[For Seniors] Hinamatsuri Recreation: Fun Ideas for Games, Crafts, and Snack Making
How about some recreation ideas for older adults to enjoy during the Hinamatsuri season? We’ve handpicked ideas that naturally get the mind and body moving while having fun—such as seated games like target practice and bowling with Hina-doll motifs, shell matching, enjoyable crafts for display, and seasonal snack activities.
These special, season-only events provide positive stimulation for physical and cognitive functions in older adults.
Enjoy time filled with smiles while chatting with those around you.
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Hinamatsuri activities for seniors: Fun ideas for games, crafts, and snack-making (81–90)
Peach Blossom Wreath Making
Wreaths are fun to make and fun to display, and here’s one you can create using nothing but origami—no special supplies needed! It’s a beautiful wreath with blooming peach blossoms, perfect for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day).
Cute, vibrant floral decorations are especially delightful for women.
Starting from scratch with origami is also great finger exercise.
It’s a recommended activity that lets you enjoy both the making process and the pleasure of decorating with the finished piece.
Paper Cup Stacking Challenge
Here’s a perfect Hinamatsuri game that uses both hands.
Stack blue or light-blue paper cups to make the Emperor doll (Odairi-sama).
Next, stack pink or red paper cups to make the Empress doll (Ohina-sama).
Build the Emperor and Empress using different hands—left for one, right for the other.
It exercises the hands and fingers and may also help stimulate the brain.
Playing with several people and competing to see who can build the dolls fastest will liven things up.
It can also spark conversation and broaden interaction among older adults.
Flower arrangement
March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, the Doll Festival.
Since it’s a recreation activity, how about trying some flower arranging this time? Use peach blossoms to give it a Hinamatsuri feel, and create an arrangement that reflects your own style.
Once it’s finished, you can display it in your room and admire it, or even give it as a gift to someone!
Making a shell netsuke
A cute netsuke-style strap made from seashells.
It would surely be appreciated at Hinamatsuri, where girls take center stage.
First, paste pieces of Japanese-patterned fabric onto the shells and attach them with glue.
It will likely be quite delicate work with your fingertips, but once finished, it could become a wonderful little treasure.
Like a charm, you can attach it to personal items or give the finished piece to someone as a gift—there are many ways to enjoy it.
Sheet Valley
Let’s play Seat Volleyball using sunshades sold at 100-yen stores.
It’s a game that many older adults can enjoy.
Connect two sunshades to make a volleyball court.
Have seated older adults hold the two connected sunshades.
Roll a beach volleyball on top of the sunshades.
Before starting, use tape or similar to mark territories on the sunshades.
When the time limit is up, the side where the ball is located loses.
With gameplay similar to real volleyball, older adults are likely to enjoy it.
Since it can be played while seated, many older participants should be able to join.
Ohina-dama
Here’s a recommendation for March’s Hinamatsuri: beanbag-shaped hina dolls.
You can make them with items from a 100-yen shop.
Prepare chirimen crepe fabric, insert a backing sheet, stuff it with cotton, and sew a small beanbag.
Then attach the faces and small accessories of the Emperor and Empress made from construction paper or cardstock, and you’re done.
Create a small platform for the beanbag hina dolls to sit on and display them—it will look lovely.
They’re great to place on a table at home for older adults, too.
As they make them, some seniors might recall the Hinamatsuri celebrations they shared with their families in the past.
[For Seniors] Hinamatsuri Recreation: Fun Ideas for Games, Crafts, and Snack-Making (91–100)
Kick Darts
This is a game where you sit in a chair and kick a beanbag into the air, aiming to land it on a high-scoring area of the dartboard in front of you.
It helps develop the leg strength needed to send the beanbag to a distant dartboard and the ability to control force to reach the target spot.
The farther the dartboard is, the more power is required, so have participants try at distances suited to their stamina and muscle strength.
If you run it as a face-to-face match, players will likely focus even more as they try to beat their opponent.
