Liven up the Respect-for-the-Aged gathering: A roundup of recreational activities everyone can enjoy.

A simple activity using ohajiki (small traditional Japanese game pieces)

[Elderly Recreation] A Big Hit!? Simple Recreation Using Ohajiki (Marbles) [Traditional Games, Reminiscence Therapy, Day Service Activities, Preventive Care]

Some older adults may have played ohajiki when they were young or with their children.

Here are some simple recreational activities you can do with ohajiki.

Beyond lining them up on a table or floor and flicking one with your finger to hit another, there are many ways to play.

For example, you can play a curling-like game by flicking ohajiki onto a sheet with a circle and point values, or stack the pieces upward.

With a bit of creativity, it seems there are plenty of ways to enjoy ohajiki.

In addition to using your fingertips, these games can help improve concentration and promote communication.

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Nakajima Junko

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High touch rec

Can't stop laughing lol! A high-five recreation that gets everyone excited [Senior brain-training exercise]

A high five is when two people clap each other’s hands, often when greeting brightly or when they’re happy.

Let’s turn this high five into a recreation activity that seniors can enjoy.

Have everyone sit in a circle on chairs and high-five the person next to them.

Try high-fiving with just one hand, or flipping the hands to alternate between palm-up and palm-down.

Make the seated circle smaller so people can reach to tap someone’s hand or do double high-fives with both hands.

Thinking about who has a free hand, and counting to ten while high-fiving, can also help train the brain.

It’s the kind of activity that can spark conversations with people who don’t usually talk and help broaden communication.

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Nakajima Junko

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kamishibai (paper theater)

Also recommended for seniors! Yutapon’s entertaining kamishibai “The Fox’s Bon Dance”

How about hosting a fun Respect-for-the-Aged Day gathering using kamishibai (paper theater)? It will bring back fond memories and create a heartwarming time together.

The key is to tell the story alongside the pictures so that older adults can really enjoy it.

You could borrow a set from the library, or create an original story of your own.

Adding expression to match each scene will make it even more engaging.

By immersing everyone in the world of the story, it can also help deepen communication among the seniors.

True or False Quiz

[Health True-or-False Quiz] For Seniors! Fun Health Trivia in a Maru-Batsu Format! [10 Questions Total]

How about trying a true-or-false quiz that everyone—from children to adults—can enjoy? If you have a large group, you can play in a spacious area by dividing people into O and X sides.

But it’s often difficult for older participants to move around, right? In that case, you can make O and X cards, hand them out, and have people raise them while staying in place.

The quiz content can be general trivia, or since it’s Respect for the Aged Day, you could prepare health-related questions to encourage people to think about their well-being.

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utatane

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Tug-of-war with a newspaper using your feet

Quick “newspaper tug-of-war” with feet

Tug-of-war is one of the most exciting events at a sports day, isn’t it? It brings everyone together to cheer as a team and deepens communication.

This time’s “newspaper tug-of-war with your feet” can be done while seated, making it an easy activity for older adults of all abilities to join.

To keep it safe, be sure to sit firmly in a chair and hold onto the handrail while participating! The key to winning is to skillfully use your feet to pull the newspaper toward you.

Please enjoy it together with everyone.

Using your feet also helps strengthen your muscles and core, so it’s highly recommended.

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Nanaka

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origami

Persimmon decoration made with easy origami (with audio commentary)

Origami is a wonderful recreational activity that lets you exercise your fingers while having fun.

Its appeal is that anyone can take part, including people who use wheelchairs.

Through origami, you can draw out older adults’ creativity and concentration.

The time spent immersing oneself in making a piece can be calming and relaxing.

It’s also enjoyable to share completed works and have lively conversations.

Making decorations that match the season is recommended as well.

Origami also deepens communication among older adults.

Displaying pieces they’ve folded themselves gives a sense of accomplishment.

Quiz

A quiz competition that everyone can join could really excite older participants too, since there are wins and losses based on the number of correct answers.

You can make it enjoyable by tailoring the questions to the participants, such as common-knowledge quizzes by generation or history questions.

If the organizers are from a younger generation, creating the questions can also be a great learning experience—truly killing two birds with one stone.

It’s a classic, fun activity where you can set motivating rules, like preparing prizes for the winner or top performers, to encourage positive participation.

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Hoshino Takashi

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