Crafts&Baking

Holiday Crafts: As it gets closer to different holidays, bring the holiday spirit to the community by creating some fun holiday-themed crafts, such as Easter egg dying, pumpkin decorating, or making Christmas ornaments. Make sure to complete the fun with holiday music and treats!





Origami: Buy some origami paper and walk a group of elders through how to fold the paper into fun shapes. There's some really simple designs that you can play with for this activity.


Chocolate Chip Cookies: There aren't very many people who don't like chocolate chip cookies, and they're even more rewarding if you bake them yourself. At nursing homes, staff serve the food for the residents everyday, but, in their time, many of them actually really enjoyed baking. Take a trip to the kitchen for a baking activity! Here's a recipe to get you started:


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.
3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough a tablespoon at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for minutes before transferring to wire racks.
6. Get a glass of milk, and enjoy! :)