stay Seated Scavenger Hunt v   Ask audience to bring in items they think will be asked for. Encourage them to fill their purses, pockets, bags, etc. and bring it to the event v   Make a list of items that they could bring with them v   Include items that would be funny, that might have a story to go with them, or that people would be surprised someone would actually have. (Green Stamps anyone?) v   See the list I used v   Cut the list i...
2 comments
Read more

Puzzle Theme for Volunteer Appreciation

Volunteers are an essential piece of retirement communities! They can be found volunteering at the reception desk when you first walk in, running an activity for the entire community to attend, folding napkins for the dining room and even taking potential residents on tours of the community for the sales and marketing department. Resident volunteers may also be board or committee members of your community's resident board. It is hard to imagine a successful community without resident volunteers. As the activities director in my CCRC community, it is my responsibility to make sure there is a wonderful appreciation luncheon every year to thank our residents. This year we used a puzzle theme for the lunch. The idea came to us (me and my co-workers from our neighboring sister community) from the Positive Promotions catalog. Here are the highlights of the event that connected the pieces together for a successful and meaningful afternoon: In Advance 1) Took a photo of the entran...
Post a Comment
Read more

Super Bowl Party for Seniors

It is almost here! The 46th Super Bowl game will be held on Sunday, February 5 in Indinapolis. Each year, residents in my retirement community want to have a viewing party for the big game. I believe that it is a fun program to make an activity out of, but not something that I must do every year. Mostly, I don't have this each year because there are not to many ways to change it up, so I don't want to have it become boring. (This is where your ideas would be great to hear!!) This year, we are going to have a party and I'd like to share with you the plans for the evening. Residents are now signing up for the program which is set to start at 6:00 p.m.  This time is perfect in my community because we still serve dinner at noon on Sundays and the residents usually like to attend for the food, if for no other reason. (I do charge them a fee for the food.) We will have the game showing on our big screen tv in the auditorium and tables and chairs set up for the...
2 comments
Read more