Care Home Open Week Ideas to Bring Your Community Together
Fun and Inclusive Ideas to Celebrate Care Home Open Week
Care Home Open Week is a wonderful opportunity to welcome families, friends and the local community into your care home. From coffee mornings and fundraising fetes to sporting activities and creative workshops, there are countless ways to celebrate while creating meaningful moments for residents of all ages and abilities.
If you are planning your own Care Home Open Week event, here are some fun, inclusive and engaging ideas to inspire you.
Host a Coffee Morning with Homemade Cakes
A relaxed coffee morning is the perfect way to bring residents, relatives and visitors together. Create a warm and welcoming atmosphere with freshly baked treats and hot drinks.
Why not organise a “Let’s Bake Cakes” activity beforehand with residents? Our Bakers Dozen Kit can help make preparation easy and enjoyable while encouraging participation and social interaction.
If younger children are attending, set up a small activity area to keep them entertained.
Simple games and toys such as:
can help create an inclusive environment where different generations can enjoy spending time together.
Organise a Fun Fete or Fundraiser
A traditional fete is always popular during Care Home Open Week and can help raise money for resident activities while encouraging community involvement.
Lucky Dip
Create a nostalgic lucky dip using shredded paper in a large bowl filled with small toys and surprises. This simple game is great fun for younger visitors while also sparking happy memories for older residents.
Raffle Prizes
Ask local businesses, families or staff members to donate prizes. Homemade cakes, resident artwork or gift hampers can make excellent raffle items while supporting fundraising efforts.
Arts and Crafts Table
Set up an arts and crafts station with paints, brushes, water pots and card so visitors can create their own masterpieces. Finished artwork could even be displayed around the home or included in the raffle.
Encourage Outdoor Games and Activities
Outdoor games are a fantastic way to encourage gentle exercise, teamwork and laughter during Care Home Open Week.
Popular options include:
These activities are suitable for a wide range of ages and abilities, helping everyone feel included.
Hold a Walking Football Tournament
Walking football has become increasingly popular in care homes because it promotes physical activity, social interaction and friendly competition in a safe and accessible way.
Hosting a walking football tournament can be a brilliant highlight of your Care Home Open Week celebrations. Add to the atmosphere by decorating your buffet table with a football or World Cup themed décor pack and finish the event with a trophy presentation.
If football is not suitable for your residents or guests, consider organising:
- A racket sports competition
- A boules match
- Gentle team games for mixed abilities
End the Day with a Pub Quiz and Supper
For a relaxed evening activity, host a traditional pub quiz followed by pie and chips. Quizzes are a fantastic way to encourage conversation, teamwork and reminiscence while creating a cosy social atmosphere.
You could include:
- Music rounds
- Local history questions
- Picture quizzes
- General knowledge rounds
This type of event works particularly well for residents, families and staff to enjoy together.
Create a Calm and Welcoming Atmosphere
Not every Care Home Open Week celebration needs to be large or busy. If you are planning a more peaceful event, simple decorative touches can still make the home feel special and welcoming.
Consider:
- Glittering streamers in windows as sun catchers
- Fresh flower arrangements
- Resident craft displays
- Gardening project showcases
- Reminiscence items and conversation packs
- Board games and playing cards for shared activities
These thoughtful additions can help visitors see the creativity, personality and community spirit within your care home.
Share Your Care Home Open Week Celebrations
Care Home Open Week is all about celebrating connections, community and the incredible people who live and work in care homes.
We would love to hear how you celebrated. Share your photos, stories and special moments on your social media channels and help inspire other care homes across the UK.