A Virtual Tour of Paris

Purpose of the activity

This virtual tour is designed to provide residents with a delightful and stimulating "travel" experience without leaving the comfort of their community. The primary goals are to encourage cognitive engagement through learning and discussion, spark joyful reminiscence of past travels or dreams, and foster social connection among participants. By incorporating sensory elements, this activity also aims to create a multi-sensory journey that awakens the imagination and provides a wonderful escape to one of the world's most beloved cities.

Materials needed

Technology: A laptop, a projector or large-screen television, and speakers for sound.
Presentation: A pre-made slide deck (such as a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation) with high-quality images of 10 key Parisian landmarks. Alternatively, a curated playlist of short, high-definition YouTube videos showcasing each site.
Discussion Guide: A printed list of open-ended questions corresponding to each landmark to facilitate conversation.
Handouts (Optional): Large-print fact sheets about Paris or a simple map of the city showing the location of the featured sites.
Sensory Items (Optional): A playlist of classic French music, fresh croissants or madeleines, coffee or tea, and lightly scented diffusers or sachets with scents like lavender or rose.
Activity Supplies (Optional): A whiteboard and markers to write down simple French phrases.

Estimated duration

45-60 minutes. The length can be easily adjusted by showing more or fewer sites or by spending more or less time on discussion.

Ideal group size

5 to 15 residents. This range is small enough to foster intimate conversation but large enough to create a dynamic group energy.