For Seniors: Fun Activities in February — Celebrate Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Snow
In February, when the chill still lingers, how about spending some joyful time with activities that warm both body and soul? We’ve gathered plenty of smile-bringing ideas that capture the unique seasonal feel of February—from games themed around Setsubun and Valentine’s Day, to exercises you can do while seated, and even “snowball fights” using newspaper.
These activities can spark nostalgic memories, naturally liven up conversations with those around you, and help you feel good by moving your body—offering lots of positive effects to look forward to.
Precisely because it’s a cold season, please enjoy heartwarming moments indoors with safe, fun activities!
- [For Seniors] Recommended Events for February: Fun Ideas to Fill Everyone with Smiles
- Recreation Ideas for Seniors: Perfect for Setsubun and Bean-Throwing Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun February Crafts: Ideas Inspired by Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Other Events
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
- For Seniors: Wall Decorations to Brighten Up February — Festive Ideas for Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, Plum Blossoms, and More
- [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 Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Lively! Entertainment Ideas for New Year’s Parties
- [For Seniors] Recommended February Snack Activities: Easy, Enjoyable Sweet Treat Ideas
- [For Seniors] Fun Brain Training! February-Themed Quiz
[For Seniors] February Activities: Get Excited with Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Snow (31–40)
Heart card
Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Let’s make a handmade heart card.
You’ll need craft paper, construction paper, masking tape, and stickers.
First, fold both the craft paper and the construction paper in half to the same size.
On the construction paper, draw half a heart along the fold and cut it out with scissors.
Be careful not to cut through the base of the heart where it meets the fold.
Decorate the inside of the craft paper and the heart section with masking tape and stickers, then glue the two pieces together.
Make sure the heart is layered and attached so it stands up.
Finally, write a message wherever you like, and you’re done.
One-Different Brain Training Quiz: Setsubun Edition
It’s a simple quiz where you find the one item that’s different among a row of pictures or characters.
By using motifs related to Setsubun—like ogres (oni), beans, and ehomaki—you can enjoy a seasonal feel while you play.
It’s great as a light brain-training activity that fosters careful observation and concentration in a fun, low-pressure way.
Encouraging participants to ask each other, “What’s different?” also helps spark conversation.
It’s easy to get everyone engaged even in a short time, and anyone can join in, which is another plus.
Give it a try!
Valentine’s Day wall decorations
February 14 is Valentine’s Day.
Many older adults may receive chocolates from family or close acquaintances.
Let’s help amplify this sweet, love-filled occasion with decorations on indoor walls.
Cut red or pink paper tape into lengths of about 10 to 40 centimeters.
Take two strips of the same length and stick their ends together to form a heart shape.
You can also make ribbons in various lengths, creating both large and small sizes.
You can stick them directly onto the wall, or arrange them on poster paper to create a lovely piece.
Use these ideas as inspiration to make Valentine’s Day wall decorations that will excite anyone who sees them.
Setsubun Quiz: Nationwide Surname Ranking
This is a quiz that anyone can easily join, using familiar Japanese surnames as its theme.
For example, participants are asked to guess which is more common: surnames containing characters related to Setsubun, such as “oni” (demon) or “fuku” (good fortune), or those containing “soto” (outside) or “uchi” (inside).
As people answer while making predictions, encountering surnames they recognize creates a sense of closeness, and it often leads to conversations about old acquaintances or local topics—another charm of this quiz.
There is both surprise and a sense of satisfaction when learning the correct answers, and because it stimulates memory and imagination while being fun, it’s well-suited for recreational activities for older adults.
Memory Quiz: Red Ogre
This is a quiz that lets you enjoy the very moment you recall the answer.
It’s not wrong just because you don’t remember; the time spent trying to recall has value.
Using the easy-to-understand motif of a red ogre, you consciously memorize multiple elements—such as color, expression, and position—and then select the same one afterward, which stimulates attention and short-term memory.
When done with multiple people, there are more opportunities to share opinions with others, which also helps activate the brain.
Because quiet, focused time alternates with conversation, this quiz makes it easy to create a good rhythm throughout the recreation.
[For Seniors] February Activities: Have Fun with Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Snow (41–50)
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.
Setsubun wall decoration made with paper plates
@buchiko_hoiku 🐶 @buchiko_hoiku ◂◂◂◂ Check out my other posts, too 🌼 Thank you so much for all the likes 🩷 This time! A Setsubun craft for toddlers 👹 Isn’t this tiger-pattern wreath so cute? 🫶🏻 I keep making wreath crafts 😂 I guess I really like making wreaths 🤭 lol The wreath doesn’t have to be yellow—make it unique with your favorite colors like pink or blue 🙆🏻♀️ Cutting out the oni and the god of fortune uses scissors, so it’s great practice for continuous cutting ✌🏻 At the end, think about the “oni” inside yourself that you want to chase away and write it on a strip of paper. It helps kids understand the meaning of Setsubun and join in without being scared of the oni ✊🏻 And!! This craft is also available as a kit for purchase 🌟 Craft kits saved me when I was actively teaching, so now I want to help teachers who are struggling! I make each one with that in mind ✂️ Links to Mercari and BASE are in my profile! I sell other crafts too, so I’d be happy if you take a look 👀 A follow would make me even happier 🥴💕 lol Please try making it yourself 🌈 I’d love to hear your “I made it!” reports—they really motivate me 🥹❤️🔥 Thank you for reading to the end 🐶 I share ideas you can easily copy from introduction to crafting ♬︎ Likes ♥, saves 𖤘, and follows 𖤐 would make me cry with joy 😂 lol Comments are also very welcome 🤍🤍Nursery teacher / Childcare workerKindergarten TeacherWinter Craft#Wall CreationToddler CraftsPlay that expands from picture booksSetsubun craft
♬ FUNICULI FUNICULA – Nonochan(Nonoka Murakata)
Using a paper plate, you can easily create a wreath-like craft.
This piece uses Setsubun, a major event in February, as its theme.
Cut a circular hole from the center of the paper plate to make a donut shape, then paint it yellow.
Tear black construction paper into long, thin strips and paste them onto the plate.
This completes the base with a distinctive yellow-and-black pattern that looks like an oni’s pants.
Next, make items like an oni (ogre), Okame, a masu (wooden box), and beans using construction paper or origami, and stick them onto the plate.
You’ll end up with a craft perfect for Setsubun.
Since it uses a lot of fine finger movements, it also seems helpful for stimulating the brain.