Indoor Activities for Care Homes to Support Wellbeing and Connection

During the colder months, when the weather can be unpredictable, indoor activities become essential for keeping care home residents engaged, active and connected.

These activities are not just pastimes, but are designed to support physical health, mental wellbeing and social connections. That is why our homes provide a wide range of creative and meaningful indoor activities with support from platforms like Oomph! Wellness and local community groups.

Why indoor activities matter

Research shows that activities in care homes can play a significant role in improving mood, reducing isolation and maintaining mobility. These activities encourage the residents to stay mentally stimulated and socially connected, improving their quality of life.

At Mariposa we’ve created meaning incentive such as our Mariposa Connections, which aim to tackle loneliness and promote companionship, helping our residents build meaningful relationships, in and out of our care homes.

Meaningful engagement is just as important as medical care, as it gives residents purpose and enjoyment. Our approach to fostering community connections ensures that our residents have the opportunity to take part in activities that nurture their social and emotional wellbeing. Additionally, our staff carefully design programmes with variety, choice and inclusivity in mind.

Group activities and entertainment

Visiting entertainers and groups are very popular with residents, as singers, theatre productions and even silent discos can bring a renewed sense of energy and fun indoors. We’ve had the pleasure of bringing the power of music into our care homes, which has shown just how uplifting musical experiences can be. These shared experiences can be a great way to spark conversations, laughter, and bonding between residents.

Community partnerships with groups such as Smile Through Sport and KiddleyDivey Oxfordshire help deliver professional, engaging activities through exercise and musical sessions.

In addition to this, we’ve explored exciting ways to provide new experiences for our residents like cinema sessions at Riverwell Beck, creating opportunities for laughter, conversation and nostalgia.

It is important that care homes ensure their indoor activities remain flexible, offering large, lively events as well as smaller, intimate performances, ensuring activities are tailored to suit the different needs and preferences of the residents.

Skills-based activities

Offering skills-based activities can be a great way to showcase some in-house opportunities as well as learning and sharing skills. We offer cooking classes with the home’s Head Chef, giving residents the chance to enjoy hands-on involvement, smell fresh ingredients and taste their creations.

Our residents often enjoy flower arranging and indoor gardening activities which help support fine motor skills and creativity. The opening of our Potting Shed Café at Sovereign Lodge has been a fantastic example of how we’re creating new spaces across our homes that give encourage residents to socialise and connect with nature.

By investing in our care homes, we can continue to create environments that build confidence and encourage residents to revisit hobbies or explore new interests. It is also great fun to connect these activities to seasonal events such as Christmas baking and festive decorations at St Luke’s Garden Room to summer celebrations at the Old Prebendal House.

Planning and support tools

Oomph! Wellness is a fantastic activity planning platform that is used across homes in the UK. It provides a wide library of resources, ideas and structured programmes that staff can adapt to residents’ needs.

It can help ensure consistency and variety across activity schedules, making it easier for staff to deliver engaging sessions with confidence. The residents themselves will benefit from the creativity, structure and fresh ideas that Oomph! provides, making the activities more dynamic and personalised.

Indoor activities play a vital role in maintaining the wellbeing and happiness of care home residents. Whether it is live entertainment, group exercise or hands-on skills like cooking or gardening, there is something to engage every individual.

With the support of community partners and tools like Oomph! Wellness, homes can ensure that residents enjoy fulfilling days no matter the weather, transforming care homes into vibrant social spaces where residents can truly thrive.

We’re creating joyful experiences one care home at a time

Feel free to explore all our Mariposa Care homes, where you’ll find a walk-through video, free brochure download, and reviews from real-life residents and loved ones. Our care team will be happy and waiting for you to get in touch directly and start your care journey with us.