Many older men will have been used to working with their hands, be it for their work or for a hobby. Some will enjoy having the opportunity to handle tools and bang, twist, screw etc using the tactile actions that would have been familiar. This is especially useful for anyone living in a care home with dementia as the actions can trigger dormant memories and help encourage conversation and sharing experiences with others in a similar situation. Why not include our Workbench to keep them busy or our wooden Construction Set that gives an endless variety of ways to construct working models.
These actions can help improve hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills as well as keeping concentration levels high and alleviating boredom.
Make a real difference and make a corner to resemble a shed interior? A wooden bench with a 'window' looking out onto a garden scene (take a look at our peel and stick murals) or ring us to talk about a bespoke mural to depict a shed wall with tools hanging?.
Our range of products are just the job to get the chaps involved and chatting together over a cuppa!
This wooden peg puzzle makes the sound of each tool when a piece is placed correctly in the puzzle board! Full-colour, matching pictures are under each of the eight carved pieces. Pegs help older hands to grip the pieces - make an ideal activity for anyone with a sight impairment too. 2 x AAA batteries required.
One for the men, quality cushion cover with added benefits - perfect for anyone with dementia or restless hands. Zips, buckles and a handy pocket - make a great gift for a loved one.
Cogs and Gears is a stimulating and tactile activity which has proven to be a real success with people with dementia due to the stunning visual effect. Alter and change the cogs and gears to make your own system, then set the wheels in motion. A fun game which can help activate thinking and logical thinking skills in older people. Highly contrasting brightly coloured pieces make this good for anyone with a sight impairment too. 49 cogs and gears with interlocking base plates.
Everything you need to tinker and build. 40 different pieces to screw, twist, push and pull. Follow the instructions to build a crane, motorcycle, racing car or airplane or just make your own unique construction. All wood construction.
Ring the doorbell and peek inside this Doorbell House Tactile Activity. Made from sturdy wood, each side has an opening door with a bell to ring and includes 4 play people. You can even lock/unlock each door and never lose the key as they are securely fastened to a long tape for ease of use. Ideal for older people with a dementia - the action of locking/unlocking doors helps with reminisce therapy. Also keeps hands busy and minds occupied.
A new addition to our Fragrant Memories Kits - Garden, a seasonal favourite to appeal to everyone. Kit includes three garden-inspired scents and smelling pots to pass around and encourage discussion about what memories the scents evoke. Each set has a question prompt card with 6 questions to help get started. Extra ideas are also included. Ideal for reminiscence therapy sessions in care homes.
Find a 'treasure' hidden in each house by using locally sources items such as leaves, fruit, shells, fabric - anything you like. Items can be themed to a season or event such as Christmas. Makes a great tactile activity for older people in care homes - dementia patients can use them as an aid to discussion and reminiscence. Made from birch wood, the fronts are magnetic for easy access and the rod can be pulled out and items threaded onto the centre for a hidden surprise!
Give our Companion Cat some love and attention and he will purr and meow just like a real cat. So realistic, he responds differently depending on where you pet him. Leave for a few minutes and he will go to sleep, pat him on the back to wake him up! Battery operated. Award winning product.
Goldie is a new exciting addition to our popular Joy For All range. he will respond differently depending on where you pet him and to the sound of your voice. Especially recommended for anyone with a dementia - read the supporting evidence below:
Extra large bold print makes our own Large Print Crossword Book ideal for older people in care homes. We have designed it with simple clues and not too many letters to make it suitable for those with dementia or who are sight impaired. Spiral bound and pages are able to be photocopied for group activity sessions, making this book very cost effective. A4 size.
Specially designed and made by Activities to Share, our Large Print Maze Puzzles book is perfect for older people or anyone with sight impairment. Wide variety of simple mazes to solve. Puzzles like these can help aid cognitive function and mental agility in senior people. Photocopiable pages for cost-effective group activities.
How well do you know your music facts? Our Large Print Music Puzzle Book has a wide variety of wordsearches, matching puzzles and fact finders to test every music fan. Makes a perfect gift for an older relative or care home activity solution. Pages are spiral-bound and can be photocopied for group activities making this extremely cost-effective. Why not team with our Large Print Crossword Book or Large Print Sudoku Book?
