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GINGER'S CREATIVE COSTUMES AND ACTIVITIES
By Ginger Bonner

Rainbow Day

Ever hear of ROY G BIV? It's an acronym for the colors of the rainbow.

• Red
• Orange
• Yellow
• Green
• Blue
• Indigo
• Violet

I remember seeing a double rainbow stretched across the sky one evening at the beach. I 
believed that it was my Grandma watching over me and that felt good. I've always loved rainbows and some people believe that they are a sign .There is a great story about how all the colors of the rainbow started arguing that they were each the best for various reasons and then it started to thunder, which caused them to bow down together. The colors realized that even though they were all different, they could be beautiful and get along together despite of  their differences 
 
To read the entire story, check out this site 
www.rainbowpetsitting.com/story.htm
 
Rainbow day is another day that is easy to create. Have the residents (and staff!) wear a solid color of the rainbow that day. I have signs everywhere for a week beforehand. I have a tie-die rainbow shirt I wear 
and I have a few rainbow headpieces. One year, I could not find the shirt and ended up layering the right colored tank tops and had rainbow pig tails. All the rubber band colors come together on a little cardboard for a dollar at the dollar store. 

The main event of the day is the art lesson. I put up white paper on the board and make palettes of all the colors of paint on paper plates. You can also use watercolor or crayon sets, also for $1 each. You may even have some already in your art and crafts closet. Set the tables and chairs so that everyone can see the board. You can tell the story as you paint the colors or use it at another time during the day. I slowly paint each color and wait until everyone is finished with that color before going on to the next. All rainbows are beautiful. There is no wrong. Act as if every painting is absolutely the most  beautiful thing you have ever seen, and once these colors are together, you will be sure that there is  no such thing as an ugly rainbow!

There are also awesome colorful quotes about rainbows at  www.brainyquote.com/words/ra/rainbow209906.html  One of my favorites  is an old Irish blessing that I wish for everyone reading this:

May God give you...
For every storm a rainbow
For every tear a smile
For every care a promise and a blessing in each trial
For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”

~ Irish Blessing    

Wikipedia also has an explanation of what actually forms a rainbow and makes for a successful discussion group. The youthful country singer Dolly Parton who once said , "The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain." Dolly Parton knows that we have to take the good with the bad. But if we all work together, like the rainbow, there will be more rainbows than rain!  

Happy Rainbow Day!