[Respect-for-the-Aged Day Celebration] Laughter All Around! Ideas for Performances and Games You Can Enjoy While Seated
The program for Respect-for-the-Aged Day is a precious time that will become a special memory for our seniors.
Through performances and games, let’s create heartwarming moments of connection.
We’ve prepared a wide variety of activities for everyone to enjoy together—lively conversations over a meal, the light rhythm of dance, the laughter of comedy improv, and the excitement of magic.
All ideas are designed to be enjoyed while seated, so participants who use wheelchairs or walk with canes can join with ease.
Between programs, conversation will naturally flow, creating wonderful memories.
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[Respect-for-the-Aged Day Gathering] Laughter All Around! Ideas for Seated Entertainment and Games (1–10)
Sazae-san
Many older adults are likely familiar with the anime Sazae-san, which has even been performed on stage.
It is said that the TV broadcast began in 1969 (Showa 44).
Even today, when people think of a Sunday evening anime, many probably picture Sazae-san.
Here, we introduce a dance set to the music from this well-loved anime for seniors.
Just hearing the intro is likely enough for older adults to recall the title.
If the dancer wears a Sazae-san mask and an apron, it enhances the atmosphere even more.
Also, because it’s Sazae-san, it should be easier for seniors to remember.
Hilarious! Banana Bargain Sale
The banana auction, where sellers rattle off their unique patter while steadily lowering the price, originated around Moji Port in Moji City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
It spread nationwide after a scene in the film “It’s Tough Being a Man” (Otoko wa Tsurai yo).
The lively, witty style of selling bananas is something older adults can also enjoy.
If you use homemade play money and have older adults play the role of buyers, it will likely be even more engaging.
Try enjoying it with call-and-response lines like “That’s too expensive!” and “Can you lower it a bit more?”
Hanagasa Ondo
The Hanagasa Ondo is danced while holding hats decorated with artificial flowers.
The Hanagasa Ondo is also the main attraction of the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival, which is held every summer in Yamagata Prefecture.
Incidentally, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival is one of the four major festivals of the Tohoku region.
The Hanagasa Ondo, danced with beautiful flowered hats, is visually stunning and would make a wonderful performance.
Watching the Hanagasa Ondo while inviting older adults to clap along is likely to liven things up.
Some seniors may have danced it in the past, and others may feel nostalgic watching the performance.
It could even spark conversations from there.
Respect-for-the-Aged Day: Laughter All Around! Ideas for Seated Performances and Games (11–20)
theater
A play that draws the audience into its story and world can be a highlight of the Respect-for-the-Aged Day event.
You can choose a famous story everyone knows, or arrange it in an easy-to-understand way so people can enjoy it.
Of course, an original script is fine too, but be careful not to get too particular or niche, as the audience may have trouble following along.
Also, making it interactive—for example, by speaking to the audience from the stage—can really liven things up, so it’s a recommended attraction.
True or False Quiz
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.
Bingo game
At events, the classic bingo game is a staple.
For occasions like seniors’ gatherings, try making it extra special with a slightly more luxurious selection of prizes! After all, the prospect of winning something is exciting at any age—not just for kids, but for adults too.
You don’t have to use store-bought bingo cards; handmade ones can be just as fun, and you can make them larger and easier to read.
Searching for the numbers is a mental exercise and works well as brain training.
Everyone will get enthusiastic—maybe you’ll even find yourself calling out numbers louder than usual!
What’s inside the box?
The recreation game “What’s inside the box?” is a familiar one—you often see it on TV variety shows too, right? On TV they sometimes put in things that are a bit intense, but when seniors are playing, try using familiar items they often see and handle in daily life.
Even if they don’t get the answer, the act of thinking exercises the brain, and at those times you can offer a little hint.
It’s a game that spectators can enjoy as well.