[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.
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- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
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[For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreations and Games (61–70)
Hand game ‘The Hill Where Mandarin Blossoms’
Didn’t you also play the hand-clapping game that starts with “Se-se-se no, yoi yoi yoi” when you were a child? It’s the hand game for the song “Mikan no Hana Saku Oka” (The Hill Where Orange Blossoms Bloom).
You might wonder why, since mandarins are associated with winter, but mikan blossoms actually bloom around May.
If it’s difficult, do it slowly at first, and once you get used to it, try speeding up.
Moving your hands also helps stimulate the brain.
Fingerplay ‘Tea Picking’
May is the tea-picking season, isn’t it? Here’s a perfect hand game for this time of year! It’s a partner hand-clapping game set to the children’s song “Chatsumi” (Tea Picking).
The song describes the weather during tea-picking season, so singing along will let you feel the fresh atmosphere of May.
The game is easy to do, and since it can be played while seated, it’s simple and enjoyable for older adults as well! If someone used to do tea picking in the past, it would be lovely to play while sharing those memories.
Making a samurai helmet out of origami
May 5th is Children’s Day for boys, celebrated as Tango no Sekku.
One way to mark the occasion is to display a samurai helmet (kabuto) along with carp streamers.
So how about making that kabuto out of origami? It’s fairly detailed work, which makes great finger exercise for older adults.
Making lots and decorating the whole room with kabuto could be fun, too! It also makes a perfect gift for your grandchildren or great-grandchildren—truly a recreation that kills two birds, no, three birds with one stone!
Tug-of-war with newspaper hats
Here’s a simple recreation you can do with just a newspaper: “Newspaper Hat Tug-of-War.” Punch two fairly large holes in a sheet of newspaper, and have two people sit side by side, each putting their head through one of the holes.
At the starting signal, they pull against each other; whoever’s side tears loses.
If you pull too hard, your own side might tear, so try balancing pushing and pulling as you play.
Wearing a newspaper samurai-style helmet (kabuto) really lifts the mood, too!
Spot the differences
Spot-the-difference puzzles are perfect for helping seniors prevent dementia! When it comes to May, many people think of carp streamers (koinobori), so it might be fun to do a spot-the-difference using an illustration of koinobori.
You could also enjoy ones featuring Boys’ Day helmets (kabuto) or sasa-dango rice dumplings! Spot-the-difference is enjoyable for all generations, so it could be nice to try it with your grandchildren.
You might start by creating the picture for the puzzle yourself and having your grandchild try it, or switch roles and try theirs.
How about enjoying this during Golden Week?
Bird Name Quiz
When warm spring arrives, many creatures start to show themselves.
Among them, the swallow is one you often see in everyday life during this season! They build nests from late March to late June, so May is right in the middle of that! With that in mind, let’s try a quiz where we guess the names of various birds, including swallows! You can show photos and identify the birds, or, since the weather is nice, go for a walk and do the quiz while watching birds flying in the sky.
For older adults who haven’t been able to go outside much during the cold months, how about stepping out into the warm air for a change of pace?
Picture letter of May
Have you ever tried drawing picture letters? Some people might shy away, thinking they lack artistic talent or that it seems difficult, but there are many tutorial videos and guides available these days.
The nice thing about letters is that even if they’re not perfectly made, a heartfelt message still comes through.
Why not try making one for someone you haven’t seen in a while or someone you want to thank?