[For Seniors] Enjoyable Indoor Activities! Recreations and Games That Engage the Mind and Body
Have fun moving your body together while giving your brain a workout, too! If you’re looking for games that train balance, indoor recreation is highly recommended.
We’ll introduce ideas you can fully enjoy even while seated, such as the Chopstick Pick-Up Game, the Balance UFO Game, and Ping-Pong Ball Transfer.
In particular, the actions of carefully pulling out chopsticks and placing items on a disc naturally build concentration and a sense of balance.
These ideas are perfect for seniors to enjoy together, so why not give them a try?
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- Hand games that liven things up for seniors—also great brain training
- [November Health Topic] Indoor Recreation Ideas for Older Adults
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
Indoor games everyone can enjoy (1–10)
Flying Fukuwarai
Some older adults may have played fukuwarai during the New Year holidays.
Fukuwarai is the game where you’re blindfolded and place facial features onto a face, right? Part of the fun is not being able to place the features correctly.
But with “Flying Fukuwarai,” there’s no blindfold.
Instead, you toss large facial feature pieces onto a sheet of paper with a large face drawn on it.
Of course, it still often results in hilariously misplaced features, which makes it exciting.
And because you throw the pieces while looking at the face, it’s said to help train spatial awareness.
Spatial awareness is the ability to perceive positions and shapes within space.
When it declines, people may get lost on familiar routes or bump into things more easily.
Give Flying Fukuwarai a try for a fun brain workout!
Mountain Cup
Some of you may have played golf back when you were working at a company.
Let us introduce the Mountain Cup, an activity that can bring back those memories.
As the name suggests, the course is shaped like a mountain.
Place a basket in the center, and lay plastic or cardboard boards—on which a ball can roll—over the top.
Make a hole in the center of the board, and roll the ball as you would in golf to get it into the central hole.
It’s easier to enjoy indoors than ground golf or gateball.
It’s likely to be fun for many older adults.
Table hockey
Introducing table hockey, a game that’s a blast whether you’re playing with a small group or a larger one.
Since you play seated, anyone can join in.
Cover the table so the ball won’t fall off anywhere except from the two ends.
Make strikers out of cardboard, place the ball in the center of the table, and you’re ready to go! Play to five points—the winner is the one who sends the ball off the opponent’s end of the table.
It’s fun while also helping to build arm strength, reaction speed, and decision-making, so it can be used as an occupational therapy activity as well.
Give it a try!
Pull with your feet! Snail race
Let’s try a foot-powered indoor exercise! Pull with your feet! Here’s the idea for a Snail Race.
Indoors, your movement range is limited, so your activity level can drop…
Does that sound familiar? That’s when you should try this: Pull with your feet! The Snail Race.
Spread a towel under a chair and place a plastic bottle on the towel with a snail motif attached.
The game is to use only the strength of your feet to pull the “snail” toward you as quickly as possible without knocking it over.
Give it a try!
Makimaki Apple Game
For a recreation activity in a caregiving setting, we propose the “Makimaki Apple Game”! First, place paper apple cutouts on a sheet of construction paper and attach them.
Set them a short distance away, then connect the stick and the paper with clear tape.
By twisting the stick to wind up the tape, you pull the apple closer to you.
It would be very exciting to race with several people! By starting from the crafting step, participants can experience both making and playing.
Please give it a try together and have fun!
Indoor games everyone can enjoy (11–20)
Ring Relay
As March arrives, there are days when you can feel the warmth, but there are also days with big temperature swings.
At times like that, let’s have fun indoors with a “ring relay.” Use rings of large, medium, and small sizes made from paper or toilet paper rolls, thread them onto chopsticks, and pass them along to the next person.
It works well as a game for a small group, and it’s also fun as a team competition for larger groups.
Through the relay, you’ll naturally interact with those around you, which can help promote communication.
Since it can be done while seated, it should be easy for older adults to join in as well.
Enjoy your time!
Chestnut Picking Game
Let me introduce the Chestnut-Picking Game, a fun way to help with arm rehabilitation.
Make ring shapes out of construction paper in the shape of chestnuts and write point values on them.
You can also make maple and ginkgo leaves to set the mood.
Once you place everything in a cardboard box, you’re ready to go.
Use a cane to pick up the chestnuts and compete based on the points of the ones you collect.
Once everyone gets used to it, add a time limit, such as finishing within 30 seconds, or rules like making the last chestnut worth double points to keep it feeling fresh and exciting.
It can be enjoyed while sitting in a chair or using just one hand, so it’s recommended as a recreational activity at senior care facilities.