![[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do](https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/pAUjdoAU0Q8/maxresdefault.webp)
Winter’s cold makes it easy to feel reluctant to go outside, doesn’t it?
In snowy regions, some older adults may find going out difficult in the first place.
These “Seated Activities for Winter” are perfect for such seniors!
We’ve gathered exercises and games you can enjoy safely and comfortably in a warm indoor setting.
From activities that move the legs and hands while seated to those with brain-training elements, they help keep the body active and support dementia prevention.
We hope these ideas help you enjoyably get through the rest of this bitterly cold winter!
- [For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Introducing Whiteboard Activities to Enjoy in Winter!
- [For Seniors] Get Through the Chilly February! Recommended Health-Themed Recreations
- For Seniors: December Health Topics — Winter Recreational Activities to Warm the Body and the Heart
- [Seated] Fun Health Exercises for Older Adults and Seniors
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
- [For Seniors] Recommended Easy Strength Training
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple, Recommended Crafts
- For seniors: Enjoyable exercises done while seated, accessible for wheelchair users.
- [For seniors] January health topics: A roundup of popular recreational activities from exercises and crafts to New Year’s games
- Recommended Indoor Exercises for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Exercises You Can Do While Seated
- [For Seniors] Winter Haiku: Introducing Beautiful Masterpieces by Famous Haiku Poets
[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities (1–10)
Bean-throwing season’s “Hit, Put On, Rock-Paper-Scissors, Pon!”
‘Whack-a-Helmet Rock-Paper-Scissors’ is a game everyone played as a kid.
You play rock-paper-scissors; the winner tries to whack the loser on the head, and the loser tries to block it before getting hit.
People often use a squeaky toy hammer as the striking tool, but to get into the Setsubun spirit, let’s try using an oni’s club instead.
Of course, it’s just a soft, inflatable club, so there’s no need to worry about injuries.
Even so, just in case, the loser should defend themselves with a cushion or a helmet.
The first person to land a hit on their opponent wins.
Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre
@e6u42 [Day Service Center E-Yu] The Tango of the Red Ogre and the Blue Ogre#Asahikawa#Asahikawatranslation#WelfareCaregiverCaregivingElderlyNurse#CareManagerCare ManagerHome-visit nursingHelper RecruitmentCaregiver recruitment#AssistiveDevices#WantToConnectWithCaregiversResidential fee-based nursing homeLikeLike-backLooking for followsFollow meTranslationDay service recreation#vr360-degree cameraLooking for followsSetsubunDemon#Setsubun Bento
♬ Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun Fun – Parry Gripp
The Red Ogre and Blue Ogre Tango is a game that uses your hands and also works as a visual exercise.
Prepare several cards on the table, each with illustrations of a red ogre on one side and a blue ogre on the other.
When someone says “red,” flip each card so the red ogre side is facing up.
When they say “blue,” flip them to the opposite side.
Don’t stack the cards—spread them out in different positions so it also becomes a mental exercise to locate the cards.
A faster, more energetic call-and-response might make the game even more exciting.
Have fun and give it a try!
Snowball Fight Game
@hirose_ds TranslationCaregivingElderlyRecreation#2021New Year's partySnowball fightBalloonTerritory capture
♬ Starman (2012 Remaster) – David Bowie
When it comes to winter snow play, nothing beats a snowball fight! Many of us played as kids and ended up covered in snow.
Here’s an event that brings back those fun memories: a snowball-fight game using balloons.
Put tape down the center of the room to divide it into two sides.
Place several inflated balloons on the tape, and at the starting signal, throw “snowballs” to knock the balloons over to the other team’s side.
When the game ends, the team that has moved more balloons into the opponent’s territory wins.
Throw lots of snowballs, get moving, and feel like a kid again!
Onigiri Kororin Game
It’s a game where you wind a string around an empty plastic wrap core in your hand to reel in a rice-ball motif that’s placed on a paper plate at the other end.
There are obstacles set up along the path, so carefully wind the string to prevent the rice ball from rolling away.
If you make it a head-to-head match with people lined up side by side, players will focus not only on careful control but also on speed, which is highly recommended.
It’s a game that trains various skills, such as the winding hand movement and concentration on the rice ball in the distance.
Let’s make flowers bloom on a withered tree.
It’s a game where you throw balls softly wrapped in pink paper at a tree-themed target, as if making blossoms bloom on a withered tree.
Paper plates placed on the branches have point values written on them, and players aim both for high scores and for decorating the tree.
The farther the target, the higher the points, so encourage players to focus on controlling their throwing strength to make the ball reach that far.
Since making blossoms bloom on the withered tree is also a major theme, adding rules like doubling the score if you land a ball on every branch could make it even more fun.
foot bath
As December arrives, the winter chill really starts to set in, and the desire to warm up grows stronger, doesn’t it? A great health practice that helps you get through the cold—and is perfect for relaxation—is a foot bath.
It’s simple: just soak your feet in warm water.
Warming your feet improves circulation and helps warm your entire body.
You can enjoy it in various ways, like taking your time while chatting, or adding bath salts to enjoy the fragrance—there are plenty of versatile options.
Ping-pong catch
It’s a game where you try to skillfully catch a ping-pong ball that’s bouncing toward you using paper cups held in both hands.
Despite its simplicity, it incorporates various training elements, such as the concentration needed to read the ball’s movement and the way you move the cups to match it.
Predicting the ball’s trajectory also leads to more reliable catches, helping players sharpen their focus in a split second.
To encourage quick hand movements, it’s recommended to challenge players with ping-pong balls at a variety of speeds.