Activities and daily life at The Firs
Choosing a care home is partly about care and partly about what an ordinary day will feel like for your parent. At The Firs Residential Home in Breaston, activities are planned around the 28 people who live here, their interests and what they tell us they want to do. This page explains how activities work, what residents have enjoyed recently, and how families and people staying for respite can join in.
Our weekly activity planner
Our Activities Coordinator, Amelia, puts together a weekly activity planner, which we share on our Facebook page so families can see what is coming up. Each month we also publish a roundup of what has happened on our Life at The Firs page.
Residents help shape the planner. A residents' meeting is held each month, where people share ideas, look ahead to upcoming activities and suggest improvements to the home, and in one recent meeting they reviewed the dinner options too.
Activities in care homes should suit the person
Some residents like a lively group session, others prefer to watch or join in for a few minutes. The planner mixes group activities with quieter options so that each resident can take part in the way that suits them.
Games and gentle exercise
Bingo afternoons are a firm favourite, with themed versions for Valentine's Day and Easter. Balloon tennis and bean bag toss games offer gentle movement and plenty of laughter. Derby County Community Trust has run weekly boccia sessions with residents, along with group exercise and movement-based games, and during the Winter Olympics residents took part in snowball-throwing and hoop challenges.
Music, films and entertainment
A volunteer leads regular music sessions, with singing along to familiar tunes. Visiting entertainers also come in: for VE Day, a singer performed wartime classics, followed by an afternoon tea party. Movie afternoons come with popcorn and sweets.
Creative activities
Recent craft sessions have included painting plant pots for the garden, decorating Easter bonnets, making Easter cards, colouring, and wool-wrapped heart decorations for Valentine's Day. Residents have also made forget-me-not decorations for a charity bake sale.
Themed days
Themed days are built around the calendar. Recent examples include St David's Day, St Patrick's Day with live music and a themed meal, Cinco de Mayo with Mexican-inspired food, National Tea Day, Earth Day and St George's Day, and a Wizard of Oz "Yellow Brick Road" afternoon in September 2026.
Gardening and nature
The garden is used whenever the weather allows. Residents have helped with planting and weeding, topped up the bird feeders and looked after the bee sanctuary. One spring, residents watched caterpillars turn into butterflies and then released them in the garden.
Dementia-friendly activities
For people living with dementia, activities are adapted to each person's abilities and interests. Sessions include reminiscence, music, arts and crafts, gentle exercise and sensory activities. "All About Me" posters help staff understand each resident's history, likes and routines, and were updated during Dementia Action Week, when the home also held a bake sale for Dementia UK. Our team includes Dementia Champions, and staff complete experiential dementia training. Read more on our dementia care page.
Quieter options for people who prefer them
Not everyone wants to join a group, and joining in is always a choice. Quieter options on the planner include colouring, film afternoons and time in the garden topping up the bird feeders. Regular pamper sessions offer manicures and hair styling, and our hairdresser visits every Wednesday.
Visitors from the village
Being in the centre of Breaston means the community comes to us. St Michael's Church holds a monthly service at the home with hymns and prayers. Children from Breaston Preschool and Breaston Wrap Around Care have visited to play games and read stories with residents. Breaston Repair Café has run a jigsaw exchange, repaired a resident's cardigan and delivers flowers each month. Therapy dogs visit for "Pause with Paws" pet therapy sessions, which residents find calming.
Trips, walks and wishes
Residents enjoy park walks and walks around Breaston when the weather allows. Our Wish Tree grants individual residents' wishes, which have recently included a countryside walk, a full day of pampering, a café trip for pancakes, and a shopping trip that finished at Birds Bakery for coffee and a treat.
Celebrations and community events
Birthdays are celebrated with cake, gifts and family visits. Recent events include our Summer Fayre in July. Pancake Day, Easter and Valentine's Day each brought their own treats, from a three-course Valentine's meal to pancakes with lemon and sugar or chocolate sauce.
Meals and mealtimes
Three home-cooked meals a day are included in the fee. All meals are prepared on site by trained cooks, and menus are built around seasonal produce and traditional British favourites. Residents choose from the menu options and are invited to suggest their own favourites. Meals are served at set times each day, which gives structure and familiarity, and staff are close by to offer discreet support where it is needed.
The kitchen team caters for dietary needs such as diabetes, swallowing difficulties and low-fat or low-salt diets, and works closely with care staff and healthcare professionals. Themed days usually come with a themed meal.
Respite guests are welcome to join in
People staying with us for respite are welcome to join in with any activity on the weekly planner. A short stay can also be a good way to see whether The Firs would suit your relative longer term. See our respite care page for how short stays work.
How families can join in
Families are welcome to join in with activities during visiting hours, 9am to 10pm every day. Following our Facebook page is the easiest way to see the weekly planner and photos from recent events.
To see the home and meet Amelia and the team, call us on 01332 872535 or email director@thefirsderby.co.uk to arrange a visit.
You may also find these pages helpful:
Frequently asked questions