[For seniors] January health topics: A roundup of popular recreational activities from exercises and crafts to New Year’s games

New Year decorations making

[New Year’s Craft] Make New Year decorations with origami and tissue paper♪

Let’s make a festive New Year’s decoration you’ll want to display in your room.

This piece is completed by attaching red-and-white flowers, a “Geshun” (Welcoming Spring) tag, and mizuhiki cord ornaments onto a fan base.

You can tie the mizuhiki yourself, or purchase a shape you like from a 100-yen shop.

For the fan, first join two sheets of plain origami paper vertically, then adhere narrow strips of washi-patterned origami along the left and right edges.

Accordion-fold the paper, shape it into a fan, and glue the necessary points to hold the form.

For the red-and-white flowers, stack several sheets of tissue paper, accordion-fold them, secure the center with wire, then gently separate each layer to form the flower.

Make the “Geshun” tag by writing the characters on paper and mounting it on gold origami.

Finally, attach all the parts to the fan in a balanced arrangement, and your decoration is complete!

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sasashina

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Karaoke Contest

Day Service Howdy’s Community Center Event (2): Karaoke Contest

Projecting your voice from the diaphragm is said to be good for your health.

Karaoke is also very popular as a recreation at day-service centers and as a regular event at senior facilities.

Singing is enjoyable on its own, but since it’s January, it would surely be fun to focus on a theme like “songs about January” or “winter songs.” There are rental karaoke sets that display scores, so it might be nice for music lovers to gather and hold a karaoke contest together.

If you’re shy about singing solo, it’s also fun to form a unit and sing like The Peanuts or Candies!

first calligraphy of the year

[Even Beginners Can Do It] How to Do Kakizome (New Year’s Calligraphy) | New Year’s Edition

Kakizome is a New Year’s tradition that has continued since the Heian period.

Many people probably wrote one every year in elementary school.

Some may think it has to be written in kanji, but in fact there isn’t a strict definition.

It can be characters or pictures.

There’s also a saying that what you write will improve, or that the wishes you put into it will come true, so keep that in mind.

First, try writing anything you like.

By the way, it’s common to ceremonially burn the kakizome paper by January 15.

Please use this as a reference.

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yamamoto

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Snowball fight

Day Service Okoshiyasu Snowball Fight ⛄️❄️

Snowball fights are a common pastime in snowy regions.

How about trying one this January? Let’s enjoy an indoor “snowball fight” using paper snowballs made by crumpling white paper.

In senior facilities, it could be fun to make it a team competition, like dodgeball, where players try to hit each other.

For those living in areas with little snowfall, a snowball fight might feel fresh and exciting.

You could also spice it up by arranging a game where players aim their “snowballs” at prizes like snacks, treating them as the enemy—sure to get everyone energized!

poetry karuta

[Senior Recreation] Rec Craftsman Series Part 195: 'Song Karuta' [Songs/Lyrics/Intros/Quiz/Karaoke/Brain Training]

For older adults, talking and singing are very effective for maintaining oral functions! A group recreation everyone can enjoy is “Uta Karuta” (Song Karuta).

Use the song titles as the grabbing cards and the lyrics as the reading cards.

Have facility staff sing the reading cards.

If singing is difficult, playing the music is fine too.

We recommend selecting mainly familiar Showa-era songs.

It’s also wonderful to share memories related to the songs! Please make good use of this for New Year’s activities and events.

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miyabi

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Mochi Flipping Game

Mochi Flipping Game

Speaking of January, we tend to have more opportunities to eat mochi, don’t we? During the New Year, it’s considered lucky to eat round mochi.

They say mochi that stretches long without breaking also carries a wish for longevity.

This time, we’re introducing a game that uses mochi.

You place the mochi on a mesh rack and flip them over.

There are points written on the underside, so let’s all compete to get the highest score! Playing this game will make you crave piping-hot mochi, so it’s likely to whet your appetite, too.

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Nanaka

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Daruma-otoshi

I tried playing Daruma Otoshi during the New Year’s 🎍🎍 recreation!

Speaking of Daruma Otoshi, it’s a classic New Year’s game, isn’t it? Many seniors probably grew up playing it, too.

Let’s knock out the lower blocks one by one without toppling the Daruma sitting on top of the stacked boxes! The key is to strike quickly and decisively with the stick.

It feels great when you can do it smoothly without dropping the Daruma.

If the Daruma stays upright to the end, it feels like the year is going to be a lucky one.

Doing it together while chatting is also good for boosting immunity.

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Nanaka

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