[For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games
We’d like to introduce autumn-themed activities and recreation games for seniors.
Autumn brings pleasant weather that makes you want to go out.
It’s great if you can just decide, “Alright, let’s go!” and head out, but some people find it difficult to go out as they’d like.
So in this article, we’ll introduce enjoyable recreation games you can play indoors.
There are plenty of crafts and team-competition games that are useful in settings like day service centers, so please make good use of them.
Let’s play and feel the autumn season!
- For Seniors: Simple and Fun! November Recreation Ideas
- [November Health Topic] Indoor Recreation Ideas for Older Adults
- [For Seniors] Simple Recreational Activities You Can Enjoy While Seated
- [For Seniors] Simple Tabletop Games: Fun and Engaging Recreational Activities
- [For Seniors] Enjoy September’s Autumn Fun! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recreation Games Related to October Events
- [For Seniors] Recreational Activities Enjoyable in Large Groups
- September Health Topic: Introducing Recreational Activities That Capture the Feeling of Autumn’s Arrival
- [For Seniors] Simple crafts that feel like autumn: a fun creative activity
- [For Seniors] Fun Small-Group Recreation
- [October Health Topic] Introducing Recreational Activities for Seniors!
- [For Seniors] Liven Up Your Day Service! Fun Beanbag Toss Activity
- [For Seniors] Enjoyment at Day Care: A Roundup of Games and Recreational Activities
[For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games (141–150)
Ghost Tug-of-War Game
A ghost-themed pulling game that lets you get fired up while staying seated is also recommended.
First, prepare a long, narrow table.
You can connect multiple tables as long as there are no gaps or height differences.
Next, prepare the materials.
Attach a ghost motif to a sheet of construction paper, then tie a string to it that’s the same length as the table.
Finally, place an empty plastic bottle on the construction paper, and you’re set.
Players pull the string as quickly as possible while being careful not to tip over the plastic bottle.
Dango Stacking Game
On the night of the harvest moon, when people enjoy the beautiful full moon of autumn, pampas grass and moon-viewing dumplings are offered as prayers for health and gratitude for the harvest.
Here is a perfect autumn game that uses white beanbags as stand-ins for those dumplings.
Place a tray on top of an empty can or similar base.
Set a time limit and compete to see how many “dumplings” you can stack on the tray.
If you rush and stack them haphazardly, the balance will tip and everything will fall.
It’s trickier than it looks and is sure to liven things up.
Moon viewing
The sweltering, uncomfortable summer has ended, and the arrival of the cool, pleasant autumn brings great joy, doesn’t it? There are also plenty of delicious harvests.
A popular seasonal event in Japan that expresses wishes for health and gratitude for autumn’s bounty is Jūgoya, the Night of the Full Moon.
It refers to the day with a full moon that falls between September 7 and October 8.
Since the moon is especially beautiful during this period, how about taking time to gaze at it as an autumn pastime?
[For Seniors] Fun Autumn Activities: Recreation Games (151–160)
Dropping the Pumpkin Hat
A great recommendation for those looking for recreation games for seniors is the Pumpkin Hat Knock-Down.
Set a pumpkin decorated to look like a jack-o’-lantern on top of a box.
After placing a hat on the pumpkin’s head, players throw balls or beanbags to knock the hat off.
Just placing the pumpkin in the middle of the room adds a Halloween vibe.
It’s also nice that seniors can play while seated.
You can enjoy it in various ways—by gradually increasing the distance or using a points system.
Crossword game
A crossword puzzle is a game where you fill in words horizontally and vertically while answering clues.
Some people may have even entered prize contests by combining the letters in specific positions to derive a single answer.
Because you have to put the same letter in the squares where words intersect, it really makes you think.
Let’s simplify this crossword format so that older adults can enjoy it too.
Leave only the intersecting squares blank and pre-fill the other parts with letters, then have them think about which letter completes both words.
You can raise the difficulty a bit by making it a kanji fill-in, too! It’s an easy way to stimulate the brain.
Autumn Riddles
How about enjoying the deepening autumn with some fall-themed riddles? Among them, I especially recommend kanji quizzes that feature autumn flavors.
Apples, pumpkins, Pacific saury, bonito, and more…
When foods we usually see written in hiragana or katakana suddenly appear in kanji, you find yourself thinking, “What was this again?” and working your brain at full throttle.
That’s exactly why they’re perfect for brain training! Start with easier difficulty and gradually introduce tougher kanji.
If the quiz keeps featuring food, the more you play, the hungrier you might get!
Halloween wreath made from paper plates
A great way to feel the autumn season indoors is to add seasonal decorations.
Halloween may not be very familiar to many older adults, but your grandchildren would probably be thrilled to see the decorations when they come to visit.
It’s also important to try new things, so why not make some cute pumpkin decorations?