Music & Dance Activities for the Elderly

Dance and music are enjoyable for people of all ages. For the elderly, consider organizing games and events that incorporate music and dance for a change of pace. Allow your family members or residents to relive fond memories through song and dance with these games and socials.

Play Bingo

• Music bingo is a game where you create bingo cards with titles of songs on them. Instead of calling out a square as in traditional bingo, you will play clips of songs. The players have to match the clip to the titles on the bingo cards. You can order the materials online or make your own. The clips should be 20 seconds long and songs the players would have a chance of knowing.

Tea Dance

• Plan a tea party for your residents. However, instead of just serving tea and cake, you can clear space for a dance floor. This can turn a leisurely Sunday tea into an opportunity for your resident's to dance. You can play songs requested by residents.

Finish that Tune

• Make a list of songs that your residents or family member will know. Take a line or two of the lyrics and remove one or two words. You can put the residents into teams or have your parent pair up with another member of the family. Give each a bell. Read the lyrics with the removed words twice. The first group to ring the bell gets to answer. If they get it wrong, go to the second group that rang the bell. Continue until someone gives you the correct answer. You can also give extra points for naming the year and the artist.

Teach a Dance

• You can have local dance teachers come and teach a dance to your residents. You may also consider taking them to a dance studio. Also, ask residents with a dance background if they would like to teach a routine to a group of residents. They can perform the routine for an audience or you can make this a weekly activity to keep your family member or residents active.