For Seniors: Fun Activities in February — Celebrate Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Snow

Setsubun Quiz

Setsubun Quiz: With explanations to deepen understanding of bean-throwing, ehomaki, and holly sardines! Great for learning and brain training, and with text-to-speech it’s kid-friendly too. Also helps boost concentration and supports dementia prevention for seniors through brain-activating activities!

This is a video that compiles quizzes themed around Setsubun.

It covers topics such as the phrase used to drive away demons, knowledge about beans, and the foods eaten during Setsubun.

It’s a great opportunity to rediscover the tradition of Setsubun through quizzes.

Of course, many older adults may already be familiar with much of the content, but there may be things you didn’t know before or misconceptions you’ve had.

Take this chance to enjoy the quizzes and check your understanding of Setsubun.

It also provides simple explanations.

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sasashina

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Demons out! Cap-dropping game

@toiro_efilagroup

Let’s work together—demons out! 👹Nursery teacher / Childcare workerChildcare WorkerKanagawaAfter-school day service#toiro# developmental support (ryōiku)#NeurodevelopmentalDisorders#Indoor PlayTranslationTeamworkSetsubun

♪ Original song – toiro After-school Day – toiro After-school Day

It’s a game where you drop ogres made from plastic bottle caps through a hole in a plastic sheet.

There’s a hole in the center of the sheet, and everyone holds the four sides, shaking and lifting it.

If you manage to drive all the ogres into the hole, you win! Be careful with the height and position you hold the sheet—if you’re not careful, the ogres will escape off the edges instead of going through the hole.

The ogres are easy to make by gluing two caps together and sticking a face sticker on the outside.

Since everyone will be holding the plastic sheet, prepare a large one.

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sasashina

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Ehomaki Catching Game

Today's recreation - Setsubun Activity (2)

It’s a game where you catch and retrieve fake ehomaki using a frame attached to strings.

Think of it like goldfish scooping.

Because the ehomaki are round and tend to roll away, they don’t easily stay inside the frame.

So you’ll need to reel the frame in with the strings and throw your arm out repeatedly.

You can play it while seated, but it still engages your whole body and makes for good exercise.

After working up a sweat by seeing how many you can pull in within the time limit, be sure to enjoy some real ehomaki!

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sasashina

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A game where you can get candy in the shape of an ogre’s iron club if you drop it

[Setsubun] A game where you get candy shaped like an ogre’s club if you drop it lol

It says “a game where you get candy if you knock it off an ogre’s club,” but the rules are the same as ring toss.

The target, designed to look like a spiked club, has candy attached to it, and if your ring lands on the target and the candy falls off, you get to keep it.

It’s a fun idea because you enjoy the ring toss itself and there are prizes, too.

It’s also recommended as a game to enjoy with your grandchild.

You can easily make the target and rings with materials like thick paper, construction paper, origami paper, and toilet paper rolls, so be sure to make them and give it a try.

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sasashina

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Bean-throwing (Mamemaki)

Bean-throwing (Mamemaki)

When we think of February, we think of Setsubun—and when we think of Setsubun, we think of bean throwing, right? Have you got your beans ready yet? If an oni (ogre) shows up in your home, throw those beans with gusto and drive it out.

In day service centers or care settings, it can be tough on the staff who play the role of the oni, but since it’s a nostalgic event that brings back memories of the old days, I’m sure many older adults will enjoy it.

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sasashina

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Deliver the Heart Game

Heart, Deliver It! The Game! (Day-service recreation)

It’s a game with a comedic vibe where targets are set up using illustrations of people everyone admires, and players throw hearts at them.

If you ask in advance about celebrities or public figures they’ve admired on TV or in magazines and prepare targets to match, players will likely tackle the game with more passion.

The rules are simple—compete on how many hearts you can land in the target—but adding the element of sending them to someone meaningful helps sharpen focus.

It also seems like a great conversation starter afterward, since you can talk about who each person admired.

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kappamaki

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Setsubun pinata whacking

@cs.matsuyama

TranslationSetsubun 2022Pinata WhackingRecreation

♬ Original Song – Care Support Matsuyama – Care Support Matsuyama

Piñata breaking originated in Mexico, but in recent years it’s been seen at various events in Japan as well.

At birthday parties and Halloween, you hit it with a stick and candy comes out, so it’s especially popular with kids.

How about trying a Setsubun-themed version of a piñata? Naturally, decorate the piñata like an oni (demon), and have older participants take a few swings to help relieve stress.

Be sure to adjust how easy it is to break to suit the participants.

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sasashina

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