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[For Seniors] Get Through the Chilly February! Recommended Health-Themed Recreations
Compared to January, February gradually becomes warmer, but in some regions the cold still lingers, doesn’t it?
In fact, it’s said that infectious diseases like influenza and norovirus peak through February, and the incidence of strokes also increases nationwide up to February.
This time, we’re introducing recreation activities to help you get through the still-chilly season with a smile!
February also includes events like Valentine’s Day and Setsubun, and with a bit of creativity, older adults can enjoy and actively take part.
Be sure to make use of these in day services and senior facilities!
[For Seniors] Get Through Chilly February! Recommended Health-Themed Recreational Activities (1–10)
Defeat the demons and bring out good fortune gameNEW!
https://www.tiktok.com/@e6u42/video/7330831004527070482It’s a target game where plastic bottles filled with water have illustrations of demons stuck on them, and you knock them down by throwing beanbags or balls.
The fun part is how well the “Bring out good fortune” aspect of the game’s title is incorporated.
When a bottle falls, an illustration of Okame on the bottom becomes visible.
It has a score written on it, so you’ll want to reveal a high-scoring Okame—but you won’t know the score unless you knock it down.
It’s a fun game that tests your luck, so be sure to play it for Setsubun!
Snack Activity: Oni Cream PuffsNEW!
Give your usual snack a Setsubun twist! Here’s an idea for making oni (demons) with store-bought cream puffs.
Imagine the cream puff as a face, then pipe colored whipped cream on top to make the hair.
Draw the eyes and mouth with a chocolate pen.
Finally, stick in cone-shaped pieces as the horns to finish—but it’s recommended to let the seniors handle the final touches! Let them freely design whether it’s a one-horned or two-horned oni, and enjoy completing their very own unique demon.
Ehomaki GameNEW!
It’s said that if you eat an entire ehomaki—facing the year’s lucky direction and in complete silence—your wish will come true.
So for Setsubun, let’s enjoy the Ehomaki Game with your wishes in mind! Use black construction paper as the “nori” seaweed, place white paper on top as the “rice,” then add four types of “fillings.” Roll it up, secure it firmly with a rubber band, and pretend to eat it while facing the year’s lucky direction.
Don’t forget to make your wish! If you play this game with multiple people, try competing to see who can finish making theirs the fastest.
Setsubun StrikeoutNEW!
Let’s enjoy a strikeout game—throwing balls to knock out nine targets—with a Setsubun twist.
Normally the panels are numbered 1 through 9, but you can replace them with illustrations of oni (demons) and okame (comedic female masks).
That alone makes it a perfect recreation activity for Setsubun! While strikeout sets can be rented, if you want to customize them, we recommend making your own with cardboard and other materials.
Also, to ensure older adults can participate comfortably, don’t place the throwing line too far from the targets.
Bean-throwing (Mamemaki)NEW!
Bean-throwing, where you chant “Demons out, fortune in” while tossing beans at the oni, is an important traditional event to ward off evil.
Setsubun is synonymous with bean-throwing, and we hope seniors can enjoy it as well.
That said, real beans pose a risk of accidental swallowing, and the person playing the oni can get hurt when hit.
So let’s crumple soft newspaper into bean-like balls and try bean-throwing that way.
Staff can play the oni and bring not evil spirits, but smiles, to the seniors.
Food activity: making Ehomaki (lucky direction sushi rolls)NEW!
For a Setsubun lunch, how about actually making ehomaki? If you’re a woman, you’ve probably made them by hand at least once, so it might bring back fond memories.
Spread a thin layer of rice over the nori and place the fillings on top.
Traditionally, in reference to the Seven Lucky Gods, common fillings include kanpyo (dried gourd strips), tamagoyaki (rolled omelet), cucumber, and shrimp, but it’s a good idea to choose fillings that are easy for older adults to eat.
Once you’ve added the fillings, roll it up and enjoy together.
As you eat, have fun chatting about how it tastes and what kinds of fillings you like.
Demon slayingNEW!
It’s a game where you see how many balls you can throw into a moving oni target.
The oni target has its mouth wide open, with a bag attached at the back to collect the balls.
There are strings attached to the oni’s left and right sides, and pulling these strings up, down, left, and right makes the oni move.
It’s hard to land a ball while it’s moving, so your best chance is that brief moment when it stops before its next move! If there’s a time limit, it might be efficient to toss about three balls in quick succession.
Let’s all work together to defeat the oni!