[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.
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- [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 & Recreation Games (41–50)
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.
kite flying
In old paintings that depict customs and the times, you’ll always see kites flying at New Year.
In Hokusai Katsushika’s famous series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, Edo kites are also depicted, showing that they were enjoyed by everyone, adults and children alike.
Many of you probably flew traditional Japanese kites or the slightly cooler Gayla kites when you were kids.
So how about making an indoor kite to get into the New Year spirit? You can easily make one with lightweight materials like plastic and straws.
There are plenty of videos online explaining how to do it, so try searching for them!
first calligraphy of the year
The New Year’s calligraphy homework we were assigned over winter break in elementary school feels so nostalgic.
Even though we were told to always grind our own ink, we often used bottled ink instead.
How about reliving that childlike feeling and enjoying kakizome in January? Kakizome is said to have its roots in the Heian-period court ceremony known as “Kissho no So,” so it might be nice to set the mood with gagaku as background music.
Of course, let’s frame the pieces we write, display them, and have everyone take a look! If it’s for a senior facility, turning it into a “Kakizome Contest” would be a great way to get everyone excited.
Making kadomatsu (traditional New Year’s pine decorations)
Because pine and bamboo endure poor soil and continue to thrive, they have long been considered auspicious plants.
There is also a saying, “Pines vow for a thousand years, and bamboo for ten thousand,” and with the wish that the dwelling place of the gods will continue forever, they were chosen as materials for kadomatsu.
How about former carpenters and craftspersons joining forces to make kadomatsu together? I imagine local kindergartens and senior facilities might also be places that need large kadomatsu.
Or, for a change of pace, it could be nice to make mini kadomatsu out of thick paper or small bamboo! I think it would make a very fitting recreational activity for January and the New Year season.
Sugoroku
Sugoroku is a board game in which you roll dice and move your piece along the squares according to the number rolled, aiming to reach the goal.
This traditional pastime, dating back to the Edo period, is something you naturally want to play at least once during the New Year holidays.
Store-bought versions are nice, but making your own and getting creative with the text on the squares is also a lot of fun.
It’s also great that any number of people can play.
January coloring pages
Speaking of January, although it’s not seen much these days, there used to be a custom of displaying decorative hagoita paddles, such as ones featuring the Fuji Musume.
Let’s try making such decorative hagoita as a coloring activity.
The act of coloring and choosing which colors to use has a very positive effect on the hands and the brain.
You might even discover an unexpected side of older adults through their use of color and the finished result.
A neatly colored piece also looks lovely displayed on the wall.
Let’s awaken the creativity we don’t often use in everyday life.
Shoo Away Game
Let’s play a fun game using balls made from crumpled paper.
It’s called the “Shoo-It-Away Game.” Crumple up sheets of paper or newspaper into balls and place them in a horizontal line in the center of the table.
Before you start, put a strip of tape across the middle of the table to mark the center line.
This tape divides the table into your side and your opponent’s side.
When the game begins, use your hands to push the paper balls into your opponent’s territory on the opposite side.
The rules are simple, but it sounds like it could get exciting.
If you make the paper balls pink, they’ll look like cherry blossoms—perfect for an April game.
It also encourages conversation among participants and can help promote communication among older adults.
