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Today I’m featuring another in my series of articles highlighting little-known holidays you’ll enjoy celebrating at your nursing home. National Potato Day falls on August 19 every year, and you’ll want to add it to your calendar. Here are seven fun activities to celebrate the day:
1. The humble potato makes for a terrific topic of discussion. For example, you can get a group of residents together and talk about:
- Unusual uses for potatoes: Check out these 30 unique ideas. Find out if any of your residents have tried any of these tips. (I used a potato to remove a broken light bulb, and it really does work!)
- Potato trivia: Be sure to share these 37 fun potato facts. (Did you know the potato was the first vegetable grown in space?)
- Find out how many of your residents played with Potato Head toys when they were children. Then share the history of these famous toys.
2. Potatoes make terrific science experiments. Here are a few ideas:
3. The variety of recipes you can make using potatoes is endless. How about treating your residents to an afternoon snack made from potatoes? Check out these 11 ideas to get started. Better yet, ask your residents if they have a favorite recipe you could try.
4. While residents are enjoying their snacks, be sure to share a few silly potato jokes. (Why did the potato cross the road? He saw a fork up ahead.)
5. Host a guest speaker to share information about potatoes. Consider these possibilities:
- A potato farmer to discuss the joys and challenges of raising potatoes for a living
- A librarian to tell the fascinating (but sad) story about the Irish potato famine
- A chef to demonstrate how to create gourmet recipes using potatoes
- A grocer to discuss the large number of potato varieties and their uses
- A dietician to provide education on the health benefits of potatoes and the healthiest cooking techniques
6. You’ll also want to get the staff involved on National Potato Day. Check out these ideas:
- Host a potluck on each shift and encourage everyone to share their favorite dish containing potatoes.
- Provide a baked potato bar with lots of toppings as a fundraiser. Staff can vote on an organization to support with the money raised.
- Invite staff to create potato sculptures, then have residents vote on their favorites. Offer fun prizes donated by local businesses. (Here’s a photo of two examples.)
- Encourage staff to dress like the Potato Head family. Again, you’ll want to provide great prizes donated by local businesses. (Don’t miss these tips on how to ask for donations.)
7. Potatoes work great for inexpensive craft projects. A favorite memory care activity involves making potato stamp art. (They aimed the article at children, but adults enjoy the project just as much.) You can find a lot more potato crafts on Pinterest.
What activities have you done for National Potato Day? Please share in the comment section.
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