Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreational Activities and Games

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Worked as a certified care worker for 17 years.Nanaka
I’ve been working as a certified care worker for 17 years. I’m Nanaka, a caregiving web writer. I decided to pursue this profession because I wanted a job that would help people. Having worked in day care for many years, I’ve experienced a wide variety of recreational activities. Exercise set to music, in particular, always created a cheerful atmosphere and was very well received. I’d be delighted to continue delivering writing that resonates with readers through caregiving-related articles. Thank you for your support.

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 Recreations and Games (71–80)

crochet

How to Crochet a Koinobori (Carp Streamer) Motif Part 1 [Crochet] Decoration for Children's Day (Tango no Sekku)☆

crochet

This is a recreational activity where we make koi-nobori (carp streamers) with crochet! It can be tiring on the eyes and hands, but it’s done indoors, and after everyone gets a lesson, you can enjoy it at your own pace.

Once you’ve finished, you can decorate your room with it, or give it as a lovely gift to your grandchildren or great-grandchildren.

You’ll end up with a very cute carp streamer.

Please give it a try!

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Play with children

Miyabikai Summer Vacation Children’s Exchange Gathering

Play with children

How about trying to play with children? Whether you regularly spend time with kids or not, let’s all play together! How about trying finger-play songs, rhythm exercises, origami, or some simple games? While teaching the children, you might also end up learning a lot from them in return.

You may make some new discoveries!

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Iris/Ayame with origami!

[Senior Recreation] Rec Artisan Series Part 17: How to Make Irises, Sweet Flags, and Lilies

Iris/Ayame with origami!

When it comes to flowers in May, we think of shobu (iris) and ayame (iris), but keeping them on display can be tricky.

They can be hard to find or wilt quickly.

So let’s try folding ayame and shobu with origami instead.

You’ll need origami paper, a straw, and cellophane tape.

There are quite a few steps, so it may seem difficult, but if you fold slowly, you’ll be fine.

Make lots and arrange them like a bouquet for a gorgeous display!

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Wishing Koinobori

20130505 Many wishes on a big carp streamer KVID1861

Wishing Koinobori

This is a recreation activity where you draw a large carp streamer (koinobori) on paper and then paste round, cut-out message cards onto it like scales.

It takes a bit of effort, but you’ll enjoy not only looking at the koinobori, but also reading everyone’s messages.

If you’re doing this at a facility, it might be nice to ask visiting family members of residents to write messages as well.

The more participants there are, the more magnificent the koinobori will be.

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Wisteria flower hanging ornament

[Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba] How to Make Wisteria Hanging Decorations — Let’s Make a Lot and Build a Wisteria Trellis!

Wisteria flower hanging ornament

Wisteria flowers are known for their vivid purple petals that bloom from late April to early May.

Let’s make a hanging decoration inspired by wisteria! Wisteria became a hot topic in the anime Demon Slayer, so it’s also a great gift idea for your grandchildren.

You’ll need 30–50 sheets of light purple origami paper sized 14 cm × 5 cm, white thread, and scissors.

Cut the origami into oval shapes, twist each piece in the center to form two petal-like parts, and then tie them to the thread one by one until you reach the length you like for a wisteria cluster.

Make several of these strands, and together they will look like wisteria blooming on a trellis.

Lining up many strands looks very beautiful!

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In conclusion

We’ve introduced games and recreational activities themed around May—how did you like them? There were lots of crafts and games that let you feel the spirit of May.

For game-style activities, you can create a May-like atmosphere just by adding a small twist to your usual recreations.

For example, you could modify the beanbags for a tossing game to look like kashiwa-mochi, or simply wear samurai helmets (kabuto) during the game to liven things up.

Be sure to enjoy some May-themed recreation!