[For Seniors] Fun Spring Recreational Activities: A Collection of Games and Play Ideas
Spring brings more warm days, with cherry blossoms blooming and trees putting on fresh green leaves—it’s the kind of season that makes you want to go out.
In this article, we introduce fun spring activities and games for older adults.
Daycare centers and senior facilities also offer more spring-themed recreation, don’t they? Even without going outside, there are plenty of activities and recreational games you can enjoy indoors while sitting, basking in the gentle spring sunlight.
Try enjoying spring in various ways.
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[For Seniors] Fun Spring Recreational Activities: Collection of Games and Play Ideas (21–30)
Quiz
How about hosting a quiz contest that anyone can easily join? It’s a game you can play anytime, anywhere, so the weather won’t matter.
Since we have the chance, let’s prepare questions related to spring.
If you make them multiple choice, no one will go quiet just because they don’t know the answer.
Be sure to enjoy it with a big group.
It’s perfect for stimulating the brain, since you’ll be using your head.
tea party
A tea gathering—though not the kind where you simply meet up to sip warm tea, enjoy sweets, and chat about everyday matters.
That’s certainly pleasant too, but what I’m introducing here is a tea ceremony gathering.
As a form of recreation, why not try experiencing a more authentic way of enjoying tea? It’s recommended to invite someone knowledgeable or a tea instructor and give it a try under their guidance.
[For Seniors] Fun Spring Recreational Activities: Collection of Games and Play (31–40)
Let’s make flowers bloom on a withered tree.
A game where you throw flower pieces at a withered tree target set on the floor—let’s make the barren tree bloom! Attach paper plate targets with point values written on them to the tips of the branches of the withered tree target.
Using pre-made flower pieces—crumpled newspaper or paper clay wrapped in tissue paper—aim and throw them at the paper plate targets.
With each round, more flowers “bloom” on the withered tree.
It’s perfect for spring: you can move your body while enjoying both the score tally and the changing appearance of the target!
pressed flower(s)
In spring, flowers of many kinds bloom everywhere, don’t they? So, how about picking some small flowers when you go for a walk and making pressed flowers? It’s simple: sandwich the flowers between sheets of paper towel, then sandwich that between sheets of newspaper.
Place a heavy magazine or similar weight on top and leave it for a few days, and you’re done.
It’s said that using small flowers works better because they have less moisture.
You can mount the finished pressed flowers on washi paper to display them, or laminate them to make bookmarks!
Fishing game
A fishing game you can easily enjoy while seated indoors.
For older adults, real fishing can involve risks, so being able to enjoy it indoors is ideal.
It also offers the benefits of reminiscence therapy by recalling memories from when they used to fish.
Because you use a handmade rod with a magnet to reel in the fish, even seniors who have never fished before can enjoy it with ease.
Compete in teams to see how many fish you can catch.
For seniors who used to enjoy fishing as a hobby, it’s a great chance to show off their skills.
Making flower decorations
Here’s how to make a tsumami-zaiku flower ornament using chirimen fabric.
Tsumami-zaiku may seem difficult, but once you gather the materials, it’s surprisingly easy! What’s great about this flower ornament is that you can make it entirely with items from the 100-yen shop.
Even glue guns are sold at 100-yen shops these days.
Use a styrofoam base and attach the chirimen fabric with wood glue.
The finished piece is elegant and can be used as a room decoration, or as an accessory like a hair ornament or corsage.
Rolling Table Tennis
Korokoro Table Tennis is a game where you roll a ping-pong ball on a tabletop.
Normally, table tennis is played by rallying with rackets, but in this version you roll the ball on the table and hit it back not with rackets, but with milk cartons.
Use masking tape to mark a center line on the table, and set up barriers around the edges—like milk cartons or tissue boxes—so the ball doesn’t fall off.
If the ball goes off the table, it’s out.
You can also play using a point system like regular table tennis.
Since empty milk cartons get crushed when you grip them, try stuffing them with newspaper or similar material to make them sturdier.