Task Mat Activity July Themed - What's in my Picnic Blanket Tactile Activity - Cognitive Fine Motor Task

Bring a hands-on, engaging twist to your July sessions with What’s in My Picnic Basket?, a tactile task mat activity specially designed for older adults in care settings.

This interactive resource encourages residents to build, sort, and place themed items on a picnic blanket mat, supporting fine motor skills, attention, and meaningful engagement through a familiar, seasonal theme.

The activity includes 24 unique cards, each featuring a different picnic selection. Residents choose a card and then place the matching icons into their picnic blanket on the mat, creating a simple yet engaging task that can be adapted to different ability levels.

Included in this resource:
- 24 unique task cards
- 1 picnic blanket mat
- 1 reference page with labeled icons for support
- 1 cut-out page with all icons

We recommend printing both the mat and icons on A3 paper to ensure the pieces are larger, easier to handle, and more accessible for residents with varying dexterity levels.

Please note that this activity does require some preparation, as the activity director will need to print, cut, and laminate the materials for durability and repeated use. Once prepared, it becomes a long-lasting, reusable resource that residents can enjoy again and again.

This is a tactile, hands-on activity designed to promote engagement, encourage conversation around food and picnics, and support cognitive and sensory stimulation in a relaxed, enjoyable way.

This resource is available on its own or as part of our monthly themed packs.

It is included in the July pack, “Freedom July”,  a collection of 20+ ready-to-print activities and décor designed to save you hours of prep while making your month engaging, meaningful, and fun.

Inside the pack, you’ll find a wide variety of engaging resources, including icebreakers, reminiscence chat prompts, games, puzzles, movement activities, creative tasks, and low-prep printables like coloring pages and conversation cards. Everything you need to keep residents active, social, and entertained all month long.