Summer Activities To Do At Home: Bringing The Outdoors Inside.

At Right at Home Camberley and Woking, we know how important it is for the elderly to stay mentally engaged, physically active, and emotionally uplifted - but when the sun is too strong or temperatures climb a little too high, spending time outside isn't always safe or comfortable.

That’s where a bit of creativity comes in hand! That's why we have thought of some summer-inspired activities that you can enjoy with a loved one, from the comfort of being inside and away from the heat:

1. Indoor Gardening

Love the garden but can’t face the midday heat?Try planting herbs or small potted flowers indoors, such as rosemary, basil, or mint, which all grow well on windowsills! By repotting or watering plants inside, you can get a feel for gardening without risk of overheating... and not to mention it's a fun and interactive activity to complete with a loved one together. 

2. Summer-Themed Arts & Crafts

Capture the summer season colours with creative arts and crafts! For the older generation, there are numerous benefits for doing creative projects, especially for those living with dementia - it enhances cognitive function and could evoke special summer memories from earlier years. Some activities you could do to get a feel for summer are: 

Some activities you could do to get a feel of summer could be:

• Watercolour painting of seaside scenes
  
  

• Flower-pressing from the garden
  
  

• Making sun catchers for the window
  
  

3. Indoor Picnic!

When it’s too hot to dine outside, bring the picnic inside! To make it more of an event, and to help alleviate isolation, invite loved ones or friends over to mark the joyous occasion. Social interaction amongst the elder generation is a key element of overall physical well-being, which is why it is really important to spend time with your loved ones by sharing these moments together. 

• Lay a blanket on the living room floor
  
  

• Serve iconic picnic foods: sandwiches, strawberries, lemonade...

4. Nature-Inspired Reminiscence Activities

By encouraging conversations and sparking memory recall through engaging summer-related activities, the older generation, especially those living with dementia, can experience significant benefits in cognitive function and an enhanced quality of life. Taking a summery trip down memory lane can be achieved through various ideas, such as:

• Look at photo books of gardens, beaches, or countryside scenes
  
  

• Share stories about past holidays, seaside trips, or favourite summer traditions
  
  

• Listen to classic summer tunes together
  
  

5. Summer Treats 

Bring some summery fun into the kitchen and have a fun, yet engaging afternoon together by making some seasonal treats. Tasks like this can build self esteem and confidence in the elder generation, and not to mention having a delicious reward at the end of it:

• Make homemade ice lollies or fruit smoothies
  
  

• Try a summer bake together, perhaps a lemon drizzle cake or berry muffins!

You don’t need to be outside to enjoy the warmth and joy of summer as with a little creativity and a caring approach, your loved ones can have engaging summer moments at home!