Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged gathering: A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy.
Keirokai is an event held to express our daily gratitude to older adults.
Respect for the Aged Day is celebrated in various forms, such as events for day-service residents or those hosted by local governments.
Recreation games are an essential part of any Keirokai.
In this article, we’ll introduce many recreation games that people of all ages can enjoy together.
Since Keirokai brings together participants from different age groups, we recommend activities that everyone can enjoy as a form of intergenerational exchange.
We hope you find this helpful.
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Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged Day gathering. A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy (1–10).
Word association game
Word association games are perfect recreational activities for older adults.
It’s fun to link words freely in the “When you think of XX, you think of YY” format.
A great point is that people who use wheelchairs can participate, too.
Forming a circle and sharing each person’s experiences and memories is also appealing.
It helps stimulate the brain and may even lead to new discoveries.
It also seems likely to deepen communication among older adults.
Why not give it a try together and have some fun?
balloon volleyball
Balloon volleyball, which you can play while seated using a balloon and a paper fan, is an easy, enjoyable game for older adults.
Even without competitive play like real volleyball, simply keeping a rally going takes concentration, so it’s sure to get everyone engaged.
If you get overly excited and hit too hard, the rally won’t last, so the key is to use a gentle touch that makes it easy for your partner to return.
Because it’s less affected by age or physical condition, it’s an ideal game for recreational activities for seniors.
Clothespin scooping
Clothespin scooping: pick up lined-up clothespins with a paper fan and drop them into a paper cup.
It’s a recreation that offers the same thrill as scoop-the-ball or goldfish scooping at festival stalls.
It also sounds fun to set a time limit and compete to see who can get the most clothespins into the cup.
The tension of carefully lifting the clothespins with the fan and carrying them without dropping will heighten the excitement of the game.
It’s an indoor activity that doubles as brain training by combining physical movement with placing objects into a designated spot.
Liven up your Respect-for-the-Aged Day gathering: A collection of recreational activities everyone can enjoy (11–20)
ball toss (traditional Japanese beanbag/ball-throwing game)
Tamaire, a game where you throw balls into a basket, is a staple of school sports days and is easy for anyone to join.
By setting detailed rules, you can enjoy it safely without putting strain on the body.
It’s important to devise ways for everyone to play under the same conditions—for example, placing a washbasin at a distance instead of a basket and having participants throw towels into it.
Although the game is simple, it includes elements that make you think—such as how to throw so it reaches farther—so it can also serve as brain training.
Aim to create a game everyone can enjoy by offering subtle hints to those who are struggling and paying attention to small courtesies.
Baton relay
Competitive events are a big draw at sports festivals, but activities that everyone completes together are also popular.
The baton relay introduced here is one where older adults cooperate by threading a baton onto a string and passing it along.
Split into two teams, participants enjoy seeing how many times each team can pass the baton.
Through the act of passing it back and forth, a sense of unity develops and communication skills deepen.
Moreover, the feeling of accomplishment from successfully passing the baton leads to positive experiences and can help elevate mood.
Fan Beanbag Relay
Let me introduce a fan-and-beanbag relay that everyone can enjoy.
Have participants sit in chairs in a single row, and use handheld fans to pass along a beanbag.
Because it’s done while seated, even people who find it difficult to stand or move their bodies can likely take part.
Since both the fan and the beanbag are light, it doesn’t require much strength.
And with fans and beanbags, there’s less risk of injury if something is dropped.
Through the relay, people will call out to one another and work together as a team.
It might even spark new interactions.
You can also make it more exciting by forming two lines and holding a head-to-head relay competition.
Beanbag Catch
Let’s have fun with a beanbag-catching game.
Toss beanbags to older adults seated in chairs, and have them catch the beanbags using a container.
Everyday items like a colander, bowl, or sushi tub work just fine.
It’s enjoyable with both large and small groups.
A team competition to see who can catch the most beanbags is also recommended.
The lively atmosphere will likely encourage interaction among participants, and it’s a refreshing activity for everyone.