[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 March: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation (51–60)
Making amazake
How about making amazake from scratch and enjoying it together? Amazake made from rice koji uses only rice koji and water—no sugar at all—yet it’s very sweet, and despite the word “sake” in the name, it contains no alcohol.
You can easily make it by mixing rice koji with lukewarm water and keeping it warm for a set period of time.
There’s also a simple method using sake lees, so choose whichever you prefer.
Bamboo Shoot Digging Game
It’s a game where you use a stick with a paper cup attached to the end to stack and pick up paper cups with bamboo shoots drawn on them, and compete for speed.
The key to successfully picking up the bamboo shoots is to fit the cup on the stick perfectly over the target cup, so your stick control is put to the test.
If you do it well, you can stack multiple cups, so strategy matters—do you carefully stack and grab a bunch at once, or focus on speed and collect them one by one? The longer the stick, the harder it is to control, so adjusting the stick length is also a recommended way to set the difficulty.
Hishimochi Tower Game
Here’s a perfect game for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day): the Hishi Mochi Tower Game.
It’s an easy, sit-at-the-table activity, so it’s recommended for seniors.
Cut thick paper in “pink,” “white,” and “green” into strips and form rectangles.
You can also repurpose empty milk cartons.
Once they’re ready, stack them like a tower, alternating colors.
If your hishi-mochi tower falls, you lose.
By the way, the colors of hishi mochi are said to symbolize: pink for peach blossoms, white for snow, and green for fresh greenery.
It might be nice to stack them in that order, too.
Since preparation is simple, give it a try for Hinamatsuri!
Peach blossom ornament
Peach blossoms bloom in beautiful pale pink around late March.
Even if you want to go for a walk to see them, many people may find it hard to go out because March often has chilly days.
For those people, we recommend this “Small Peach Blossom Decoration.” It requires only a few materials, making it perfect for craft activities with seniors.
Prepare white, pink, and light green colored sand, artificial flowers, and a clear container—all of which you can buy at a 100-yen shop.
Then, layer the colored sand in the container in order.
The color scheme, like hishi-mochi, looks very cute.
Insert the artificial flowers, tie a string, and it’s done.
This peach blossom decoration will warm the hearts of those who see it, letting you feel the arrival of spring even while indoors.
[For Seniors] Activities to Enjoy March: Games, Crafts, Music, and Snack Recreation (61–70)
Hinamatsuri beanbag toss game
When it comes to lively activities for a Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival) event, this Hina Matsuri beanbag toss game is a great choice.
Not only can everyone enjoy it together, but the scoring system also sparks a sense of competition.
Preparing prizes will make it even more fun for older adults.
First, set up the Emperor and Empress dolls, the three court ladies, and the five musicians.
Place baskets or cups at each spot and label them with point values, then start the game.
Since beanbags are light and easy to throw, it’s a game that older adults can enjoy casually.
Balloon holder bag with a string
Here’s a string-and-balloon game that’s sure to liven up spring events and gatherings.
Have several older adults sit in chairs facing each other, each holding one end of a string so that paired participants are connected and keep the string taut.
By moving the string up and down or sliding it side to side, they work together to carry a balloon to the goal.
Cooperation is key in this game.
Because participants call out to each other as they play, it naturally encourages communication as well.
Kick Darts
This is a game where you sit in a chair and kick a beanbag into the air, aiming to land it on a high-scoring area of the dartboard in front of you.
It helps develop the leg strength needed to send the beanbag to a distant dartboard and the ability to control force to reach the target spot.
The farther the dartboard is, the more power is required, so have participants try at distances suited to their stamina and muscle strength.
If you run it as a face-to-face match, players will likely focus even more as they try to beat their opponent.