[For Seniors] Enjoy September’s Autumn Fun! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas
September is the season when the summer heat eases and the air turns crisp.
As it becomes more comfortable, you might find yourself wondering if there’s something fun to do.
September, with its moon-viewing, the equinoctial week, and cosmos flowers, offers plenty of activities to enjoy both indoors and outdoors.
You can hang a handmade wreath, do exercises together while singing, or get excited with fun games.
It’s also a great time to hold seasonal events like Respect-for-the-Aged gatherings and sports days.
Spend some heartwarming, enjoyable moments with your family and friends.
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable September Event Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
- [For Seniors] Easy Snack Activity Perfect for September
- Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged gathering: A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy.
- September Health Topic: Introducing Recreational Activities That Capture the Feeling of Autumn’s Arrival
- [For Seniors] Recreation Games Related to October Events
- Wall decoration ideas for seniors recommended for September
- Simple, Recommended Autumn Crafts for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Recommended September Origami to Feel the Autumn Season
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Fun Activities That Liven Up Cool Evening Festivals and Summer Festivals
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
[For Seniors] Enjoy Autumn with September Activities! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas (11–20)
Singing activity with September songs
Let’s use a recreation activity with songs that evoke autumn to help people feel the change of seasons in a joyful way.
Singing not only improves cardiopulmonary function, but recalling songs also helps activate the brain.
It’s recommended to start with children’s songs that everyone knows, then connect that to a memory-recalling activity using songs that were popular with each generation.
While activating the brain and improving cardiopulmonary function are important, it’s also essential to have people enjoy raising their voices so they feel brighter and more refreshed.
Moon-viewing wall decoration
Let’s create a moon-viewing scene that’s perfect as a wall decoration for September and display it on the wall.
There are many elements: a beautiful round full moon, tasty tsukimi dango that are a staple of moon viewing, cute rabbits gazing up at the moon, and pampas grass swaying in the night breeze.
Staff can create a full-wall display, or everyone can enjoy a craft activity by assembling detailed paper parts like a papercraft to make individual moon-viewing scenes to display.
It’s fun to make, and enjoyable to look at after it’s put up.
Autumn Sports Exercises in a Chair
Sports Day is a holiday inspired by the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics and a day to promote interest in sports.
For Sports Day, here is a workout that draws on the Olympics and incorporates movements from various sports.
While seated in a chair, try reproducing actions from sports like judo and swimming, engaging your core while moving your hands and arms.
Rather than simply copying a demonstration, it’s also recommended to think about the kinds of movements each sport involves and incorporate those into the exercises.
Pacific saury catching
Autumn is the season for reading, appetite, sports, and the arts—there’s so much to enjoy.
It’s also known for having many delicious seasonal foods, like rice and fruits.
And among the fish that represent autumn, pacific saury (sanma) is surely one many of you look forward to.
Let’s enjoy a game using sanma! Use chopsticks to pick up the many sanma placed on a grilling rack and serve them onto a plate.
If that’s too easy, try the challenge with your non-dominant hand.
How many can you place on the plate?
Ikebana using pampas grass
Speaking of autumn traditions, moon viewing comes to mind, doesn’t it? On the night of the Harvest Moon, you often see scenes decorated with pampas grass and the like.
There’s also a custom of displaying the seven autumn flowers, but gathering all seven can be quite a task—so how about trying ikebana using pampas grass? Make pampas grass the main element, then add easily available autumn flowers like cosmos or balloon flower to make it much more vibrant.
Even pampas grass on its own has a distinct, serene charm.
It’s sure to heighten the moon-viewing mood.
Respect-for-the-Aged Day Quiz
I think many care facilities hold events in September to celebrate Respect-for-the-Aged Day.
How about making the time even more enjoyable with a Respect-for-the-Aged Day quiz? Turning things that older adults used to hear about or know well into quiz questions can help them recall memories and the past more easily.
If the quiz is related to Respect-for-the-Aged Day, it’s a familiar custom, so it should be easier to imagine and engage with.
Looking back on the past stimulates the brain and can help prevent dementia or slow its progression.
It’s important that recreational activities are enjoyable for older adults.
Please try using a Respect-for-the-Aged Day quiz in a fun and stress-free way for them.
[For Seniors] Enjoy Autumn with September Activities! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas (21–30)
Word association game
How about playing a word-association game based on seasonal autumn foods as a fall recreation activity? In this game, you clap your hands and say, “Speaking of ~, I think of ___,” and answer with a word you associate from the blank.
It activates your inspiration, so it works as brain training too! Besides autumn seasonal foods, you can use various themes like animals or plants.
You can also try variations, such as a drawing association game where you sketch the theme on paper.
Give it a try while exploring different ideas!
