[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 (41–50)
Easy rhythm exercises for Jingle Bells
This is an exercise routine that emphasizes the fun of moving your body, producing sounds with bells and clapping in time with the music.
By letting the bells ring, participants can fully feel the world of “Jingle Bells.” A key point is which part of the body you strike to sound the bells.
By gradually making the combinations of hands and feet more complex, you can also add a brain-training effect as participants think about what movement comes next.
Rather than focusing on speed, encourage them to perform each movement accurately and use large motions to get their bodies moving thoroughly.
[For Seniors] Recommended in December! Safe and Fun Indoor Recreational Activities (51–60)
Snowball Cookies
How about some crunchy, crumbly snowball cookies? They’re super easy—you only need to heat them in the microwave.
First, mix cake flour and sugar, then add vegetable oil and stir until it forms a dough.
Once the dough is ready, pinch off bite-sized pieces, roll them into balls, and microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds.
That’s almost it—just finish by dusting them with powdered sugar.
Using a plastic bag to mix the dough makes it easy, and pinching and rolling the dough is fun, too.
Most of all, they’re incredibly simple to make, so give them a try!
Christmas exercises with plastic bottles
Let us introduce an exercise using plastic-bottle maracas! It’s fun to put buttons or other small items inside the bottle so it makes sound.
You can enjoy the different sounds depending on what you put in.
The added weight also helps strengthen your arms.
Try moving the arm and the opposite leg at the same time to the rhythm of “Jingle Bells.” We recommend a big reach forward and then return.
Repeating the same motion makes it easy to follow.
Let’s use our brains while moving our whole bodies!
Christmas Exercise for Preventive Care
Even simple brain-training exercises and calisthenics become fun when set to music, and keeping the beat helps make everyday movements smoother.
This time, we’ll do a routine to E-girls’ Christmas song “Merry × Merry Xmas★.” The movements are simple—like rotating the neck and stretching the arms—but directing attention to left and right sides also trains cognitive abilities.
Pay attention to expressing the rhythm and Christmas motifs, and be sure to highlight the fun aspect.
To boost the brain-training effect, try more complex variations, such as switching the combinations of arms and legs mid-song.
Jingle Bell Exercises You Can Do While Seated
While listening to Christmas songs, let me introduce some exercises you can do while seated! Try swaying your body to the lively rhythm of “Jingle Bells.” It’s also fun to use instruments that make sounds, like bells.
In addition to big arm movements, try leaning your body forward and patting your legs.
Lifting your legs and moving them as if marching will increase the intensity.
It’s also a great idea to make it a “Christmas medley” and exercise to a variety of songs! Including a slower-tempo piece in the middle will help you relax.
My lover is Santa Claus
This is an exercise routine set to Yumi Matsutoya’s classic Christmas song “Koi-bito ga Santa Claus” (My Lover Is Santa Claus).
It focuses mainly on upper-body movements, making it accessible even for those who find it difficult to move their legs.
The routine expresses words from the lyrics through body movements, and paying attention to the size of each movement will further enhance the training effect.
It’s also important to focus on how the song conveys the joy of Christmas.
Lightly marching in place to catch the rhythm will help train your legs while also leading to smoother overall movement.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Exercise Dance
This is an exercise routine set to the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” which depicts the relationship between Santa Claus and his reindeer—the symbols of Christmas.
To perform the choreography smoothly, be sure to start only after thoroughly warming up with activities like marching in place and shoulder raises.
Because the movements are gentle and follow the lyrics, it’s important to feel the mood of the music and stay mindful of making large, expressive motions.
Although it’s done while seated, you’ll move your legs as well as your arms at the same time, making it a routine that effectively works the entire body.