For Seniors: Simple and Fun! November Recreation Ideas
Here are some November activities and recreations we recommend for older adults.
As November arrives, the scenery begins to shift from autumn to winter, and the temperatures drop quite a bit.
It’s a season where you can enjoy a different kind of seasonal beauty than in the height of autumn, but many older adults may find it hard to move as they’d like due to the cold and end up staying indoors.
With that in mind, this article gathers seasonal games and recreational activities that can be enjoyed indoors.
These ideas are also great for community gatherings and day service settings.
We hope everyone has fun together!
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
- [For Seniors] Recommended Trivia Quizzes & Fun Facts for November
- [For Seniors] Let’s Make It Together! Wonderful November Wall Decoration Ideas
- [November Health Topic] Indoor Recreation Ideas for Older Adults
- [For Seniors] Day-service activities also recommended! Craft ideas for November
- [For Seniors] Guaranteed to Be a Hit! Popular Day Service Recreational Activities
- For Seniors: Easy and Delicious! November Snack Activity
- [For Seniors] Liven Up November Day Services! Fun Autumn Event Ideas
- [For Seniors] Simple crafts that feel like autumn: a fun creative activity
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Have Fun! A Collection of Group Game Recreation Ideas
- [For Seniors] Fun and Lively! Recommended Quiz Questions
For Seniors: Simple and Fun! November Recreation Ideas (71–80)
Sukiyaki rock-paper-scissors
Sukiyaki is one of those dishes you crave in the cold season.
It’s popular with everyone from kids to seniors! This is a recreation activity themed around sukiyaki.
Players draw cards with ingredients on them, and the first person to complete their sukiyaki wins! If you draw an ingredient you’ve already taken, you have to put it back.
The rules are very simple, so it’s easy to understand.
You can prepare everything in advance, but there’s also a deeper way to enjoy it: have the seniors draw the ingredients that will go on the cards themselves.
Round-robin shogi for everyone to enjoy
Do you know about Shogi Day? It’s said that November 17 was designated based on a tradition dating back to the era of the 8th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune: once a year there was an official “Castle Shogi Day,” when people played shogi before the shogun as part of their duties.
So how about enjoying “Mawari Shogi,” a version even those unfamiliar with shogi can have fun with? Also called “Maru Shogi,” it’s basically like a board game similar to sugoroku that uses shogi pieces.
If you’re playing with a large group, a standard shogi board is a bit small, so you might want to make a larger, homemade board.
By the way, Go Day is January 5—an easy one to remember.
Animal therapy
Autumn is a season when you want to take it easy and relax, isn’t it? Scenery can be relaxing too, but animals might actually be even more effective.
Have you heard of the term “animal therapy”? The animals need to be trained so they don’t bark excessively or bite.
It’s said that interacting with animals can lift your mood! Some places, like zoos, even have petting areas.
It might be nice to go out and visit somewhere like that.
camera shooting
In autumn, many people go on trips or short outings with family and friends.
November, in particular, is a great time to enjoy the fall season, with temples and other spots showcasing beautiful foliage.
And of course, what you’ll want to capture at such times is photos.
However, when you try to photograph both a beautiful interior and a Japanese garden at the same time, it often ends up with one of them looking disappointing.
So, how about studying a bit of camera basics with this video before you head out? Just knowing a little can make a big difference!
Kick Balloon
As autumn deepens and the weather becomes more pleasant, it’s a great time to enjoy some physical recreation.
For older adults, a highly accessible activity is “kick balloon.” In this game, you attach a plastic bottle cap to a balloon and kick it into a box.
If it lands in the box, you score points—simple rules for a fun activity.
Crossword
Brain-teasing recreational activities are especially popular in autumn.
If you’re looking for something like that, crosswords are a great choice.
The rule is simple: using the clues for the across and down entries, you fill in words to complete the entire grid.
They’re perfect for thoughtful solo time, but also fun to enjoy with friends.
scratch art
Scratch art is the perfect recreation for fine motor exercise.
Instead of drawing, you scrape along pre-printed lines to complete an illustration.
Since the underlying sketch is already there, anyone can end up with a beautiful result—that’s the charm.
You can easily enjoy the little thrill of success when it turns out well.
When it gets cold, even people who aren’t seniors sometimes find it hard to move their bodies, right? But with scratch art, you only use your hands! That small amount of movement is more than enough to have fun.
It’s also sold online, so be sure to check it out.