[For Seniors] Liven Up November Day Services! Fun Autumn Event Ideas

Let’s grill some pacific saury!

Let's grill Pacific saury! Recreation event ★ Refresh Life Shitoro, a fee-based nursing home

This is a game that tests balance and fine motor skills, themed around sanma (Pacific saury), a classic autumn delicacy.

Inspired by the scene of grilling sanma on a mesh grate, players place paper sanma mascots onto a mesh set on top of paper cups.

Using chopsticks to place the fish on the mesh requires precise hand movements, and balancing where each fish goes is crucial.

To add excitement, you might also have players attempt it within a time limit to deliberately make them feel rushed.

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dance

[Respect-for-the-Aged Gathering] We performed “Bright Red Sun” at the day service.

Dance education in Japanese junior high schools began in 1881, initially offered only to girls.

Thinking that it wasn’t until 1989 that boys and girls could learn dance together, it’s still a relatively recent subject, isn’t it? For many older adults, dance brings to mind ballroom, hula, or slightly sultry cheek-to-cheek dancing—each with fond memories.

So how about getting everyone excited with dance? You could enjoy it in a dance party style, or compete in a contest format.

As a recreational activity that gets people moving actively, it’s highly recommended!

Halloween party

[Care Facility Activities] Kōrakusō: Behold the terrifying(?) Halloween party activity!

Halloween has become firmly established in Japan, much like Valentine’s Day and Christmas.

Maybe the big annual events at places like Tokyo Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan play a part.

Of course, there are plenty of ways for older adults to enjoy it too.

Even without a full-fledged costume, just putting on ghost-themed headbands can get you into the Halloween spirit.

Hosting a pumpkin-cooking event or a candy swap where everyone exchanges treats while saying “trick or treat” could be fun as well.

Storytelling with Halloween-themed kamishibai or read-aloud picture books would also be wonderful.

Moon-viewing game

Team up to play the “Moon-Viewing Game”

Many people probably think that otsukimi is about enjoying the full moon in autumn.

However, strictly speaking, the fifteenth night isn’t always a full moon.

That’s because it’s based on the night of the 15th day of the 8th month in the old lunar calendar.

Just a little tidbit about moon viewing.

Enjoying a game themed around otsukimi also feels wonderfully autumnal.

You could play a game where you roll dumplings into perfect spheres, hold a contest for stylishly arranging pampas grass, or have everyone fold rabbit origami—there are plenty of fun ideas.

Pet bottle bowling could be a hit too, with the bowling ball as the moon and the pins standing in for pampas grass!

Autumn Flavors Guessing Game

An “Autumn Delicacies Collecting Game” with brain-training elements

There are lots of ways to enjoy autumn—sports, reading, and more—but the best part is definitely the season’s delicious foods.

With that in mind, here are some game ideas featuring autumn flavors like sweet potatoes, grapes, matsutake mushrooms, and chestnuts.

Try a “Guess the Flavor” contest where you eat candy and identify the taste, a “Guess the Ingredient” quiz where you sample a dish and name what’s in it, make autumn food cards for a memory game, or collect cards of the seasonal foods you’ve eaten—the ideas are endless! All of these are recreational activities that seem fun for wheelchair users too, so they’re perfect for facilities with many people who use wheelchairs.

autumn leaf viewing

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The word “kari” (hunting) can sound a bit scary, but in Japanese we sometimes use “—gari” to mean going to look at and enjoy something.

For example… well, let’s set the quiz aside for now—when it comes to autumn, one of the pleasures is momijigari (autumn leaf viewing).

In town, maple and ginkgo trees are the standouts.

If those trees are in a park, it seems like you could enjoy a little picnic.

If you live near the mountains, the bright red leaves of rowan and Japanese sumac are striking to the eye.

The ways to enjoy it are many: composing haiku, sketching, and more.

Spot the differences

[Spot the Difference Quiz] Difficult but Fun! Free Activities for Seniors [Autumn Illustration] #902

Spot-the-difference is a game where you compare two similar pictures and look for small differences.

The key point here is that the illustrations are autumn-themed, so while sharpening your focus to identify the differences, you can also soak in the seasonal atmosphere.

The pictures feature various autumnal elements, but they aren’t necessarily the differences, so don’t be misled—compare the entire images carefully.

It’s said there are various techniques, such as comparing block by block or taking a soft-focus look at the whole, so try tackling it in your own way.

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