Pages of fun puzzles designed and made by Activities to Share. Extra large, bold print makes this book perfect for older people or anyone with sight impairment. Wide variety of simple puzzles to help aid cognitive function and mental agility. Pages can be photocopied for group activity sessions in care homes, making this a cost-effective activity solution. A4 spiral bound book.
Sudoku with a difference - now in a Large Print Sudoku Book designed specially for older people in care homes who may have sight impairment or for anyone with dementia who needs simpler clues. Lovely bold outlines in a spiral-bound book that can be photocopied for staff to use again and again for group activities making this very cost-effective. Why not team with our Large Print Maze Book too?
Larger-than-average print and simple to do, designed and made by Activities to Share, this Large Print Wordsearch Book is perfect for group activity sessions as the pages can be photocopied again and again. Great to practise mental agility and cognitive skills for all ages and abilities. A4 spiral-bound book.
Fun, oversized Magnetic Wall Jigsaw that is perfect to add fun to a plain care home wall. Lightweight magnetised pieces that are fully washable and make a great game for anyone living with a dementia. The inspiring Quayside image is a lovely scene to assemble and can also be played on a large table or floor. Backing has grid to follow for easy of placement. Adding interest to care home walls can help improve CQC ratings too.
Is cork lighter than wood and is stone heavier than porcelain? How does wax feel, like styrofoam? How does felt smell like rubber? This Material Balancing Activity is a tactile way to have fun for older people. The 12 handy, equal-sized balls made of different materials invite you to feel and experiment. Players weigh the balls in their hands and estimate the weight before placing them on the scales. On each side of the bar there are 3 hollows in which the balls are safely located. Several balls can be placed on one side or the position of the balls can be varied.
Just like the Full Size version, this Mini Sudoku is played in the same way using coloured jewel-inset wooden pieces. This version uses a 6 x 6 grid and the colour must only appear once in each row. Game promotes logical thinking, colour differentiation and visual perception as well as aiding concentration. Ideal activity for older people in a care home to keep boredom at bay. Large pieces for easy grip.
Giant tactile nuts and bolts set that are fun to screw and unscrew. Chunky pieces that are easy to grip and twist. Keeps restless hands busy and helps practice fine motor skills. 32 pieces. Fully washable pieces.
Have fun building all sorts of 3D structures and colourful mazes. Simply interlock the 4 types of tubes for endless configurations. Great tactile and visual game for all abilities. See video below:
Utilise your walls for activity opportunities with this Wall Play Track - Mountain and Valley set. Natural beech wood construction with a multiplex track that attaches to any plain wall with the enclosed fittings. Add a set of fun Snails or Balls to move along the undulating pathway. Makes a great tactile activity for older people with dementia as can help improve concentration and hand/eye coordination.
Set of fun assorted cars for use with the Wall Play Track Set. Push them along to see which one is the winner or send them nose to bumper in a group - so much fun! Made from beech wood and painted in four colours include one each of blue, red, green and yellow. Ideal for care homes and especially good for dementia patients with limited attention span as can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Add this fun Wall Play Track - Snail Family to your Wall Play Track to give added interest for your care home residents. Make them glide along the track together or apart, which goes fastest down the valley? Smooth tactile beech wood shapes that fit neatly in the hand and are easy to grip for older hands. Ideal activity for those living with dementia as can be enjoyed at any time of the day. Wall activities can help improve CQC scores in care homes.
Banish boring walls with this Wall Play Track Set. Just attach the lovely long natural wood track to a plain wall and add our accessory sets to make them really fun for all abilities. Great for care home residents as the game utilises hand/eye coordination and fine motor skills - especially good for those living with a dementia who have a limited attention span as the game can be any length of time. Why not place one lower down on the wall for wheelchair users?
