[Elderly Care Facility] Fun-filled recreational activities for a Christmas party: crafts, rhythmic exercises, games, and even a snack-time activity
Are you looking for recreation ideas to make the Christmas party at a senior facility even more fun and lively? In this article, you’ll find loads of ideas you can enjoy together with older adults—from simple ball games to exercises set to Christmas songs, as well as crafts and snack activities.
We’ve gathered ideas that are easy to prepare and safe to try.
Please take a look and use these Christmas recreation ideas to create a heartwarming time filled with smiles across generations!
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[Elderly Care Facility] Lively recreational activities for a Christmas party: crafts, rhythm exercises, games, and even a snack activity (31–40)
Making snowflakes
These are snowflakes you can make using cotton swabs and yarn! It’s amazing how easily you can create beautiful snowflakes with everyday items.
Snowflakes are, of course, a symbol of winter, so they’re perfect for decorating Christmas trees, wreaths, or party venues.
Plus, since you use your fingers a lot, it’s a great fine-motor exercise, too.
Decorating the Christmas tree with beanbags
At Christmas parties that seniors look forward to, you want to include lively activities and games.
But December, when Christmas takes place, is also a busy time at the end of the year.
So here’s a game that’s easy to prepare and fun for everyone.
Use colored tape on the floor to create the shape of a Christmas tree.
Assign point values starting from the star at the top of the tree down to the planter at the base.
Since seniors will toss beanbags from the bottom of the tree, making the star at the top worth the most points will add excitement.
The beanbags thrown by the participants will color the tree like ornaments.
Because it’s set up as a scoring game, competing for points at the same time will make it even more engaging.
Curling game
This is a curling-themed game where you slide “stones” across a surface, just like throwing stones on ice.
Use a field with Christmas motifs such as trees, and aim for the points drawn on it by flicking stones made from plastic bottle caps.
Create the field illustration by attaching construction paper, but since the edges of the paper can catch the stones if they lift up, it’s recommended to place a clear sheet over everything at the end to smooth out any steps.
If the bottle-cap stones don’t slide well, putting a marble inside adds weight and makes them easier to control.
Experiment with the field size and point layout, and let players enjoy focusing on their shots, adjusting their strength, and strategizing against their opponents.
Bingo game
Bingo games are a classic activity at events.
You might think, “We need a bingo machine and cards…,” but it can be simpler and more enjoyable for older adults to write the names of favorite vegetables or fruits on paper instead of numbers and play bingo that way.
Participants can call out items from their own cards, or you can make separate cards and draw from a box—either method works.
Offering a small prize to those who get bingo would make it even more exciting.
You can also try it with animal names or any theme you like.
scratch art
How about drawing pictures on scratch sheets and turning them into Christmas cards or decorations? Try sketching Christmas-themed illustrations, like Christmas trees, Santa, or reindeer.
Scratch sheets are black paper where you don’t know what colors will appear until you scratch them.
When you rub them with the included stylus, colorful hues emerge.
These days you can easily pick them up at 100-yen shops, so they’re simple to prepare.
If you draw on a larger scratch sheet and display it, it will instantly elevate the Christmas mood.
[Elderly Care Facility] Recreations that liven up a Christmas party: crafts, rhythm exercises, games, and even snack-time activities (41–50)
Snowball Volleyball with Balloons
It’s a volleyball-like game where you hit balloons coming toward you back into the opponent’s court.
Since it’s played in teams while seated, the key point is that it doesn’t put strain on the legs and lower back.
To incorporate it into a Christmas party, try using white balloons that evoke snowballs and decorating around the net with Christmas ornaments to enhance the festive atmosphere.
Because players look up to send the balloon over the net, it encourages extending the back and moving the body.
Lose if you drop the green ball game
One of the big events in December is the Christmas party.
Many older adults probably look forward to it.
At a Christmas party, you want as many seniors as possible to join in the recreation and games.
Here’s an easy, exciting game to try.
Put several colored balls, including green ones, into a box.
Cut a hole in the center of the box that’s the same size as the balls, and drop all the balls except the green ones through the hole.
The rules are simple, but by focusing on not letting the green balls fall, multiple brain functions are engaged at the same time.
This can help train the brain and may offer cognitive training benefits.