[For Seniors] Activities to Enjoy March: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation
March, when it gradually gets warmer, is a season that lifts our spirits as we feel the signs of spring.
Why not incorporate seasonal activities into recreational programs to enjoy with older adults? We’ve gathered ideas full of seasonal flair—from games and crafts themed around spring icons like cherry blossoms, butterflies, and bamboo shoots, to snack-time activities that spark the appetite with sweet aromas, and even music sessions that make you want to move.
Many can be done while seated or prepared with familiar, easy-to-get materials, so be sure to try them in your daily recreation programs.
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[For Seniors] Activities to Enjoy in March: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation (81–90)
Easy Hina Dolls with a Topsy-Tail Twist
These are Hina dolls made using fabric tape that you can even buy at 100-yen shops.
You create them by sticking washi-patterned fabric tape onto another piece of fabric, so there’s no need for needles—making it safe for seniors as well.
After layering the fabrics, make a slit and then flip the piece inside out with a quick twist.
Once flipped, the head and neck area will take shape.
Use craft supplies or origami paper to make the face and small accessories, and attach them to the fabric you prepared.
You’ll end up with simple Hina dolls that have a refined, mature feel.
It’s a project you can enjoy even after making it, by taking it home and displaying it in your room.
Hinamatsuri hand play
We’d like to introduce a hand play activity that captures the feel of March.
Move your hands in time with the lyrics.
If you incorporate elements of the Peach Festival into the lyrics, it may help people recall past celebrations of Hinamatsuri.
Hand play also has brain-training benefits and is recommended for dementia prevention.
For example, moving different hands to different motions in time with the melody stimulates and activates the brain.
It’s great for recreation, and you can also include it in your March exercise sessions.
Soran-bushi exercise
Many older adults may be familiar with the Soran Bushi, don’t you think? I’ve heard it’s sometimes performed at school sports days.
Just hearing the rhythm and calls of Soran Bushi can make you feel energized.
Let’s try some exercises to the spirited rhythm of Soran Bushi.
Move your body by extending your hands forward or raising them overhead like a banzai cheer.
It can be done while seated, so many older adults should be able to take part.
If it’s a song they know, older adults will likely enjoy doing the exercises comfortably.
A game where you make parody versions of the song Tulips
This activity involves taking the lyrics of Tulips, a classic spring children’s song, dividing them into blocks by character count, and then changing the words in each block.
Which part each person is responsible for is determined by a game using a target marked with numbers, and from there, participants come up with words that match the specified character count.
As long as the number matches, any words are acceptable; however, if you have everyone think of words with a spring theme, it should help them focus more deeply on the language.
Once all the blocks are filled, everyone sings the new lyrics together and checks whether the sound and flow feel pleasant.
Easy hanging Hina dolls made from cardboard
You can easily make hanging Hina dolls using familiar materials like cardboard.
The steps are simple: cut the cardboard into an egg shape, draw the faces, and attach kimonos made from origami paper.
Even with this simple process, you’ll end up with very cute Emperor and Empress dolls.
You can also make small items that evoke the Peach Festival, such as peach blossoms and hishi-mochi, and hang everything on a string to finish.
If you add the three court ladies in the same way as the Emperor and Empress, it will create a lively atmosphere.
Since there are many steps that use your fingertips, you can also expect a brain-training effect.
They say the fingertips and the brain are connected by many nerves—so much so that the hands are called the “second brain.”
Feel the spring on a walk
In spring, the temperatures rise and it’s exciting, and even those who didn’t go outside at all during the cold season may find themselves wanting to head out, don’t you think? So how about we all go for a walk together.
There’s no need to travel far.
Try strolling slowly through a nearby park, an area with open countryside, or along a riverside path.
In spring, cherry blossoms and many other kinds of flowers bloom.
Taking in those flowers and enjoying the scenery will surely lift your spirits and get the conversation flowing.
Activities to Enjoy March for Seniors: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation (91–100)
Fluffy Marshmallow Mousse
Fluffy marshmallow mousse is a wonderful dessert that even seniors can enjoy.
It’s an easy recipe that only requires mixing the ingredients, so everyone can have fun making it together.
Its gentle sweetness and smooth, melt-in-the-mouth texture are sure to bring smiles to seniors’ faces.
It’s also perfect for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) and White Day celebrations.
Making it with your grandchildren is highly recommended, too.
The soft texture makes it easy to eat, which is another plus.
Savor it slowly and enjoy a lovely moment that lets you feel the arrival of spring.