What activities can you do in March with a senior?

1. Is your senior a gardener? Consider starting your planting early with this post Starting Seeds Indoors. Also check out your favorite on-line garden company and request a catalog to look at. Most catalogs are free.
2. Lent has started for those Christians who observe the days leading up to Easter. For those Christians, assist a loved one with reading a daily bible passage, reciting a prayer, or other form of observation they wish to participate in.
3. March is National Craft Month. Check out the craft and creative ideas to experience under the creative activities tab. Here’s a Shamrock Pin Craft to make for St. Patrick’s Day.
4. March 9th, 1959, Barbie® made her debut. Do you or your older family member or friend have a Barbie Doll®? If so, take Barbie® out and look at her and reminisce about her. Many older persons have kept the doll over the years or still collect them to this day!
5. Spring is right around the corner. What does your older family member or friend remember about past spring times? Here are some questions to get you started with Spring Reminiscing.
6. St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th. Celebrate with corned beef and cabbage or stir up something green in the kitchen. Try a green smoothie (add spinach to your favorite fruits), make green frosting to frost cupcakes, make green cookies (drop green food coloring into sugar cookie dough), or make mint ice cream in your ice cream freezer.

7. March 20th is World Storytelling Day. Exchange stories with your older family member. For book and story ideas check out our Books post. Remember to write your stories down.

8. Does your family have heirloom quilts? In honor of National Quilting Day on March 21st consider digging up an old quilt and talk about its history. Most quilts tell a story in their fabric, pattern, stitches, and how well it has been used. Write down the story of your family heirloom.

9. Make a play date with a young member of the family and have a tea party together. Check this post for tea party ideas. Maybe even a virtual tea party?

10. In celebration of Poetry Day on the 21st write a limerick together with your loved one. Limericks are short, nonsense rhymes that have a certain format. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th lines rhyme and usually have a beat of 8 or 9. The 3rd and the 4th lines rhyme and usually have a beat of 5 or 6. Here are two examples: (See the March Printable Activities in the Caregivers Workshop on Etsy in which limerick writing is included.)

There once was a hamster named Hank

He spent his days playing pranks

One day he ran far

Drove away in a car

That belonged to a doll named Frank

♣  ♣  ♣

There once was a chicken named Yolko

Who loved drinking rich, warm cocoa

She tired of the rain

So she boarded a plane

Now she lays eggs in Acapulco