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[For seniors] January health topics: A roundup of popular recreational activities from exercises and crafts to New Year’s games
January marks the start of a new year—a season when we all want to refresh both mind and body.
Traditional New Year’s games like hanetsuki (badminton-like paddle game), kendama (cup-and-ball), and snowball fights are actually packed with elements that promote health.
You can try your luck with an omikuji fortune slip, clear your head with a daruma-otoshi game, or get moving with sing-and-exercise routines.
This time, we’re sharing ideas that let you enjoy the festive New Year atmosphere while also stimulating the brain and encouraging physical activity.
Savor the New Year spirit and enjoy moments that leave you feeling energized in both mind and body!
[For Seniors] January Health Topics: A roundup of popular recreational activities—from exercises and crafts to New Year’s games (1–10)
Foot-stepping kite flying
Let’s try a kite-lifting foot-stepping game that also works your lower body.
Attach a kite-shaped piece of construction paper to a long piece of yarn.
You can’t see the back structure in the video, but it likely uses the same mechanism as a “climbing figure,” so use a straw or similar parts to build it.
Once the kite is attached, make loops at both ends of the yarn and, while seated, place your feet through the loops.
Hook the middle of the yarn onto a high point, and the game begins! As you step your feet, friction will make the kite rise upward.
Set a time limit or play with multiple people to see who comes out on top.
Omikuji game
How about enjoying a fortune-telling omikuji game? Put sticks marked with numbers into a plastic bottle, then shake and try to get as many sticks out as you can within the time limit.
Compete on how many sticks you got out or the total of the numbers on them.
At the end, choose one of the sticks you drew and receive the matching-number omikuji to enjoy your fortune.
Shaking harder doesn’t necessarily get more sticks out, so think about how to move it to draw more effectively as you play.
Decorate the plastic bottle to give it an omikuji feel.
How much should I offer (at the shrine)?
I think many people make an offering when they visit a shrine for their first visit of the year.
This is a game themed around that offering.
First, prepare a donation box made of cardboard and some coins.
Have a variety of coins ready, such as 5-yen, 10-yen, 50-yen, and 100-yen pieces.
When the game starts, you throw the coins into the donation box.
Strings are stretched across the opening of the box, so if a coin lands on top of them, it won’t fall inside.
Pay attention to your throwing angle and speed, and try to get as much money as possible into the box within the time limit.
But remember: when you make a real offering at a shrine, you must not throw your coins.
10-minute morning exercise
It’s hard to get your body moving in the morning, isn’t it? And everyone feels a bit groggy right after waking up.
At times like that, try some quick exercises to wake up your body and brain.
First, bring the fingertips of both hands together, then spin the opposing fingers in circles as if they’re playing tag.
Do this from the thumbs to the little fingers.
Next, move the muscles in your face, such as by opening your mouth wide.
Finally, use both your hands and feet for a full-body exercise.
If you’re an older adult, please prioritize safety and try these exercises while seated.
New Year’s Letter Rearrangement Quiz
We’d like to introduce the “New Year Word Unscramble Quiz,” which features words related to the New Year! Rearrange the given characters to form the specified word or sentence.
Because it requires memorizing the characters and putting them in the correct order, it’s used as a brain-training activity in day service centers and senior care facilities.
Simply incorporating New Year elements into the word scramble adds a seasonal touch.
You can adjust the difficulty by changing the number of characters.
Start with 3- or 4-character words and gradually increase the difficulty!
Ema making
Speaking of New Year’s, the first shrine visit comes to mind, doesn’t it? But with the big crowds and the cold, many older people may find it hard to go outside.
This ema-making activity is something you can enjoy in a warm room.
You can make an ema for someone, or handcraft one yourself—it’s fun either way.
Once your ema is ready, write your resolutions, goals, or things you want to do this year! By writing your resolutions and goals on the ema with a forward-looking mindset, you can feel motivated to live a healthy and enjoyable life from here on out.
Give it a try together and have fun making them!
Perfect rhythm exercises you can do while seated, ideal for New Year’s and Setsubun
January is still bitterly cold, and it’s hard to get outside, isn’t it? So how about doing some exercises indoors to make up for the lack of activity? These exercises are set to music perfect for the New Year.
The songs are “Oshōgatsu” and “Ichigatsu Tsuitachi,” and the choreography is different for each.
While seated, you can slowly bend and extend your knees, clap your hands, and move both arms up from the shoulders or forward—simple moves that will thoroughly loosen up your whole body.
It’s a routine anyone can try, so give it a go within a comfortable range.