Sometimes the simplest sensory activities are the ones that work best. A familiar smell, a warm towel, a favourite song, or a crunchy snack can give people something comfortable to notice, touch, taste, or talk about without putting pressure on them to perform.
I use these ideas as short, low-pressure moments in a table group or one-to-one. Choose one activity at a time, keep the room calm, and let the person decide whether they would like to join in, watch, or simply sit nearby.
A QUICK SAFETY NOTE
Always follow the person’s individual care plan, dietary and texture requirements, allergies, mobility needs, and your workplace procedures. If someone is known to put items in their mouth, keep loose items, scents, wax, bubble liquid, and small materials out of reach. Use staff-held items or choose an alternative activity instead.
1. Potato Chip Taste Test
Quick Setup: 4 small bowls • 4 approved chip flavours • 4 large flavour labels
Set out four approved chip flavours in separate small bowls: Plain, Cheese, Barbecue, and Sour Cream & Onion. Place a large flavour label beside each bowl, then invite residents to taste, point, or match a label to the bowl.
Keep it relaxed—someone may try one chip, watch, or simply enjoy the crunch. Only offer food that suits the person’s dietary and texture requirements, with staff nearby while it is served.
2. Familiar Candle Scent Conversation
Quick Setup: 2–3 closed scent jars • Unlit candles only • Staff-held
Use two or three unlit scented candles in closed jars—for example vanilla, cinnamon, fresh linen, or pine. Hold one at a comfortable distance and ask a simple question such as, “Does this smell like anything you enjoy?”
Do not light the candles and do not leave wax products on the table. Some people will enjoy the scent; others may prefer to pass. Familiar smells can be a gentle starting point for conversation, particularly when you choose scents that connect with the person’s own interests or life experience.
3. Touch-and-Feel Fabric Basket
Quick Setup: 1 shallow basket • 4–6 large fabric pieces • One piece at a time
Fill a shallow basket with a few large, clean fabric pieces: soft fleece, smooth cotton, ribbed corduroy, a satin scarf, a chunky knitted square, or a small towel. Offer one item at a time and let the person choose what they would like to feel.
A simple prompt is, “Which one feels nicest in your hands?” Keep the pieces generous and easy to handle. Avoid loose yarn, buttons, beads, sequins, or small fabric scraps.
4. Bubble Watch and Pop
Quick Setup: Bubble bottle and wand • Clear space • Staff holds the bottle
Blow a few bubbles slowly across the table or in an open space beside the group. Residents can watch them float, reach out to pop them, or simply enjoy the movement. This is particularly useful when you need a simple visual activity with no setup.
Staff should hold the bubble bottle and wand at all times. Keep the floor clear, use only a few bubbles at once, and move on if the person does not enjoy it.
5. Fresh Herbs and Flowers
Quick Setup: 3 small bowls • Fresh herbs, coffee beans and dried lemon • Staff nearby
Set out a simple sensory tray with a few small bowls: one with fresh mint and rosemary, one with coffee beans, and one with dried lemon fragments. Add a small amount of basil, parsley, or lavender to the tray if you have it. Keep each item separate and use small, ordinary amounts so people can look closely, touch a leaf, or smell one item at a time.
A gentle prompt is: “Which smell would you like to try?” Coffee can lead to conversation about morning routines, cafés, or baking; lemon may bring up drinks, cooking, or cleaning days; and the fresh herbs can open up talk about gardens and favourite meals. There is no need for anyone to name the scent correctly—choosing, pointing, or simply enjoying the smell is enough.
Keep the tray within reach only when it is suitable for the person. If someone may put items in their mouth, staff can hold the bowl or offer a larger herb sprig to smell instead. Avoid soil and plant pots on the table, and choose another option if a scent is too strong or unwelcome.
6. Gentle Hand Care
Quick Setup: Warm face washer • Suitable hand cream • Ask permission first
For someone who enjoys touch, a quiet hand-care moment can be a simple one-to-one option. Ask permission first, offer a warm face washer, and use an approved unscented or lightly scented hand cream only if it is suitable for that person. If they look unsure, pull away, or seem uncomfortable, stop and offer a non-touch activity instead.
For the full practical setup—including a simple five-minute sequence, gentle hand movements, adaptations, and times when hand massage is not suitable—see our Hand Massage for Dementia guide. Some people may prefer to rub the cream into their own hands or simply hold a warm towel; there is no need to continue with touch if it is not welcome.
7. Fidget Board
Quick Setup: Fidget board • Stable table or lap tray • Let the person choose
A fidget board gives someone who likes to keep their hands busy a clear, familiar object to hold and explore. Place the board on a table, tray, or lap where it can sit securely, then let the person choose which part they would like to touch, move, or feel. There is no need to explain every feature or ask them to complete anything.
For a ready-made option, our Busy Board Sensory Activity for Seniors (available in our shop) provides a hands-on source of visual and tactile engagement for one-to-one time or a quieter corner of the room. Check the board before each use, keep it within the person’s reach only when suitable, and choose another activity if any attached feature is not appropriate for their individual care needs.
8. Warm Towel Folding
Quick Setup: 3 dry face washers • Small tray or basket • Warmed in the dryer
Prepare a small bundle of three clean, dry face washers or hand towels and place them in a basket or on a tray. Warm them in a clean clothes dryer for a few minutes just before the session, or use freshly warmed linen from your service’s linen cupboard. Check each towel against the inside of your wrist first: it should feel comfortably warm, never hot. Avoid microwaving towels, as they can heat unevenly.
Offer one towel at a time. The person may fold it, smooth it, hold it in their hands, or place it back in the basket. The two remaining towels give them something else to choose from without overloading the table. Keep it relaxed there is no correct way to do it, and simply holding one warm towel can be enough.
9. Lifelike Soft Touch Baby Doll
Quick Setup: Soft touch doll • Comfortable chair or lap • Follow the person’s choice
For some people, holding a soft baby doll can be a quiet, hands-on option during one-to-one time. Offer the doll without pressure and let the person decide what feels right. They may hold it in their lap, adjust its clothing, gently touch its hair, or simply sit with it for a while. There is no need to explain what they should do or turn it into a role-play activity.
Our Lifelike Soft Touch Baby Doll for Seniors (available in our shop) has a soft cloth body and a weighted, poseable feel for people who enjoy holding something substantial. Always follow the person’s own preferences and care guidance. If they do not seem comfortable or interested, quietly move on to another activity—such as a fidget board, fabric basket, or warm towel—instead.
10. Familiar Music and Large Scarf Movement
Quick Setup: Familiar songs • 2–3 large scarves • Comfortable volume
Choose one familiar song that suits the group and offer a few clean, lightweight large scarves. Some residents may sway a scarf, tap along, hold it in their lap, or simply listen. There is no need to turn it into an exercise class.
If you would like a ready-to-play option, our Sing Along for Seniors videos include familiar songs with large on-screen lyrics, designed for aged-care sessions. Start with one song, keep the volume comfortable, and let people join in as much or as little as they wish. A calm room, familiar music, and a small amount of choice are usually more useful than a crowded, high-energy session.
