[For Seniors] Recommended in December! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreation
December is a busy month at the end of the year.
It’s also a season when the cold is more noticeable and people tend to have fewer opportunities to go outside.
With that in mind, here are some physical activities and crafts for older adults that can be enjoyed indoors where it’s warm.
These are December-themed recreations, so they allow participants to see, feel, and enjoy the season while experiencing a sense of seasonal atmosphere.
They also provide various mental and physical stimulation—moving the body, using the fingers, thinking, and creating opportunities to interact with friends.
Please make good use of these recreations.
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[For Seniors] December Recommendations! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreational Activities (11–20)
Reindeer sleigh tug-of-war
One of the fun events in December is the Christmas party.
How about a Reindeer Sled Tug-of-War to liven things up? It’s a game where you attach strings to snowmen, reindeer, and sleds made from paper or plastic cups and pull them along.
It’s suitable for older adults as well, since they can participate while seated, so many people can enjoy it.
You can make it a team competition to see which sled gets pulled fastest for even more excitement.
Of course, it’s also fun to play by yourself or in a small group.
We also recommend making the sleds and reindeer as a craft activity to use in the game.
Present Balance Game
Christmas is one of the most representative events of December.
When you think of Christmas, you probably imagine presents from Santa Claus.
Some older adults may have memories of giving gifts to their children or grandchildren.
Here’s a game using presents that’s perfect for December recreation.
Make a wobbling stand out of recycled materials and toilet paper rolls.
Then, place box-shaped “presents” made from construction paper onto the gently rocking stand.
It’s a game that can be enjoyed by large groups and also allows individuals to focus and engage on their own.
Matching game
Here’s a “matching picture game” that’s perfect for Christmas recreation at senior care facilities.
All you need are paper, paper cups, and pens, so it’s easy to try.
First, draw Christmas motifs—like Santa or fir trees—on the bottoms of the paper cups.
It can be fun to draw them together with the seniors! Next, prepare a sheet of white paper with a grid, and draw the same images on the grid that you drew on the cups.
The game is simple: find the picture on the grid that matches the one on the cup and place the cup on it.
Try adding elements like a time limit to make it more game-like and exciting!
Ball-toss game
Let’s enjoy a beanbag-toss style game that’s perfect for the Christmas season.
Compete for points by tossing ping-pong balls at illustrations of Christmas trees, Santa Claus, and more.
You can easily make the ball catchers by using toilet paper rolls as the cups.
Form teams of several people to compete—it really livens things up.
It’s also great as a recreation activity for a Christmas party.
Since most of the steps are simple, you can even make the game materials together with older adults.
Origami Santa
How about making Santa Claus at senior care facilities or day service centers? Use two sheets of origami paper—one red and one white.
One sheet will become Santa Claus, and the other will be the gift sack he carries on his back.
After folding, try drawing the face.
It looks cute as a decoration as is, and it would also make a delightful Christmas card.
Cap Tree Challenge
There are many motor and sensory nerves in the hands and fingertips.
Moving your hands and fingertips increases blood flow to the brain, which is expected to help activate the brain and prevent dementia.
For this reason, the hands are sometimes called the second brain.
Let’s enjoy a Christmas-themed game that uses the fingertips a lot.
Use chopsticks to pick up and stack plastic bottle caps covered with colored construction paper or origami.
Setting a time limit will make it even more exciting.
If you play with several people, you can also have fun by making a rule where each person stacks one bottle cap in turn.
[For Seniors] Recommended in December! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreational Activities (21–30)
Treasure Hunt with Paper Cups
Stick pieces of paper with point values on the bottom of paper cups.
Turn them upside down and search to find where the points are hidden.
Collect the cups with points, then add up your total at the end and compete for the highest score.
It’s also cute to decorate the paper cups with colored construction paper or masking tape.