[For Seniors] Recommended Events for February: Fun Ideas to Fill Everyone with Smiles
February still brings lingering cold, but let’s hold events and get through it together with smiles and fun! When it comes to events that liven up February, the classics are Setsubun and Valentine’s Day.
There’s also Cat Day, Mount Fuji Day, and Kabuki Day.
Recreational activities that let you enjoy seasonal traditions with seniors create special moments that warm both heart and body.
From bean-throwing and heart-themed games to exercises full of seasonal flavor, we’ll introduce ideas packed with February-specific touches.
Move your mind and body, and enjoy a time filled with smiles.
- Recreation Ideas for Seniors: Perfect for Setsubun and Bean-Throwing Activities
- For Seniors: Fun Activities in February — Celebrate Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Snow
- [For Seniors] Fun February Crafts: Ideas Inspired by Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Other Events
- [For Day Service Centers] February Craft Ideas: Decorations for Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and the Feeling of Spring
- [For seniors] A handmade calendar you’ll want to make in February
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Brain Training! Valentine’s Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts
- [For Seniors] Recommended February Snack Activities: Easy, Enjoyable Sweet Treat Ideas
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [Day Service] Setsubun decorations that bring smiles. Ideas for enjoying them with a variety of materials.
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Setsubun Crafts! Handmade Ideas Using a Variety of Materials
- For Seniors: Wall Decorations to Brighten Up February — Festive Ideas for Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, Plum Blossoms, and More
- [For Seniors] Hinamatsuri Recreation: Fun Ideas for Games, Crafts, and Snack Making
[For Seniors] Recommended Events for February: Fun Ideas That Bring Out Everyone’s Smiles (21–30)
Setsubun Candy-Grabbing Game
Even older adults might feel like kids again when they hear they can get candy, don’t you think? In this game, you use a tool with rings attached to a string to catch the candies placed on a mat and pull them toward you.
It’s a game you can play while seated, but since you throw the ring and reel the string in using your arms and upper body, it’s simple yet gives you some exercise.
Wearing an oni (demon) hat or mask while throwing might make it even more exciting.
Gather some nostalgic dagashi (old-time Japanese snacks) and give it a try!
Blue Oni made with a toilet paper roll core
This is a cute blue ogre craft made with a toilet paper roll and origami.
Cut the roll in half, then wrap the lower half with a piece for the ogre’s pants—yellow origami decorated with patterns drawn in black pen.
Cover the upper half, which will be the face, with light blue origami.
Draw the eyes and mouth with a black pen, then finish by attaching cheeks, hair, and horn pieces cut from origami.
It’s rounded but very stable, making it perfect for display! It’s also lovely to make ogres in various colors and line them up.
[For Seniors] Recommended Events for February: Fun Ideas That Bring Out Everyone’s Smiles (31–40)
Setsubun wreath made with yarn
In February, the first big event is Setsubun! To get ready for it, how about making a cute, cozy wreath using yarn? First, crumple about three tissues into a ball.
Wrap the ball with yarn in your favorite color to make a sphere.
If you want to make red or blue oni (ogres), use red or blue yarn; if you want to represent beans, use beige-toned yarn.
For the oni spheres, attach felt pieces to create the face and hair.
Make about eight spheres in the same way, arrange them in a wreath shape as you like, and glue them together with a hot glue gun.
Add decorations like plum blossoms if you like, attach a string to hang it on the wall, and you’re done.
Oni roly-poly doll
In February for Setsubun, let’s make an ogre-themed roly-poly toy.
Inflate a balloon to the size you want, then use diluted glue to stick torn pieces of shoji paper onto the surface.
Layer the paper so it’s three to five sheets thick, then brush on more glue and let it dry.
Once it’s completely dry, pop the balloon and drop some glue and a marble into the hollow shell to weight and fix it.
Finally, decorate it with hair and horns to make it look like an oni, and you’re done.
It takes time to dry, so it’s nice that you can enjoy the process at a relaxed pace.
Kinako Boro
These kinako bolo cookies let you enjoy the Setsubun vibe while getting a good dose of protein.
The appeal is how easy they are: you only need four ingredients—egg yolk, sugar, potato starch, and roasted soybean flour (kinako).
Mix them together, roll into balls about the size of soybeans, and bake in the oven to make a light, melt-in-the-mouth snack.
Since some ovens brown more quickly than others, keep an eye on them and adjust the baking time as needed.
They’re a nice way to get into the Setsubun spirit even if you’re not a fan of beans.
Plus, the tactile fun of rolling the dough is another charming touch.
Caramel Nuts with Setsubun Beans
Have you ever ended up with leftover beans from Setsubun? Caramel nuts made with Setsubun beans are perfect for times like that.
In fact, it’s a very simple recipe you can make with just a frying pan.
First, melt sugar and butter to make a caramel.
Next, coat the Setsubun beans, walnuts, almonds, and the like.
Then let it cool and set, and it quickly turns into a crispy, toasty snack.
The gentle sweetness and nutty bean aroma give it a nice Japanese touch.
It would go well with tea, too.
Daffodil wall decoration
How about brightening up your winter interiors with origami daffodils? The steps are simple, making this a great project for seniors to try.
Start by making three petal pieces from white origami paper.
The creasing steps are important here, so take your time and fold carefully.
Once the folding is done, draw the petal shapes and cut them out with scissors.
Punch a hole in the center of each of the three petal pieces, then insert a yellow origami cone (the corona) to complete the daffodil.
You’ll need two sets of petal pieces for each daffodil, so prepare as many as you need for the number of flowers you want to make.
Create the stem from green origami paper, and finish by arranging the daffodils on a frame base made of origami.