[For Seniors] January Activities and Recreation Games
January brings cold winds and a lingering chill in the air.
Here are some recommended recreational activities and games for older adults that are perfect for January.
We’ve gathered many options that can be enjoyed in a warm indoor setting!
As the weather gets colder, people tend to move less—so let’s get the body moving through games!
And of course, January means New Year’s.
New Year-themed activities and games might help older adults recall fond memories of the games they played in their childhood.
Enjoy a fun time with January-themed recreation while sparking lively conversations.
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Seated Activities You Can Do
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- [For Seniors] Brain-training quizzes for January: Let’s have fun with New Year and winter trivia
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] January Craft Ideas: Boost Your Luck with New Year Decorations and Good-Luck Charms
- [For Seniors] Today’s Recommended Activity: Fun and Engaging
- [For Seniors] Fun Recreational Activities Without Equipment
- Recreation Activities to Liven Up January Events for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- Snacks and activity ideas for seniors to enjoy in January
- [For Seniors] January Trivia Quiz & Fun Facts. Brain training with quizzes about New Year and winter.
- [For Seniors] Fun Winter Activities: Recreation and Games
- [For Seniors] Easy and fun seated activities you can do in your room
[For Seniors] January Activities and Recreation Games (21–30)
poetry karuta
When it comes to classic New Year’s games that are still popular today, karuta definitely comes to mind.
Here’s an arranged version called “Song Karuta”! All you need are blank multipurpose cards and a pen.
You can substitute thick paper or construction paper for the cards.
It’s better to use slightly thicker paper than flimsy sheets.
Write the singer’s name and the song title as a set.
Using popular enka or kayōkyoku that older adults are familiar with will likely make it more enjoyable.
The rules are simple: read out the singer’s name and have players pick the corresponding song title.
You can also switch it up by reading the song title and having them choose the singer, or by playing the intro and letting them choose—those variations should be a hit too!
Ema making
Speaking of New Year’s, the first shrine visit comes to mind, doesn’t it? But with the big crowds and the cold, many older people may find it hard to go outside.
This ema-making activity is something you can enjoy in a warm room.
You can make an ema for someone, or handcraft one yourself—it’s fun either way.
Once your ema is ready, write your resolutions, goals, or things you want to do this year! By writing your resolutions and goals on the ema with a forward-looking mindset, you can feel motivated to live a healthy and enjoyable life from here on out.
Give it a try together and have fun making them!
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.
Rearrangement Quiz: Speaking of Winter
The rearrangement quiz involves putting the given hiragana characters into the correct order.
In this quiz video, the theme is words associated with winter.
It starts off easy with four characters, but as the quiz goes on, the number of characters increases and it gets more difficult.
Hints are provided, so if you’re unsure, use them to help you think.
Since all the words are related to winter, keeping that in mind may help certain questions click.
Note that there may be more than one correct answer for a given puzzle, so please be careful.
20 Winter Multiple-Choice Quiz Questions
Let’s take on a quiz all about winter! It’s packed with questions that let you enjoy the season from many angles—snow, constellations, winter sports, seasonal foods, New Year’s traditions, and more.
As you have fun with the quiz, you’ll deepen your knowledge of all kinds of winter-related facts.
There are also plenty of fun tidbits that can spark lively conversation, so you can enjoy chatting while tackling the quiz with family and friends.
All questions are presented in a three-choice multiple-choice format.
Winter kigo: Difficult Kanji Quiz
We present a quiz of difficult-to-read kanji featuring winter kigo (seasonal words).
Since kigo are often used in the world of haiku, those who enjoy haiku may find it easier to answer.
That said, because these are hard-to-read kanji, solid knowledge of kanji itself is also important.
Hints like “It’s a word that starts with ◯” will be provided, so refer to them if you get stuck.
At the end, the answers are given along with explanations of each word’s meaning.
Enjoy the quiz while expanding your vocabulary and deepening your understanding of kigo.
Which way is Mount Fuji? Quiz
Mt.
Fuji is said to bring good luck if it appears in your first dream of the year.
In this quiz, two photos will be shown—try to guess which one is Mt.
Fuji.
Some questions are easy and you’ll know right away, but others are so similar that it’s hard to tell which is Mt.
Fuji.
Can you find all the images of Mt.
Fuji, a symbol of Japan? To get the right answers, you’ll need to pay attention not only to the shape of the mountain but also to the surrounding scenery.
It’s surprising that there are mountains so similar, isn’t it?