[For Seniors] Recommended Events for February: Fun Ideas to Fill Everyone with Smiles

Bean Grabbing Game

Handmade Toy: A Bean-Picking Game for Setsubun That Lets You Practice Using Chopsticks

This is a bean-picking game that stimulates your fingertips with chopsticks and helps activate the brain! The rules are very simple: use chopsticks to move beans from one plate to the other.

But don’t underestimate Setsubun beans! Even if you’re focused, gripping small, hard beans with the thin tips of chopsticks can be quite challenging.

Still, to keep enjoying delicious meals throughout life, it’s important to be able to use chopsticks independently to bring food to your mouth.

Through this recreational activity, you can increase opportunities to use chopsticks without it feeling like training or a chore.

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yuri

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February Song Exercise

February 2024 Reiwa 6 elderly seated singing exercises rhythm exercises day service recreation chair exercises children's songs nursery rhymes February 2024

Exercises that move the body in time with music that evokes winter can make physical activity enjoyable by feeling the sounds.

It’s important to have people move while firmly sensing the rhythm so they can connect it to smooth movements in daily life.

When using children’s songs, having participants sing while doing the exercises may stimulate the brain by doing two things at once.

Choosing songs with a slow tempo and having people take their time to stretch thoroughly is also a key point.

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kappamaki

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Holly Herring, Demons, and Plum Blossoms

[Craft Idea] Setsubun Crafts: Holly-Iwashi, Oni, and Plum Blossoms — Japanese Event Crafting (February) (Senior Recreation) (Early Childhood Learning) (Wall Decorations) (Creative) (Origami) (ogre) (origami) (paper straws)

For a February recreation activity, how about making wall decorations featuring holly-sardine charms, ogres, and plum blossoms? They’re easy to craft using origami and drinking straws.

For the holly-sardine charm, make the face with origami and use a straw to represent the body.

Create the ogres and plum blossoms with origami as well.

Older adults should enjoy working on this, too.

Fine finger movements involved in detailed tasks can also help stimulate the brain.

The result will be lovely pieces that capture the spirit of Setsubun.

Once the decorations are finished and put up on the wall, some seniors may feel a sense of the season and grow attached to them.

Let’s enjoy making them together and build excitement for Setsubun.

February wall decorations

Kimie Gangi February wall decoration (making use of New Year’s decorations)

Let’s brighten up your room with wall decorations that will make you long for the balmy days of spring! Create and display origami flowers that bloom in February—like daffodils, plum blossoms, and daphne—and even get a little head start with peach blossom motifs essential for Hinamatsuri.

Adorning your walls with a colorful array of early-spring flowers can lift your spirits and help you get through chilly February with energy.

If you keep the overall palette in gentle warm tones, it’ll be even easier to recreate a cozy spring atmosphere.

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yuri

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Bean-Scattering Exercise Dance

Perfect for Setsubun! The ‘Mame-maki’ exercise dance! #ExerciseDance #DayService #Recreation

This is an exercise that lets you feel a Setsubun-themed story with your whole body, inspired by bean-throwing to drive away demons.

Split into two parts—the person throwing the beans and the demon receiving them—and recreate each one’s look and movements.

It’s important to include stepping motions while seated, keeping a steady rhythm to engage the whole body.

When throwing beans, wear a smile as if inviting in good fortune; when portraying the demon, make a scary face that suggests mischief.

Focusing on facial expressions is also recommended to bring awareness to the facial muscles.

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kappamaki

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Making a cat strap

Easy 100-yen shop “How to Make a Cat Strap” with paper clay — How to

Cat keychains made from paper clay are easy to try because you can get all the materials, like molds, at 100-yen shops.

Since you can redo your work as many times as you like before the clay hardens, it’s also great finger exercise for seniors.

Painting original expressions and patterns with paints will create a one-of-a-kind keychain that’s sure to boost everyone’s excitement.

It’s a perfect group activity to liven things up, recommended for an event held in connection with Cat Day on February 22.

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Hoshino Takashi

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Bean-Throwing Game

Setsubun: Make an Oni and Bean-Throwing Game

For Setsubun, bean throwing to drive away demons and bad things is essential, and expressing your wishes through movement and voice can also raise health awareness.

This idea adds a game-like element to that important Setsubun tradition to make wishing for good health more fun.

The base materials are a paper plate and paper cups: use the paper plate to make an oni (demon) by attaching origami or yarn, then set it on paper cups marked with point values.

Line them up, throw beans, and compete for points.

It’s a game that naturally focuses attention on controlling strength—figuring out how to throw to aim for higher scores.

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kappamaki

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