Set of fun assorted balls for use with the Wall Play Track Set. Roll them along and see which one goes the fastest, or send them down in a 'train' - the choice is yours. Six different tactile feels, ball materials included natural wood, shiny steel, cork, painted wood and some that include sounds too. Ideal for care homes and especially good for dementia patients with limited attention span as can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
Will it Fit? is a game with a difference. Assemble the blocks on the carriage and pull it along using a rope and crank system - but will it get through the different shaped gates? Difficulty varies with the amount of gates inserted. Utilises close observation, planning, coordination and fine motor skills. Eco-friendly beech and birch wood pieces that fit neatly in the hand and are easy to grip for older care home residents. Makes a perfect activity to keep minds active and keep boredom at bay.
Keep hands and minds busy with this sturdy wooden locking compartments box. 4 types of lock to negotiate. A great activity for those with dementia
Unlock, unlatch, open the hinged panel sand count on finding fun when the pictures beneath are revealed! People of all ages and abilities will delight in discovering what’s hiding behind the locked and latched panels on this wooden lap board.
Our House of Locks is ideal for men who enjoy manual tasks. Helps to practice and retain fine motor skills and gives great scope for conversation. See video below:
New design. Help trigger memories about house-hold tasks, DIY and trade skills. A great activity for men with a dementia and encourages conversation and discussion. Seven different tactile activities to evoke memories of daily tasks around the home.
Keep minds and hands active with this ingenious, robust, latched box. Six brightly painted doors each with a different opening mechanism.
This toolbox has 12 pieces and is a great reminiscence activity for dementia patients, the tools can be held and talked about a favourit with men
Fans of DIY love this sturdy wooden workbench. Complete with tools and vice, flip it over to make a useful toolbox for storage. Ideal for someone with dementia.
Chunky shaped wooden pieces that make this Tractor puzzle easy to assemble. 6mm thick hand crafted pieces that fit nicely in the hand. Make a great activity for older people living with a dementia or anyone with gripping difficulties. Guide enclosed. Please note: this puzzle is ready painted.
Unique hand crafted wooden vintage car puzzle that makes an ideal activity for anyone who has difficulty in handling small pieces. Lovely chunky shapes to build and give a real sense of achievement. Great for older people living with a dementia. (7 Pieces). Guide enclosed. Please note: this puzzle is ready painted.
Made by a local craftsman, this tactile chunky wood puzzle appeals to any motoring fan and the pieces are shaped and easy to grip for anyone with limited dexterity. Acrylic paints are included for you to paint your own 'bodywork'. 6mm thick wood. Guide enclosed. Please note, unpainted puzzle supplied.
Handcrafted wooden puzzle pieces that have been left blank for you to add your own paint. Lovely chunky shaped pieces that fit neatly in the hand and is ideal for anyone with limited grip or weak hands. Comes packed neatly in a cotton drawstring bag with a set of paints and picture.
Designed for all ages and abilities, the 26 magnetic vegetables can be positioned anywhere you wish. Large, chunky wipe-clean pieces.
Designed for people of all abilities, the large 18 magnetic 'tools' can be positioned and organised any way you like on the 'wooden' magnetic background.
Call the tow truck! This magnetic wooden puzzle game features colourful automotive artwork. Use the magnetic truck to “tow” the 10 numbered cars from the game board. Enjoy challenging fun returning the cars to their correct spots! A creative way to encourage hand/eye coordination and fine motor development.
An iconic favourite that will be a delight to complete for all puzzle lovers. Just 35 sturdy wooden pieces that fit nicely in the hand.
Ideal for any railway enthusiast - just 35 chunky pieces to assemble. The Mallard was built in 1938 and retired in 1963 having covered almost one and a half million miles.
Enjoy reminiscing about the good old days when the garage attendant would personally fill your care with petrol. There's even an Austen Mini and Ford Capri to bring back memories too! This jigsaw puzzle would make a great gift idea for an older loved one and has larger-than-average 3.6cm pieces for easy gripping.
11 wonderful nostalgic icons of the past to reminisce over in this 250 piece puzzle. Extra large 3cm pieces are thick, durable and ideal for those with difficulty in manipulating small pieces..
Any keen fishermen will thoroughly enjoy assembling this inspirational scene. Complete the detailed puzzle with its larger 3.6cm pieces and then tell everyone about 'the one that got away'!
