[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] Recreational Activities to Experience in August (31–40)
Awa Odori Exercise
Let’s all try the Awa Odori Exercise, an adapted version of Awa Odori! There are many exercises you can do while seated, and this one can be done either sitting or standing.
You can also stretch your legs while seated.
Plus, it incorporates many of the distinctive hand movements of Awa Odori.
Let’s enjoy a festive mood together!
August Quiz
How about spending your summer indoor time giving your brain a workout with quizzes? Here’s a collection of quizzes themed around August.
It’s packed with questions about flowers, foods, and events related to August that older adults can enjoy! Quizzes are great because anyone can take part, and you can have fun while seated.
You can enjoy the quizzes we’ve introduced, or it might be fun to create your own original set of questions.
Let’s enjoy quizzes while feeling the season of summer and deepen our knowledge of August.
Snack Activity: Sky-Blue Jelly
If you’re unsure what to make for an August snack activity, why not try this “Blue Sky Jelly”? It’s easy: just mix, set, and layer in a container! Make the blue jelly with dissolved gelatin, soda, and blue syrup.
For the white jelly, mix gelatin, milk, and undiluted lactic acid drink.
After mixing the ingredients, chill them in the refrigerator.
Once the jellies are set, layer them alternately in a container to create a sky effect.
Finish with vanilla ice cream and a cherry on top if you like.
shaved ice making
Here’s a very simple craft idea for shaved ice.
Prepare a paper cup, cotton, paint, and crayons.
First, use a crayon to write the character for “ice” (氷) and draw wave patterns on the paper cup.
Stuff the cup with cotton, then add color with paint to represent syrup—that’s it! By changing the paint colors, you can make shaved ice with different syrups.
If you make a few and display them along a wall, they’ll make lovely decorations for a festival event.
Give it a try!
Soran-bushi exercise
The Soran Bushi, a folk song from Hokkaido, is probably a song that many older adults have heard at least once.
These days, it’s often performed at school sports festivals as well.
Some of you may even remember watching your children or grandchildren dance to it at their sports day.
Let’s try doing some exercises to the familiar Soran Bushi melody.
Since the movements are done while seated, even those who find it difficult to stand can participate.
It would also be exciting for everyone to dance together at a summer festival.
[For Seniors] Recreational Activities to Experience in August (41–50)
Singing and exercise medley of summer children’s songs
As an indoor exercise activity, seated calisthenics are a classic choice.
Even while sitting, you can move your body well and refresh your mood, so give it a try and dance along.
You can use any music you like, but if you want something widely recognized that everyone can hum to, summer children’s songs are recommended.
There are plenty of summer-themed nursery songs such as “Kamome no Suiheisan” (Seagull Sailor), “Fujinoyama” (Mount Fuji), and “Ware wa Umi no Ko” (Child of the Sea), so pick some popular tunes.
Loosen up your body by spreading your arms and marching your feet to the rhythm!
Beat the summer heat: chair exercises
When it’s hot, we tend to go outside less, but let’s keep our bodies moving moderately to prevent summer fatigue and maintain our health.
Here, we’ll introduce simple exercises you can do while seated.
After loosening up by rolling your shoulders and twisting your upper body, add in marching in place and lifting your knees to touch your hands.
Finally, move your body while vocalizing to also strengthen the muscles around your mouth.
Do these within a comfortable range in a cool indoor environment, and be sure to stay well hydrated.