Kentucky Derby Day

(The first Saturday in May)

One fun activity for women is the construction of the big hats, a must for those fashionable ladies attending the race. Big brimmed summer hats can usually be obtained from a dollar store or a hobby store for very little money. While there, also purchase several bunches of inexpensive imitation flowers. Back at your facility, participants in hat construction choose their favorite hat and the flowers they would like to attach. Hot glue works best so close supervision is required. Once the hats are complete, the ladies may keep them safely stored until the big day.

If you already have a men’s group, the following activity might be appropriate and you could hold this activity at the same time the ladies are constructing their hats.

“Name That Horse”: Participants gather around the table. The moderator will have a prepared list of horses names, some real, many not, and be equipped with a stack of poker chips. The game entails the choosing of the correct name of a Kentucky Derby winner given 3 or 4 choices read by the moderator. Each participant makes a choice each time and those who choose correctly are given a chip. Chips are counted at the end of the game to see who has the most “horse sense”.

The Game can be modified to an easier version by using only three horse names and printing the names on a dry erase board each time. Click the images below to access Derby Fun!