This is a Mother’s Day intergenerational session plan using scarf dancing and song! Can be easily adapted for just older adults if not in an intergenerational setting.
Instructions:
- Opening Prompts (Verbal Warm-Up)
- Prompt 1: “What was your mother’s first name?”
- Gentle memory prompt and informal cognitive check-in
- If someone cannot recall, affirm them and move on
- Prompt 2: “What’s your favorite flower?”
- Launch into flower-themed songs based on responses
- Examples: Daisy (Bicycle Built for Two), Tulip (Tiptoe Through the Tulips), Rose (My Wild Irish Rose)
- Launch into flower-themed songs based on responses
- Bonus Joke Prompt:
- “April Showers bring…?” Group responds “May Flowers!”
- Follow-up: “What does the Mayflower bring?”— Pilgrims!
- Prompt 1: “What was your mother’s first name?”
- Word Play: The Word “Rose”
- Hand out large printed letters: R, O, S, E
- Invite older adults to hold each letter and show it off
- Ask: “Does your name have an R in it?”
- Repeat for O, S, E
- Fun, engaging name recognition and group interaction
- Scarf Distribution and Flower Activity
- Hand out colorful scarves
- Teach:
- “This is one hand…. this it two… put them together… now you have a flower!”
- Ask: “What color is your flower?”
- Encourage giving:
- “Can you give your flower to a friend or grand-friend?”
- Sing a simple giving song:
- “Walk over to a friend, give a flower…”
- Scarf Dancing (Waltz Style)
- Teach: “A Waltz is in 3-1, 2, 3”
- Practice counting it out together
- Have pairs sway using one scarf between them
- One child and one adult on each end, or two adults sharing a scarf if not working in an intergenerational setting
- Movement cue: “Sway and sway and sway…”
- Teach: “A Waltz is in 3-1, 2, 3”
- Song: “My Wild Irish Rose”
- Group sing:
- “My rose, the sweetest flower that grows…”
- Continue scarf swaying during the song
- Group sing:
- Final Group Celebration:
- Return to scarf movement
- Prompt: “This is one hand, this is two… now let’s make fireworks!”
- Lead chant:
- “Hip, hip, hooray!”
- Repeat with joyful energy
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