Morning Spark: Person‑Centered Activities for All Levels of Dementia for 5-6 Residents

Caregiver Note

Morning Spark activities are designed to gently wake up the brain, support confidence, and create a positive start to the day. Each activity is visual, simple to follow, and adaptable for early, middle, and late stages of dementia. The goal is not perfection—it’s engagement, connection, and success.

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Missing Letters (Early–Middle Stage)

Supports reading, word recall, and visual recognition.

• Start with the picture, then guide their eyes to the word.
• Offer only the letters needed for success, or increase challenge with extra tiles.
• Use encouraging cues: “Let’s figure this one out together.”
• Praise effort: “You noticed that right away.”

Why it works:
It taps into long‑held reading skills and builds confidence early in the day.

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Matching Activities (All Levels)

Includes picture‑to‑picture or picture‑to‑word matching.

• Early–middle stage: allow reading aloud if they enjoy it.
• Middle–late stage: focus on simple, colorful image matching.
• Gentle prompts help: “Which ones look the same?”

Why it works:
Matching is familiar, calming, and accessible for nearly every resident. Give the late-stage resident one matching page and hand them the tiles one by one.

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Word Search (Early–Middle Stage)

A simplified, dementia‑friendly version that supports scanning, attention, and pattern recognition.

• Point out the theme first (e.g., “Summer words”).
• Offer help finding the first word to build momentum.
• Keep the grid small to avoid overwhelm.

Why it works:
Residents enjoy the sense of accomplishment and the familiar puzzle format.

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Maze Activity (Early–Middle Stage)

A simple, single‑path maze that encourages visual tracking and problem‑solving.

• Start by tracing the first step with your finger.
• Offer reassurance: “There’s no rush—we’re just exploring the path.”
• Celebrate completion, even if they needed help.

Why it works:
Mazes provide gentle cognitive stimulation without pressure.

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Caregiver Tips for Success

• Keep it relaxed. A calm tone helps residents feel safe and willing to try.
• Model first. Demonstrate one example before inviting them to continue.
• Offer choice. “Would you like matching or a word search today?”
• Step back when needed. Some residents engage better with quiet space.
• End on a win. Stop while they’re still feeling successful and confident.

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The Heart of Morning Spark

These activities are not about right answers—they’re about connection, confidence, and giving each resident a meaningful, person‑centered start to their day.

If you want, I can also create:

• a shorter bulletin‑board version
• a family‑friendly version
• stage‑specific versions (early, middle, late)
• a branded Gift of Enrichment version with your tone and formatting

This activity pack includes:

• NFL teams matching and NFL team tiles 
• Poker chips (25 piece) sorting – matching blue, red, green and white chips (with color images of poker chips).
• 2 missing letters (planets and football) with letter tiles.
• Football word search and a maze.

All pages are laminated.
Price: $30