Recreation Activities to Liven Up January Events for Seniors
January is full of traditional, time-honored events.
It’s wonderful that the spirit of treasuring the start of a new year has been passed down for so long.
In this article, we introduce recreational activities to liven up January events for older adults! Many care facilities, such as day service centers, likely have annual events they hold every year.
If you’re thinking, “I’d like to add a new game this year,” you’ll find plenty of recreation ideas here to use as a reference.
Some are easy to try, so you can enjoy them at home as well.
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- [Elderly Care Facility] Fun-filled recreational activities for a Christmas party: crafts, rhythmic exercises, games, and even a snack-time activity
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
[For Seniors] Recreational Activities to Liven Up January Events (11–20)
karuta card game (karuta-tori)
How about a gentler style of karuta than the Hyakunin Isshu? Even if you don’t have the poems memorized, it’s a game you can enjoy on the spot, so it’s suitable for anyone and fun for everyone together.
It’s exciting to wait, heart pounding, for the card you’re aiming for to be read out.
Besides using various store-bought karuta sets, it might also be fun to make your own.
omikuji (a Japanese fortune slip typically drawn at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples)
Speaking of New Year’s shrine visits, drawing an omikuji to predict your fortune for the year is a classic tradition.
How about making your own omikuji so you can try your luck more casually? If you go with the familiar style—pulling a numbered wooden stick from an octagonal tube—it might heighten the sense of anticipation.
Real omikuji can sometimes bring bad results, but with a homemade version you can make them all positive, making it easy to arrange things so everyone present can enjoy it.
New Year’s Kanji Quiz
Enjoying kanji quizzes during the New Year is a wonderful way to spend the time.
Sharing the joy of the new year together with older adults will make for a lovely occasion.
In kanji quizzes, there are many moments filled with smiles as everyone works together to find the answers.
They stimulate intellectual curiosity by letting you use your knowledge and make new discoveries.
By taking on the challenge together with older adults, you deepen connections and enjoy a heartwarming time.
Why not have everyone join in and have fun with kanji quizzes?
Kite-Flying Exercises
Kite-Flying Exercises are routines that move the body by mimicking the hand motions of flying a kite.
Because they engage the whole body, they’re an effective recreational activity for alleviating a lack of exercise.
But there are many benefits beyond simply imitating the movements.
When recalling the motions of kite flying, many people also remember times they flew kites with friends or family.
Reviving these memories helps stimulate the brain.
In addition to kite-flying motions, you can incorporate movements that evoke a kite dancing in the sky, allowing for a wide variety of exercise variations!
Karaoke Contest
Karaoke competitions are a popular event that many seniors look forward to.
The time spent singing nostalgic songs is truly precious.
When singing classics by Hibari Misora or Hiroshi Itsuki, smiles naturally appear.
Singing together makes the time even more enjoyable.
When choosing songs, be sure to listen carefully to the seniors’ preferences and offer support.
Adding live instrument accompaniment is wonderful, too.
Let’s create a lovely time where each and every senior can take center stage.
song festival
Many of you probably got excited watching year-end music shows like the Red and White Song Battle.
So, how about hosting your own music fest? Forget strict definitions and rules—everyone can sing, dance, or play instruments, and it’s sure to be fun.
You could even add costumes to the mix.
By the way, “kayōsai” refers to a music TV program, so feel free to change the name to something like “recital” or “music festival” to suit your taste.
[For Seniors] Recreational Activities to Liven Up January Events (21–30)
Ema making
Many of you may have written your New Year’s resolutions or wishes on ema plaques and offered them at shrines or temples.
How about livening up your January event by making ema yourselves? Staff can prepare the plaques, or you can create them together with the seniors—either way works! Adorning them with auspicious motifs like origami cranes or daruma dolls would be lovely.
You could also learn together about the history—how people once actually dedicated horses to the gods—and how to write ema.
Please use this as a reference!
