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[For Seniors] Make it a special day: A roundup of birthday party activities for nursing homes
Birthday parties held at nursing homes and other senior facilities.
Many staff members probably put a lot of thought into making them enjoyable every month, don’t they?
Since a birthday only comes once a year, you want to celebrate it in a special, lively way.
In this article, we introduce birthday-themed recreational activities that seniors will enjoy.
We’ve gathered fun ideas that everyone can enjoy together while celebrating—perfect for creating lots of happy memories.
Some programs feature staff performances, but it gets even more exciting when the birthday honoree can join in, too.
Wishing you a fun and wonderful birthday.
[For Seniors] Make it a special day: A roundup of birthday party activities at nursing homes (1–10)
Sing the birthday song together
Birthdays are special no matter how old you are.
To make the day fun and memorable, why not have everyone sing a birthday song along with some background music? And don’t worry if you’re not comfortable singing—clapping along or joining in with instruments like bells or a tambourine is great, too.
Including the birthday person’s name in the song will boost the celebratory mood even more.
You can set up a special seat, adjust the lighting, and—even though it’s classic—a surprise cake is sure to be a hit.
song exercise
Here are some recommended sing-along exercises for a birthday party activity.
While seated, move along with the music by clapping, bending your elbows, lifting your toes, and more.
The key is to choose a variety of songs—some with expressive dynamics, others with a good tempo.
Think of movements that can be done safely while seated, keeping participants’ safety in mind.
Doing the activity with expressive facial gestures will help liven things up! Performing it while singing also helps with relaxation and stress relief, so it’s highly recommended.
Everyday Birthday Rec
Let me introduce some go-to, everyday birthday activities for when you’re not sure what to do.
Using tissue paper, have the participants make flowers and stems and present them to the birthday person.
When everyone has given theirs, it turns into a beautiful bouquet! For the Flappy Game, make a big candle and use a cardboard box as a pretend cake.
Cut small circles in the centers of pieces of tissue paper and fit them onto the candle.
When you fan them with a uchiwa (hand fan), the tissue paper floats upward like the candle has been lit—great fun to watch.
In the “Roll to Get a Present” game, you roll two golf balls into holes; getting the strength just right is the key.
All of these are seated, safe, and exciting games that everyone can enjoy.
kusudama (decorative paper ball used for celebrations)
Incorporating a kusudama into the birthday party activities should really help lift the atmosphere.
When preparing it, choose longer, sparkly streamers and similar materials so that the contents don’t scatter onto participants when the ball is opened.
Adding messages or names inside will likely make it even more delightful.
After everyone sings and offers congratulations, do a countdown and have someone open the kusudama to raise the excitement even more.
Also, be mindful to speak and engage in ways that ensure all participants can enjoy the celebration.
Blowing out candles on a cake
Many senior care facilities probably prepare delicious-looking cakes for birthdays, don’t they? Speaking of birthday cakes, you light the candles and the person celebrating blows them out.
Let’s have the older adult celebrating their birthday blow out the candles on the cake as well.
These days, you can find all kinds of candles even at 100-yen shops.
They may not be able to blow out the candles by themselves.
In that case, please have the people around them help blow them out together.
It will make the lively birthday party even more memorable.
Hige Dance
The Hige Dance, which was hugely popular in the Showa era.
The Drifters’ Ken Shimura and Cha Kato wore fake mustaches and silently performed various gags—an unforgettable sight.
Back then, many children were glued to the TV to watch the Hige Dance.
Many older adults have probably seen it at least once, too.
Because the Hige Dance is familiar to seniors, it’s also recommended for birthday recreation.
Have the staff put on a Hige Dance performance.
Try doing tricks to the distinctive Hige Dance melody.
If staff with fake mustaches perform silently, it’s likely to get seniors excited.
Even seniors who don’t know the Hige Dance will probably be captivated by the staff’s act.
Presentation of gifts and interview
The gift presentation and interview will become a special, memorable time for the birthday honoree.
When giving the present, let’s play some music to liven up the atmosphere.
During the interview with the participant, take your time asking about their hobbies and happy memories, and create a fun, relaxed environment so they can enjoy a truly special moment.
For the gift, it would be great to choose something they’ll enjoy—check their hobbies and whether they have any allergies, and pick a present within your means that will make them happy!