[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] Recommended in December! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreational Activities (31–40)
Valentine Game
Place colorful cans on a base framed by a heart—a classic Valentine’s motif—and have the person on the opposite side pull a string to reel the base toward themselves.
It’s a trust-based game that tests how many cans you can stack and whether you can bring them over without dropping them.
There are also steps and bumps along the pulling path, so pay attention to how you arrange the cans to keep them from falling when going over obstacles.
Balance in placing the cans and control of force while pulling may be the key elements.
Paper cup launcher
It’s a game where you swing a stick made of newspaper to launch a paper cup placed on the tip forward, and compete on how far it flies.
Your ability to control force is tested—how you swing determines how well the power transfers to the cup and how far it goes.
Just swinging with brute force won’t work, so pay attention to where you start the swing, when you stop it, and the angle.
Through the game, you’ll also get good movement in your upper body, especially around the shoulders, which is another key benefit.
Don’t Drop the Green Ball Game
This is a game where you skillfully move a piece of cardboard with a hole in the center to drop all the balls on top except the green one.
The key point is not to let the green ball fall, which really tests your delicate control as you maneuver multiple balls.
Once you get used to it, it’s fun to add variations like deciding the order in which you drop the balls, which encourages even finer control.
The ease of control also changes depending on the size of the cardboard, so trying out various setups could be interesting too.
Santa Claus the Scatterbrain
This is a fun dance set to the song “Awatenbō no Santa Claus,” which comically portrays Santa Claus.
It’s a full-body dance, but since the lower body mainly uses step-like movements to catch the rhythm, it should be easy to do even while seated.
The choreography reproduces the lyrics through arm movements, with the key being to express the comical world through big, expressive gestures.
To convey the joyful spirit of Christmas, I also recommend not only making your movements large but singing along as you move your body.
New Year picture karuta making
December is the year-end season when we get ready for New Year’s.
Let’s make an original karuta game you can play during the holiday.
Decide on the starting letter, then draw illustrations to match it—this process helps build thinking skills.
If you include not only the words but also short stories or episodes related to each motif, you can share memories and make it even more fun.
It’s also great to actually play with the karuta you create: you’ll move your whole body while training concentration and quick reflexes.
[For Seniors] Recommended in December! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreational Activities (41–50)
Silent Night
Let’s move our bodies along with Silent Night, a hymn that carries the sacred air of Christmas.
The tempo of the song is very gentle, so you can focus on making big, deliberate movements.
In a simple routine centered on bending and stretching, it’s also important to incorporate gestures like a prayer pose to help everyone feel the Christmas atmosphere.
Since this exercise emphasizes upper-body movements, it puts relatively little strain on the legs and lower back even when done standing—an important point to note.
Keep good posture in mind and move your body with broad, expansive motions.
Winter Wonderland
One of the Christmas songs that seem to be heard from out of nowhere when winter comes is “Winter Wonderland.” Its bright sound and lively rhythm create a cheerful, exciting atmosphere.
Although the song originated in the United States, it has been translated into various languages and is sung all around the world.
Even if you remain seated, moving your upper body broadly or stepping your feet can serve as a stretch and a moderate amount of exercise, so I recommend it.
I think it’s a song that even older adults are familiar with, so why not include it in your Christmas recreation activities?
