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[For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreational Activities and Games
May is full of events, isn’t it?
Did you know that in addition to Children’s Day and Mother’s Day, there are also days like Makeup Day and Hyakunin Isshu Day?
In this article, we’ll introduce May-themed recreational activities and games for seniors.
It’s perfect for those thinking, “What should we do for May activities?”
With the warm weather, why not enjoy recreation not only indoors but also outdoors?
These activities will enrich the minds and bodies of older adults.
Let’s savor the feeling of the season in May through these recreational ideas.
[For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreational Activities and Games (1–10)
Tea Picking Game
Tea picking, famous for the phrase “Hachijūhachi-ya, when summer draws near.” This time, we’re introducing a game inspired by Hachijūhachi-ya.
Prepare green and light green origami paper and roll each sheet into a cone shape.
It’s good to have a mix of sizes, large and small.
Set out two disposable containers so you can harvest green mature leaves and light green young leaves separately.
Place shredded newspaper dyed green inside a cardboard box.
Once you’ve tucked the origami into the box, you’re all set.
At the signal, harvest while sorting between leaves and young leaves.
There are many variations: race for speed, compete for how many you can harvest within a time limit, or use tweezers.
It can help train fine motor skills and improve comprehension and decision-making.
Give it a try!
Koinobori Shooter
Introducing a carp streamer shooter made with a paper cup.
Cut out the bottom of the paper cup.
Cut a balloon slightly and stretch it over the bottom of the cup, then reinforce it with tape.
Tie the tip of the balloon on the opposite side of where you taped.
You can decorate the sides of the cup by attaching origami paper or stickers to the balloon tip area, or by drawing scale patterns.
Add eyes to finish.
Drop a ping-pong ball in from the drinking rim of the cup and pull the balloon.
The ping-pong ball will shoot out, so you can play games with it.
How about a game where you launch ping-pong balls from the carp streamer shooter into a basket or box? It’s a craft that older adults can enjoy even after making it.
tea party
Let’s all have a tea party and have fun.
You might be wondering, “What do you do at a tea party?” Well, just as the name suggests, we enjoy tea! (Haha.) Japanese tea, matcha, black tea—anything you like.
Preparing sweets that go well with each type of tea makes it even more enjoyable.
There is etiquette for brewing and serving tea, but don’t worry too much about the details—let’s just relax and have a lively, fun time together.
makeup
Many older adults may find that wearing makeup lifts their mood.
Of course, there are also people who aren’t fond of it or don’t wear it much—everyone’s different.
Apparently, May 9 is Makeup Day! So how about having someone else do your makeup? Even colors or techniques you think don’t suit you might actually look amazing.
There are tons of makeup videos these days, so feel free to use them as a reference!
Let’s make koinobori (carp streamers)
Let’s try making cute decorative carp streamers.
The tools you’ll need are origami paper, double-sided tape, glue, scissors, chirimen crepe fabric, felt, and so on—things you probably already have at home.
These days you can even find chirimen fabric offcuts at 100-yen shops.
You can enjoy making them together and then display them as they are, so you can keep enjoying them as finished pieces afterward.
Children’s Day Quiz
How about a quiz contest themed around one of May’s seasonal events, Children’s Day? May 5 is an old traditional holiday also known as Tango no Sekku.
We often picture carp streamers swimming in the sky, but what else do people do for it? You might find yourself thinking, “Now that you mention it…” Questions about the kanji for “Tango no Sekku” or about the order of the carp streamers could be pretty challenging.
You can find plenty of material that could become quiz questions with just a quick online search, so definitely look into it!
Hyakunin Isshu
May 27 is Hyakunin Isshu Day.
It’s a great opportunity, so I’d like to introduce it.
It is said that this date marks the creation of the first Hyakunin Isshu, because Fujiwara no Teika—a court noble and poet active from the Heian period to the early Kamakura period—selected representative poems by 100 poets from collections such as the Kokin Wakashu and the Shin Kokin Wakashu.
While it’s commonly played like a card game (karuta), it’s actually quite profound.
As you memorize the verses, locate the card being read, and snatch it, your mind is rapidly cycling through comprehension, thinking, judgment, and action.
It also works well as brain training and can be enjoyed by multiple people, so it’s recommended as a recreational activity in senior care facilities.