Mini, Routemaster Bus, Spitfire - all the classic favourites are here! So many nostalgic machines to identify, makes a real talking point. Larger 3.6cm pieces for easy gripping.
Everything you need to study our wonderful bird wildlife. Budding ornithologists love the folding binoculars, id cards, notepad and pencil. Also includes feeding recipes and a guide to help.
Lie back, relax and listen to the gentle sound of water and birdsong. Perfect for anyone unable to get out into the garden or as a background to craft sessions or just de-stressing. Makes a thoughtful gift for an older loved one or for a care or nursing home.
Enjoy the beautiful uplifting sounds of British songbirds by just the touch of a button. 12 favourite garden birds including Robin, Goldfinch, Song Thrush etc. Each bird has its own fact file and photograph on thick board pages.
60 comedy sketches and songs to raise a chuckle. 3 hours of classic favourites from Tommy Cooper, Kenneth Williams, Spike Milligan and many more. Laugh along with the Goons 'Ying Tong Song'and dodge those arrows with 'Mr Custer' by Charlie Drake along with many more.
Get everyone laughing along with these comedy classics - everything from Benny Hill to Morecombe and Wise. Many will remember these laugh-a-long favourites from the TV and radio shows of the past. 75 sketches and songs to delight both young and old.
'A Funny Old World' aims to bring a smile to the face of the reader. High quality photographs old and new will lift the mood and help trigger conversation.
A World of Work celebrates the lives of working people and offers a great reminder of those past years spent earning a living. Ideal for people with dementia.
'Greenfingered' people will love our new Reminiscence Kit - Garden Delights. Packed with lovely tactile garden-related items to hold and encourage conversation about past garden experiences. Can be used for group reminiscence therapy or one to one chatting. Makes a ready-to-go activity for care home organisers.
A safe and fun way to enjoy a much loved traditional game. A great social activity that helps retain hand-eye coordination and numeracy skills.
Similar to the traditional game of Battleships, this eco-friendly wooden game of Sea Battle is played in just the same way. Try to outsmart your opponent as you take turns to call out coordinates and deduce the position of each other’s fleet. A firm favourite for older people in care homes - this game is great to keep minds and hands active. Wooden board game set includes wooden games board, 2 sets of battleships & pins. Ideal cognitive game.
Traditional domino set - fun for all ages. Durable domino pieces with nostalgic design box. Playing instructions included with set. Please note style may vary according to availability
Geometric shapes that are fun to use for endless creative pattern combinations or for schools to use for Geometry lessons. 245 shapes to choose from. Fully washable plastic.
Neat little set for any games fan. Set includes 2 packs of playing cards and a set of 5 dice all housed in a nice little box with lid. Makes a great gift for a loved one.
Create your own feeding station for the birds and add your own decoration. All you need is in the kit with simple instructions included. Makes 12
A fantastic opportunity for a creative group activity session for older people. A ready-to-go activity - no tools required! Makes 12 lovely birdhouses.
Bring your gnome to life by adding colour and a facial expression. Specially fired ceramic allows for decoration using acrylic paint or marker pens. Ready to go activity that is ideal for care home activity coordinators. Suitable for all ages and abilities - especially older people.
Add a stunning view to any room or corridor, whether in a care home, day centre or hospital, with these unique peel and stick wall murals - you won't be disappointed!
NEW - I wonder what's the score? This fun scene is perfect for any plain wall or corridor - just peel and stick for instant impact. Ideal for a care home or for anyone who is housebound. Can help alleviate depression and provide a focus for conversation. Size 119cm x 107cm.
This enchanting mural will enhance any room or plain wall. So realistic, one can almost hear the babbling water. So easy to attach and fully washable.
Everyone loves a cheerful sunflower and our Sunflower Growing Kit has everything you need to get yours started. Once the seeds germinate, they will grow fast - why not have a competition to see who can grow the tallest? Or the largest flowerhead? Once replanted outside, the flowers will attract a variety of pollinating insects and the heads can be dried and left out for the birds to feast on the seeds in the autumn. Makes an ideal tactile activity for any care home residents.