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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[For Seniors] Recreational Activities to Liven Up January Events (21–30)
Sugoroku exercises
Sugoroku is a traditional game in which you roll a die and move forward the number of spaces shown until you reach the goal.
Many people may have played it with family and friends over New Year’s or the winter holidays.
“Sugoroku Taiso” incorporates physical activity into this classic game.
It’s perfect for the winter season, when it’s easy to avoid going outside to exercise.
It also helps prevent frailty in older adults, and it’s fun both as an individual or team competition, so why not try it at home or at a day service facility?
New Year’s holiday quiz
When it comes to the year-end and New Year period, there’s the year-end wrap-up at work, a big cleanup, and then right away the New Year—Oshogatsu—arrives.
This quiz gathers questions related to that festive season.
The formats vary—multiple-choice, true-or-false, and more—but since you can simply choose answers, people of all ages can enjoy it.
It also teaches the meanings and origins of things like the zodiac, New Year’s decorations, and osechi cuisine, making it educational and a great opportunity to rediscover Japanese traditions.
January Trivia Quiz
It’s a quiz that covers a wide range of January-specific topics, including New Year’s events, customs, and history.
Because the questions are drawn from diverse themes, you naturally encounter bits of knowledge you might feel you know but actually don’t.
The simple question format makes it easy to jump in, and getting an answer right is satisfying, while even a wrong answer rewards you with fun trivia.
If you play with family or friends, the answers spark conversation and make it enjoyable across generations.
It’s well-balanced content that’s easy to enjoy at the start of the New Year and offers learning value, too.
New Year’s Games Quiz
It’s a simple and friendly quiz where you look at pictures of traditional games and guess their names.
The charm lies in rediscovering nostalgic New Year’s games while enjoying trivia and fun facts related to the season.
It’s easy for people of all ages to join in, and it can spark conversations like, “I want to play this!” This content delivers moments of shared smiles with family and friends, letting you savor the unique atmosphere of the New Year.
How about kicking off the new year on a light note with traditional games and a quiz?
Trivia quiz about hatsumode (the first shrine visit of the New Year)
This quiz lets you enjoy learning various facts about hatsumode, the traditional New Year’s shrine visit.
It highlights that customs we often follow without much thought—such as etiquette at a shrine or the meanings of protective amulets—actually carry deep history and heartfelt wishes.
Presented in a quiz format, it’s not too difficult, and your understanding naturally deepens as you answer.
Getting answers right is satisfying, and even when you’re wrong, you’ll enjoy the “I see!” moments as your knowledge grows.
It’s suitable for all ages, and taking on the challenge with family or friends is sure to spark lively conversation.
Omikuji game
How about enjoying a fortune-telling omikuji game? Put sticks marked with numbers into a plastic bottle, then shake and try to get as many sticks out as you can within the time limit.
Compete on how many sticks you got out or the total of the numbers on them.
At the end, choose one of the sticks you drew and receive the matching-number omikuji to enjoy your fortune.
Shaking harder doesn’t necessarily get more sticks out, so think about how to move it to draw more effectively as you play.
Decorate the plastic bottle to give it an omikuji feel.
How much should I offer (at the shrine)?
I think many people make an offering when they visit a shrine for their first visit of the year.
This is a game themed around that offering.
First, prepare a donation box made of cardboard and some coins.
Have a variety of coins ready, such as 5-yen, 10-yen, 50-yen, and 100-yen pieces.
When the game starts, you throw the coins into the donation box.
Strings are stretched across the opening of the box, so if a coin lands on top of them, it won’t fall inside.
Pay attention to your throwing angle and speed, and try to get as much money as possible into the box within the time limit.
But remember: when you make a real offering at a shrine, you must not throw your coins.