[Care Facilities] New Year Recreational Activities for Everyone: Games and Events to Welcome the New Year with Smiles

Sugoroku gameNEW!

Day Service Gyoda Ainoshoubouan Sugoroku Game (^^♪

Let’s get moving and loosen up bodies that tend to stiffen in the cold while enjoying a game of sugoroku! This handmade sugoroku board has instructions in each space, such as “march in place 15 times,” “lift your toes 20 times,” and “juggle a beanbag 10 times.” Have older adults roll the die and do what’s written in the space they land on.

No matter where they land, they’ll get moderate physical activity, making it a great way to combat lack of exercise.

When you actually make this sugoroku, be sure to write activities in the spaces that can be done while seated in a chair.

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sasashina

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Handmade kendamaNEW!

Day Service Kumagaya Nozomi no Koubouan Kendama

Would you like to try playing with a kendama made from paper cups? Surprisingly many people were into kendama as kids, and once you try it again as an adult, you can’t help but get hooked.

Prepare two paper cups, stick them together bottom to bottom, and tape on a string with a ball attached.

That’s all it takes to complete your kendama! If you can get the ball into the paper cup, you succeed—so give it a try.

Once you can drop the ball in from a hanging position, challenge yourself to move it from one paper cup to the other!

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sasashina

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Hatsumode at a handmade shrine

[New Year] Would you like to take a peek at a nursing home's first shrine visit?

By creating a shrine inside the facility and having residents pay their first visit of the New Year there, older adults can enjoy the experience.

Let facility staff or the seniors themselves play the roles of shrine maiden and priest.

First, purify the hands, then make an offering and prayer, draw an omikuji fortune, and head home.

Making authentic-looking omikuji will enhance the sense of realism.

Having an extraordinary experience in the familiar facility can feel refreshing and be a lot of fun.

It might also be enjoyable to make goshuin stamp books or protective amulets.

Please give it a try.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Good Luck Fortune Slip

[New Year Activity] [Day Service Recreation] Good-Luck Omikuji × Exercise [Care Recreation You Can Do in January]

It’s said to be good luck to draw an omikuji (fortune slip) at New Year’s to test your luck for the coming year.

While it’s best to draw one during the first shrine visit of the year, many older adults may find it difficult to go.

In such cases, we recommend a “good-luck omikuji” activity that can be easily done in senior care facilities.

It’s simple to do indoors, so it’s reassuring.

Having seniors draw omikuji one by one is exciting because it reveals their fortunes for the year.

Light exercises are also incorporated, which may contribute to both mental and physical well-being.

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Nanaka

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mochi pounding

[Senior Activity] Full-swing mochi pounding—even though I’m pretty sure they have back pain…

Seeing the mallet and mortar for mochi pounding gets seniors excited, too.

As the saying goes, “Old skills die hard,” the body remembers what it learned long ago no matter how old we get.

Try linking it with fun New Year’s memories and enjoy it together.

Raise your voices with calls like “Sore!” and “Yoisho!” to liven up the recreation.

Even those who usually find it a hassle to move because of back pain might suddenly forget all about it!

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hiyori

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New Year’s Quiz

[For Senior Facilities • Brain Training • Quiz] Everyone, give it a try! New Year’s Quiz ⭐ 8 Questions ⭐ Recommended for exercise breaks or between activities ⭐

How about a New Year quiz that’s perfect for activities in senior facilities in January? This video features a variety of quiz questions related to January.

Even seniors with a wealth of knowledge might encounter something new! Brain training can help improve cognitive function and may help prevent dementia.

Individual matches can get exciting, but turning it into a team competition is also recommended, as it encourages communication among participants.

Enjoy brain training and put it to good use for dementia prevention!

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moko

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New Year’s Song Exercise

New Year Singing Exercise for Seniors and Older Adults: Full-Body Rhythm Exercise You Can Do While Seated – Ichigatsu Tsuitachi (January 1st)

Let’s move our bodies to songs with a New Year’s theme, enjoy the season, and aim for fun, healthy living.

Use children’s songs like “Oshogatsu”; since the movements match the lyrics, familiar tunes make it easier to picture the actions.

We tend to focus on hand movements like clapping, but be sure to include steps and gentle swaying to keep the rhythm, engaging the whole body.

Start by checking the movements at a slow tempo, then gradually speed up the tempo to help everyone feel the rhythm—this flow is recommended.

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kappamaki

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