[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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[For Seniors] Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) Recreation: Fun ideas for games, crafts, and snack-making (111–120)
Whac-A-Mole game
Moles, which usually live underground, also pop their heads out in spring, don’t they? When you think of spring, some people might even say “moles.” How about a whack-a-mole game as a recreation for the Doll’s Festival? You can easily enjoy whack-a-mole using paper cups and chopsticks.
Let’s draw moles on the paper cups.
If the seniors each draw their favorite faces, you’ll end up with lots of uniquely charming moles! You can make the hammer by fixing a chopstick to a paper cup.
When the signal to start is given, let’s whack the moles with the hammer! It’s sure to turn into a heated and fun competition!
Hinamatsuri Bowling
Here’s a Hinamatsuri bowling game you can even play on a table.
Attach illustrations or photos of the Emperor and Empress, the three court ladies, and the five musicians to paper cups.
Tape the cups to the table so that when a ball is rolled into them, they’ll stand upright.
Of course, when arranging the cups on the table, set them up like a traditional Hina display, such as a seven-tier or five-tier arrangement.
It might be hard for one person to get all the cups to stand.
However, everyone working together might be able to set up all the Hina-themed cups.
Cooperation requires communication, so older adults can enjoy chatting while playing the game.
Let’s make flowers bloom on a withered tree.
It’s a game that makes it look as if cherry blossoms are blooming on a withered tree when you play.
Prepare crumpled pink tissue paper, a sheet with a cherry tree motif, and paper plates labeled with point values.
Throw the crumpled tissue paper onto the paper plates with points and compete for scores.
There’s also a folktale where people say, “Let’s make flowers bloom on the withered tree,” as cherry blossoms bloom, right? When you throw the tissue paper, it looks like cherry blossoms have bloomed.
The game itself is fun, and you can also watch the tree gradually fill with blossoms.
If you calculate the total score together with older adults, you can also expect some brain-training benefits.
Ball Grabbing Game
Let’s play a game where you grab balls using newspaper.
All the tools used in the game are made from newspaper.
Make the balls by crumpling newspaper into a sphere, and make the grabbing sticks out of newspaper as well.
You can create everything you need for the game using everyday materials.
Place several balls inside a circle, grab them with the stick, and put them into a basket.
If you set a time limit, the game gets more exciting.
Forming teams and competing for the best time will make it even more fun.
Small peach blossom ornament
Speaking of Hina Matsuri, it’s the Peach Festival.
Making peach blossom decorations and displaying them in your room really lifts your spirits, doesn’t it? Let’s try making a small peach blossom ornament using empty jars and supplies you can find at a 100-yen shop.
Simply layer colorful sand—called color sand—in several tiers inside an empty bottle or jar, and insert an artificial peach blossom.
The artificial flowers from 100-yen shops are remarkably realistic, aren’t they? Adding decorations like string, ribbon, or colorful stickers to the jar makes it even cuter.
Since it’s small and can be displayed anywhere, it would likely be appreciated as a gift, too.
