[For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August
At day service centers and other senior facilities, staff are always thinking up recreational activities that elderly participants will enjoy.
We recommend seasonal activities that help stimulate both mind and body.
In this article, we’ll introduce recreational ideas that are perfect for August!
Speaking of August, Japan is full of unique seasonal events like festivals and Obon!
We’ve gathered many activities inspired by the classic sights and sounds of summer.
There are also refreshing ideas you can only experience during the summer, so please use them as a reference.
- [Elderly Care] Summary of Ideas and Recreational Activities Linked to August Events
- [For Seniors] Fun Activities That Liven Up Cool Evening Festivals and Summer Festivals
- [For Seniors] Enjoy September’s Autumn Fun! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas
- Activities perfect for July for seniors: Introducing games and recreational options
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Summer to the Fullest! Fun Summer-Only Activities Introduced
- Snacks for Seniors: Refreshing Chilled Sweets Recommended for August
- For Seniors: Festive Attractions to Liven Up Festivals—Games and Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- [Day Service] August Craft Ideas That Seniors Will Enjoy
- [For Seniors] Enjoyable Day Service: A Collection of Fun Event Ideas
- August quizzes that seniors can enjoy!
- [For Seniors] August Health Tips: How to Enjoy and Stay Comfortable During the Hot Summer
[For Seniors] Recreations to Experience in August (21–30)
Care prevention exercises to the tune of Kiyoshi’s Zundoko-bushi
These days, Kiyoshi Hikawa has been showcasing new sides of his charm to the public.
I imagine there are fans of Kiyoshi Hikawa among older adults as well.
And when it comes to his hit songs, “Kiyoshi no Zundoko-bushi” comes to mind, doesn’t it? It’s a tune known across many generations.
Let’s move our bodies to “Kiyoshi no Zundoko-bushi.” The key to exercise is consistency.
If the workout uses a song familiar to older adults, it might be easier to keep it up while having fun.
By all means, try singing along as you do the exercises.
Fireworks making
Prepare black construction paper, crayons, and colorful round stickers.
Use the crayons to draw several radiating lines on the black paper.
Then, as you stick the colorful stickers on top, it will look like fireworks bursting in the night sky.
The shape of the fireworks changes depending on how you draw the lines, so everyone’s individuality will shine through.
Combining different designs makes it even more gorgeous and lovely.
Treasure Fishing
Let’s host a summer festival that gets participants’ hearts racing with excitement! Here’s an idea for a Treasure Fishing game.
When you think of a summer festival, many people imagine food stalls, right? This time, let’s try a treasure fishing challenge where you use a hook attached to a string to aim for and lift the ring attached to a prize.
The treasures can include snacks, drinks, tumblers, and small goods.
It’s fine to put them in transparent bags so the contents are visible, but setting them up in wrapping paper or paper bags so the contents are hidden could be fun too.
Be sure to give it a try!
Fireworks game
Tape the back of a paper plate with duct tape to secure it.
Put ping-pong balls inside, then toss beanbags aiming for the inside.
If you can knock all the ping-pong balls out using the beanbags you have, you succeed.
When a beanbag hits just right, the ping-pong balls can burst out all at once, looking just like a fireworks display.
It could be exciting as a time trial, too.
Strikeout
Strikeout is a game where you throw a ball at targets labeled with numbers.
In addition to being expected to help with arm exercise, strikeout is also said to strengthen the core.
By training your core, your body’s balance becomes more stable, which can help prevent falls.
It’s a game where you knock down numbered targets, so you can have fun while getting a workout.
Since it’s a lively game that many people can enjoy together, it would be great to include it in an April cherry-blossom viewing recreation.
How about making the targets not with numbers, but with illustrations or photos related to cherry-blossom viewing?
Bon Odori (Bon dance)
Have you ever felt a little restless at night when you hear festival music drifting from afar? Since it’s August, why not enjoy a Bon Odori dance together with everyone? As you move your body to the beat of the drums and flutes, you’ll find smiles appearing naturally.
You can dance the familiar style from your local area, or use the many Bon Odori choreography videos posted on YouTube from all over Japan as a reference.
You could even ask participants for song requests and create an original choreography—just an idea.
[Word Search] Words about Summer
![[Word Search] Words about Summer](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/bttcL2ldqj4/sddefault.jpg)
This is a puzzle where you look for words related to summer hidden among randomly arranged hiragana.
The tricky parts are that there are many target words and that unused hiragana are mixed in.
The phrase “things related to summer” is a big hint, but if participants still can’t reach the answers, it’s recommended to gradually reveal hints over time, such as the number of letters used or the category of the words.
Crossing out used hiragana with a pen helps organize one’s thoughts, but if you have them “erase” the letters in their head instead, it encourages them to use their reasoning skills more thoroughly.
